The volume of incoming requests I receive from DIYers at the Ask Tim page of AsktheBuilder.com is rising faster than the Fed can hike interest rates to tame the raging inflation. With the prices of necessities such as fuel and food taking larger bites out of family budgets, there’s often scant money left over to…
Board-and-Batten Fence Is a Simple Project
Dear James: We have a new unpleasant neighbor, so we want to build a low-cost board style of fencing ourselves. What is a good design to build to block the view? — Angie M. Dear Angie: As they say, “Good fences make for good neighbors.” Your choice of a board-type fence is good for several…
Hang a Chandelier
The focal point in a room is often a chandelier, especially in a dining room, and today it’s often used by designers as a dramatic statement of a lighting scheme in a room. The chandelier is an element that illuminates and enhances a room scaled to the size of the space. It can be a…
Paint Like a Pro: Better Painting Techniques Ensure Better Results
Although it may seem superficial, a new coat of paint has transformative powers. Inside the home, light colors make a room seem bigger, bright colors make a room energized and welcoming, and pastels soothe. Years of stains, dings, and general wear and tear are completely gone at the touch of a brush or roller. Outside,…
Manufactured Stone Is Attractive and Durable
Dear James: My house now has siding, but some of it is deteriorating. I would like to replace those spots with manufactured stone accents. Is this a reasonable project? — Tim D. Dear Tim: This definitely can be done by an experienced do-it-yourselfer. Plan to use the stone for just accents, so you may still…
Add Wooden Brackets as Decor
To add personality to a plain vanilla room consider installing two corbels, or wooden brackets to frame a doorway or opening to add interest and appeal. In an older home the bracket may be ornate as part of an architectural feature of the room, and usually painted or finished like the woodwork. They’re often sold…
Do It Yourself: Lay Vinyl Sheet Flooring
A seamless vinyl floor in a room can create a stunning backdrop for furnishings, whether installed a kitchen, bathroom or any living space. And the choices of colors, patterns and designs has never been greater, many mimicking materials like stone, quartz and planks of embossed wood in small to large formats. The new designs are…
Mother YouTube
Commentary Do you remember the “Life of Julia,” the campaign ad the Obama administration put out in 2012? It was a mix of consolation and creepiness. A girl named Julia is portrayed at several stages of her life; in every stage, the government is taking care of her—and at pretty much each stage, that’s it,…
Do-Anything Duct Tape: Clever Uses for the DIY Workhorse
“If you can’t fix it with duct tape, you aren’t using enough duct tape.” You may laugh, but this workshop staple goes quantum leaps beyond simply adhering and repair, although it certainly excels at both. You can use it to remove wood, fiberglass, and metal splinters. Just press a small piece of duct tape over…
Select the Proper Circular Saw Blade for the Job
Dear James: Last time I used my circular saw, the blade was dull, and the cuts were rough. When I get new ones, what type of blade works best and how many teeth should there be? — Megan R. Dear Megan: If you have already shopped for a circular saw blade, you probably noticed a…
US News
RSS Error: A feed could not be found at `https://www.theepochtimes.com/c-us/feed`; the status code is `200` and content-type is `text/html; charset=utf-8`