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Welcome to the site. We have developed this site to provide you with instructional articles and videos on how to do common and not so common DIY home improvement projects as well as articles on various other topics that are important to any property owner or renter. Whenever possible we provide photos, illustrations and videos to help make things easier for you.
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We also feature a Home Improvement Forum where you can ask questions pertaining to your home improvement or repair issues. It's totally free, just click the Forums link in the top navigation bar.
New Feature: Complete article and video series on building a shed
Recent Home Improvement Forum Discussions
How to replace a front eaves
Hi all,
Please excuse my ignorance as I just bought my first house and I am totally new to all of this as well as the terminology. However, I am interested in learning how to do exterior improvements to my new home and embarking on some projects of ...
Replacing a sill plate on a rock foundation
We have our main beam replace and are ready to install new sill plate where the old ones rotted away before installing our new wall. Whats the best way to attach these sill plates to the rock/masonry foundation?...
Alternative to saddle valve
Anyone have a better solution to a saddle valve for a humidifier copper tubing line? Mine is starting to leak, of course, and I'll be stuck with a little hole in the pipe. It's on a 3/4 inch copper line from my water heater out....
Building a Retaining Wall
I recently built a 12' x 12' shed and had to place it on the most level part of my yard - which is not very level. So, I had 7 yards of gravel delivered and leveled it out which resulted in various depths of gravel that I worry over time will begin ...
Mobile Home
I'm 64 and trying to fix many problems such as replacing rotted kitchen cabinets, changing sink & faucet from 3 holes to single an rotted/wet floor in laundry room and bathroom shower arm is split needs replaced and ect. My question is do you ha...
Shrinkage cracks in joists
Hey guys,
My house is from the 60s and i see some occasional horizontal cracks in some. They are mostly hairline cracks. None goes through it (no cracks from the other side)
One in particular is a bit longer. I can see that some joists are bowed sli...
Several Burst in Baseboard System...Approach?
I have a house where tenant went on vacation for a week and forgot to leave the heat on during the last cold burst we had. I wasn't aware of this until recently as they used brick heaters. Regardless I have several burst in the baseboard, about 2 inc...
ballast
I came across a bad ballast in my fixture and I went to local home improvement store to purchase one and didn't find the one exactly like I had in my fixture. My fixture has 5 wires ( red, 2 blue, and black and white) and of course the old ballast h...
Help with non contact voltage tester
Take a look at the video, is this normal for a NCVT ?? :shock:
https://youtu.be/1-BZnAlPJOQ?list=PLh0KqGKtX4oUES4GbgBGoiFCSsNCbW9Xv&t=21
:mrgreen:...
Insulating Stairwell Into 2nd Floor
I have an unfinished 2nd floor with an actual stairwell, not an attic hatch. I would like some advice on how to properly air seal/insulate. Currently the inside of the stairwell gets very hot in the day. It’s got drywall on the inside of the stair...
Framing software?
Can anyone recommend software that will help me with the framing design? I know Home Architect will create framing diagrams once you design the room but wondered if there were any other options people had used?...
Plastic vs metal junction box?
I need to add a junction box in the attic.
Whats better between the plastic ones like these...
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Carlon-2-Gang-4-in-Square-New-Work-Electrical-Wall-Box-B432ARR-UPC/100404123
or the metal ones like these...
https://www.hom...
putting a roof over deck
Hello. If I want to add a roof over my deck, do the posts have to be directly over the ones that are in the ground holding up the deck in order to hold the weight of the roof? Home is in PEI so lots of snow, etc....
Any good youtube videos or website for wiring junction box?
Hey guys. I'm looking for a sanity check on wiring a junction box. It's been awhile. Specifically, one wire in and two wires out (each going to an outlet. Any help?...
Richard / Hyde Tools Pry/Scrape Bar
So I just learned a handy little tidbit. The famous red pry/scraper bar made by Richard in Canada is the exact same as a dark gray pry/scraper bar made by Hyde in the US!
Each tool is made in its respective country, but they are exactly the same. Th...
Removing a top-mount cast-iron sink
So I have a chipped, scuffed, stained, and otherwise crappy white porcelain-enameled cast iron twin-basin kitchen sink. (There's a mouthful.) I got a free high-end stainless steel sink in like-new condition from a buddy who is renovating his kitchen....
Sistering roof trusses
One side of our single storey building ( current renovation project and future home and pottery studio) got wet and stayed wet. The end result is that in the rear section, where the apartment will be, one wall rotted out and collapsed. This dropped t...
