Home Improvement

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

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

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

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

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

Most of us don't think about what's going on inside a copier while we wait for it to shoot out the copies. Find out how, in mere seconds, you can produce an exact replica of what's on a sheet of paper!

By Ann Meeker-O'Connell

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.

Learn how to unclog a drain, whether it's hair in a bathroom sink or a major blockage in your home's main drainpipe. These tips will help you out.

By Fix-It Club

A dripping faucet is the most common plumbing problem but one of the easiest to repair. Yet many people ignore it and leave it unrepaired. Imagine each drip as a penny lost and you may reconsider.

By Fix-It Club

Find out how to fix a spray hose in this article, whether your issue lies in the aerator, flexible sink hose, diverter valve, or other area.

By Fix-It Club

Learn how to fix pipes in this article, which addresses such common problems as pipes that leak, make a lot of noise, or become frozen.

By Fix-It Club

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.

In places where uranium is common in the soil, radon is a popular topic of discussion. Even though radon is "completely natural," it can be a real health hazard. Learn how radon forms and why it is so dangerous.

By Marshall Brain & Craig Freudenrich, Ph.D.

With energy bills on the rise, homeowners are looking for new ways to use less power around the house. A cutting-edge window technology called the "smart window" allows consumers to fully or partially block light by turning a knob or pressing a button.

By Kevin Bonsor

In movies, burglars can open a lock using a paper clip. Is it really so easy? The basic process of picking a lock is simple, but it takes practice to get it right.

By Marshall Brain & Tom Harris

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