Archives
Making Straight Cuts in Big Timbers: A How-To Guide
Learn how to get straight, clean cuts through large pieces of timber by following the steps in our detailed how-to guide.
How to Spruce Up a Worn-out Deck
Give those tired old boards a refreshing makeover in six easy steps
The Austin Project: After
A Texas bungalow gets an environmentally friendly renovation and earns a 5-star rating from the local Green Building Program
How to Keep Plant-Eating Animals at Bay
In this guide, we'll go over ways to prevent deer from eating your landscaping, plus some tips for plants that other critters will avoid.
All You Need to Know about Repurposing Vintage Newel Posts
These gorgeous, vintage wooden posts can be repurposed for your current home, either in your staircase or with creative DIY projects.
Project Preparation at Winchester
Creating an ideal canvas for improvement means getting the fundamentals done correctly
A Winchester Welcome
A homeowner's dream comes true
A Revealing Moment
In a project with few surprises, we knew something would come up
Perfect Dormers at Winchester
At first glance the Winchester dormers look fine. But are they?
New Homeowners at the Winchester House
How the new owners of the Winchester house managed moving from Huntsville, Alabama—and a major renovation
Working It Out
And so began the work on another This Old House television project. After give-and-take between drawing board and checkbook, the plans— by local architect David Stirling — were finished.
How To Boost Your Home's Curb Appeal
Better curb appeal leads to better property values, and it's easy to improve. Tour 5 different exterior renovations to learn what matters.
The Calm Before the Storm
A week before the TOH crew arrived, when things in Concord were still relatively quiet, Janet Bernard talked about her parents, the barn behind her house, and how our fall 2003 project came to be.
Interior Design for a Small Home
The interior of the Concord Cottage is a marvel of traditional decor, universal design, and hidden storage everywhere.
A Bittersweet Ending
The family suffers a loss as the Concord Cottage project nears completion
Everything in Its Place
A homeowner, innkeeper, and father dreams about the fabulous home that awaits his family
Coming Out of Storage
Reconverting an oversized storage closet back to being a home is like working from a blank slate. On the Bermuda project, that meant figuring out what kind of home it would become — and just how blank the slate would be.
The Big Damp
Keeping a house dry on a humid island is no small task. On our Bermuda project, everyone working on the job contributes to that effort, inside and out
Birth of a Notion
From concept to delivery, this renovation project followed a strangely familiar course
One Small, Happy Family
How do you plan the perfect living space for people you haven't met?
Barnjacking!
Tom Silva's team gives a whole new meaning to the expression "raising a barn."
Foundation on a Flatbed
The new foundation at the Carlisle Project won't be arriving in a cement mixer. It will show up on a truck, be installed in less than a day, and stay weather-tight for decades.
Expect the Unexpected
A septic tank turns up in a surprising spot, which may mean a bit more digging than we'd planned on.
Walls (and Roof) That Won't Come Tumbling Down
The new construction at Carlisle consists of foam-core panels that are strong enough to stay put for a century, and solid enough to keep the fuel bills low.
How To Buy Reclaimed Lumber
We're walking through sourcing, buying, and using reclaimed wood, from understanding its benefits to working with dealers.