Home Improvement

Aging brick and concrete home elements may require repairs. Save money when you follow these easy instructions to repair mortar and loose bricks, fix concrete stairs, and fill cracks in walls or potholes.

By Editors of Consumer Guide

Asbestos has been used for thousands of years, dating as far back as the ancient Greeks. Its ability to withstand heat and erosion made it attractive to builders, and it was even used in some clothing because of its fire-resistant qualities. So why is it so dangerous?

By Tiffany Connors

Staining wooden furniture isn't just a matter of stripping off one finish and applying another. The finish is only as good as the preparation for it. Learn how to stain wooden furniture.

By Editors of Consumer Guide

Repairing wooden furniture is a process that can take many forms. There are numerous types of wooden furniture, so the types of repairs are similarly varied. Learn how to repair wooden furniture.

By Editors of Consumer Guide

Is Grandma's hand-me-down hutch looking a little worse for wear? Instead of tossing out those favorite furniture pieces, why not take on a refinishing project? Find dozens of tips in this article.

By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.

Laminate flooring is cheaper than wood, doesn't need to be nailed, sanded, stained or finished, and is quite resistant to scratches, denting, fading and stains.

By Richard Winter

Today's dog houses can go way beyond four walls, an arched doorway and a peaked roof. With a little time and the right materials, you can build a palace for your pooch.

By Sarah Siddons

While decorative molding isn't an essential part of the building process, it has an important role in finishing off a room. It can add value to your home, and provide a more finished look.

By Richard Winter

Wood stoves have evolved quite a bit from their potbellied ancestors. Today's wood stoves are clean and efficient, and have several environmental arguments on their side.

By Eleanor Duse

One of the most important factors to consider when buying or selling a house is square footage because it helps determine the market value and therefore the price of a home.

By Elizabeth Abbess

A router might just be the most versatile tool you can own -- but in a world without router bits, it would be nothing more than a spinning motor.

By Elizabeth Abbess

Driving up next to a limousine with dark tinted windows can make you wonder if there's an actor or athlete inside. While they're usually looking for privacy, the same tints are being applied to home windows -- but for very different reasons.

By Jessica Brown

Some of us don't think crooked kitchen cabinets are delightfully quirky or that uneven tiles give the bathroom floor personality. Some of us want things to be straight. Is a laser the answer?

By Marie Willsey

Famous hotel pools can be impressive, they pale in comparison to some of the world's most expensive pools, which can cost millions or even billions of dollars to build.

By Bambi Turner

Repairing driveway cracks is a simple and rewarding project. Find out the keys to repairing driveway cracks to stop a smaller problem from becoming a larger one.

Tough, wear-resistant granite has long been one of the most popular choices for countertops. You should probably think twice before installing it yourself, though.

By Richard Winter

If you've installed a replacement door or two around your home, it seems pretty simple -- all it takes is tightening a couple of screws and you're done. Installing the largest door in your house, however, is not quite so simple.

By Sarah Siddons

Chances are, even if you don't live in an area that's been going through a drought, you've probably heard about it on the news. But what can you do to help counteract the effects of a drought? Catch your own water, of course.

By Sara Elliott

It seems simple enough -- a skylight is a window in your roof. But skylights do more than just light up your room. They can have a profound affect on your mood, too.

By John Fuller

Whether you've been eyeing a new kitchen countertop or a pair of boots for your arch mobster rival, concrete has many applications. What's the recipe for this durable, ubiquitous substance?

By Robert Lamb

The Big, Bad Wolf can huff and puff all he wants, but he'll never blow one of these roofs off. Could a concrete roof protect you from violent storms (and wolves), or will it make your walls buckle?

By Robert Lamb

Wouldn't it be great if you never had to pay for dry cleaning again? A steam dryer could make that wish a reality for you. And its washer companion could cleanse mildew, cat dander and other allergens out of your clothes.

By Jane McGrath

Whether you're out camping or in the midst of a power outage, gas lanterns are handy devices. Did you know they're radioactive? Find out how these lanterns produce light.

By Marshall Brain

Have you ever wondered how a house is built? Or what holds up the ceiling and walls? And how do you keep the rain out? It's a complex process that involves quite a bit more than you may think.

By Marshall Brain

Before the handy ballpoint, getting a few sentences onto paper was a pretty involved task. Find out how the ballpoint pen stores and manages its own ink supply to make writing a snap.

By Melissa Russell-Ausley