Repair/replacing a j channel
I have a j channel to replace at the end of vinyl sided wall that butts up to brick veneer. There is a hole in the j channel from a hail storm. The j channel has been silicone caulked to the brick veneer and has hardened to a point that it is not c...
Help mounting a "live edge" shelf
So I got the boss a thick slab of wood, cherry I think, and she wants it on the wall as a shelf. She bought what appear to be solid wood bookends that she wants to use as shelf supports. I have no idea how to mount these things. I was thinking GRK...
Epoxy Floor Paint
Fellas.... I've done two go rounds with the Rust-Oleum Epoxy paint on my garage floor. Each time it's lasted about 5 years before needing to be recoated.
I am looking for something that is more permanent that will last a little longer. I see that th...
Recent Articles
LED Lighting
So as your incandescent bulbs burn out, you are thinking it may be a good time to switch to LED (light emitting diode) bulbs. LEDs have been around for a few years now and we all know basically 3 things about them. They are pricey, they last much longer than incandescent or CFLs and they are more energy efficient...
Types of common roofing materials
Information on the common types of roofing materials (shingles) found in North America
How to fix a leaky crack in your basement or pool
So you have a crack or old snap tie hole in your basement wall that is leaking water, or maybe it is leaking around the conduit coming through the basement wall to the electrical panel, what should you do?
Keeping A Clean, Organized Work Space
Big or small one of the biggest challenges of keeping your reno project on time and budget is having a plan and a organized work space that is safe.
FAQ: Bathtub Answers
FAQ: Flooring Questions & Answers
Shannon answers many of the frequently asked questions...
How To Connect Multiple Light Fixtures To One Switch
I have a video showing how to conect a recessed light (pot light) to a switch but usually most people want more than one light on a switch. So this article will explain the easiest way to connect multiple light fixtures to one switch. But you may want to watch the video as well.
How To Replace a Razor Plug with a GFCI Receptacle
In the bathrooms of many of our homes that are Pre-1980's you will probably have a plugin in the wall with a large front cover and a small single plugin the middle. These where for razors most of them are so large because there is a small transformer behind there that reduces the voltage so it can be used by razors that did not need 120 volts of electricity.
How To Refinish Hardwood Floors
Just about anyone who has older hardwood floors in their home or has discovered they have them under their carpet has thought about refinishing them. It is true you could hire someone to do this task, but if you have ever gotten it priced out you were probably surprised by the cost.
How To Construct an Arched Opening
Many times people will create an opening through a wall between two rooms similar to a large window opening to try to make their home feel more open or bigger. These openings really can make a big difference but adding an extra feature to them like an arched top makes them more appealing to the eye...
How To Install Hardwood Flooring
Installing hardwood flooring can make a dramatic improvement to any room in your home! Installing the hardwood is not that difficult but does require a couple of specialty tools to do the job right. Most importantly you need an air compressor and hose as well as a flooring nailer/stapler.
Dishwasher Buying Guide
So its finally time to replace that old inefficient dishwasher with a new energy efficient model. The choices seem endless when you start to look around. Every manufacturer has many different models and all different price ranges. How do you decide?...
How To Install Bifold Closet Doors
Installing a bifold closet door is a fairly quick and easy DIY project as long as the door opening you are trying to install it into is the correct size and fairly square.Measuring your opening first will help you determine if...
How To Insulate An Attached Garage
Insulating an attached garage has some special considerations that you must address differently then a unattached garage. The most important issue is that attached garages must have a system in place, to keep carbon monoxide (CO2) from a running vehicle inside the garage, from filtering through the walls and ceiling into the house.
How To Install Insulation In Your Walls
To insulate a wall cavity you have pretty much two different ways to do it. You can either have someone spray foam it or you yourself can install batt style insulation. In this article I will explain to you how to install batt insulation or as sometimes referred to as fiberglass insulation.
DIY New Home Construction
So you think you want to take on building your own home as a
D.I.Y.er ! Or at the very least you want to act as your own general contractor
and as well do what you are comfortable with tackling yourself. Well this can
be a very rewarding but also risky undertaking.
How To Install Poly Vapor Barrier
Installing polyethylene (poly) to the warm side of a exterior wall is very important. This is generally referred to as installing vapour barrier because the main function is to stop the warm moist air in your home from entering the cold interior space inside of your wall cavity.