Archives

richard_boiler_heater
Play

How to Install a Combination Boiler and Hot Water Heater

Replace two devices, your water heater and boiler, with a single combi boiler unit that’s more efficient and compact.
Several palm trees being prepared to be planted.
Play

A Step by Step Guide to Planting Palm Trees for Your Yard

This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook heads to Miami to plant several different types of palm trees in a front yard.
wireless_thermostat
Play

How To Install a Wireless Thermostat

This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey helps a homeowner install a wireless thermostat to control one zone of heating.
roger_sod
Play

How to Lay Sod in a Backyard

This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook helps a homeowner lay sod in his backyard
electrical outlet that could be susceptible to arc faults without an interrupter.

Prevent Electrical Fires with Arc-Fault Circuit Interrupters

About half of home electrical fires result from shorts, also known as arc faults. An arc-fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) can help stop them.
no_natural_light_xl

How to Light a Windowless Room

Pro tips for brightening spaces that lack natural light
5mb_danforth_17

6 Salvage Projects You've Got to See

Noteworthy upcycle ideas from readers like you
exotic_flower_xl

8 Exotic Plants That Take Up to a Decade—or More—to Bloom

Run-of-the mill garden plants bloom predictably, but these unusual species take years to produce flowers. Worth the wait? You decide...

Fall Flowers to Plant This Autumn

Learn about standout new varieties of old favorites you can put in the ground and enjoy now, and for many seasons to come.
A man cleaning a gutter out by hand.

How to Clear Your Home's Gutters in a Few Simple Steps

Keep your home and exterior safe from water damage with simple and effective gutter cleaning tips that anyone can follow.
greek_revival_xl_1

Save This Old House: Handsome Two-Story Greek Revival

This southern home on the National Register of Historic Places is primed for a forward-looking rehab
job_safety_xl

The TOH TV Crew's Job-Site Safety Pet Peeves

Dangerous habits they spot on the job site and how to quit them
attic_2015_xl

Best Attic Before and Afters 2015

You showed us your revamped garrets. Now see which made us do a double take in our annual Search for America's Best Remodel Contest
back_porch_xl

From Plain to Period-Perfect Back Porch

A healthy dose of Craftsman detail and a cheerful color palette give a new back porch front-and-center personality
reader_basement_xl

Basement Remodel: Mid-century Modern Guest Suite and Living Area

A finished basement suite entices friends and future grandparents in the best living space redo from the Search for America's Best Remodel 2015
curb_appeal_reader_remodel_2015

Rebuilt Wrap-Around Porch for a Folk Victorian

A newlywed's stepdad recreated detailed gingerbread trim for the best curb appeal redo from the Search for America's Best Remodel 2015
reader_kitchen_xl_0

Long-Awaited Kitchen Remodel With DIY Cabinetry

An expecting homeowner prompted the best kitchen redo from the Search for America's Best Remodel 2015
web_Zetino_Patio_0110

A Seabee Designs a Long-Distance Backyard Remodel

While deployed 7,500 miles from home, this reader designed his dream backyard on paper, then spent months building it.
tub_feet_xl

What's Their Story? Cast-Iron Tub Feet

Furniture-like bathtub feet were most elaborate in the 1890s—the peak of the Victorian era
shed_design_xl

8 She-Shed Design Ideas With Staying Power

You won't tire of these creative ideas after a season spent in your hideaway
richard_faucet_1
Play

How to Repair a Leaky Kitchen Faucet

This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey helps a homeowner repair her leaky kitchen faucet
tom_stock_shelves
Play

How to Build a Custom Built-In Using Stock Shelving

This Old House general contractor Tom Silva transforms stock shelving into a custom built-in
tom_bike
Play

How To Hang Bikes in a Garage

With this method, you can keep your bikes secure, accessible, and out of the way, making your garage more organized and functional.
coloring_lines_xl

Photoshop Redo: Coloring Inside the Lines of a Folk Victorian Farmhouse

A house goes from ghostly to gorgeous with the help of three earth- and sky-toned paint palettes
poison_ivy_xl_0

4 Common Myths and Facts About Poison Ivy

The truth about this dangerous plant—from the experts