Home Improvement

Explore tips & tricks to improve and transform the specific aspects of your home for the better – from home exteriors, furniture, walls, and ceilings to garage, flooring, and outdoors.

Home Improvement

Caulk Not Drying Causes & What to Do
|

Caulk is easy to work with, but if you find that your caulk isn’t drying as it should then you might be wondering if there’s anything you can do to help it cure. When caulk isn’t drying within the expected timeframe it is usually a result of climate conditions or poor application. Fortunately, in most cases, this can be easily remedied.

How to Cover a Mirror Wall
| Updated March 8, 2024 | Published March 8, 2024

Mirror walls can be a practical and appealing feature in a room, but they aren’t to everyone’s taste. If you have a mirrored wall that you can’t stand the sight of, there are a number of ways you could consider covering it.

How Many Steps in a Flight of Stairs
|

The average flight of stairs in a residential property will have between 10 and 18 steps, though this number can vary depending on various factors. The building regulations for stairs will be different from one state to the next and one country to the next, but generally, residential properties have much less stringent codes to follow regarding stairs compared with commercial or public buildings.

Appliances

Parts of a vacuum
| Updated May 10, 2022 | Published May 10, 2022

If you want to figure out what is going on with your vacuum, then first you need to get to grips with the different parts of a vacuum, what they look like, what they are called, and how they work. Here we address all of these points.

Standard Gas Line Size for Stove
| Updated August 1, 2022 | Published April 30, 2022

Understanding the size of gas line you need for your stove is probably going to be the trickiest part of the job since there is no standard size for gas lines, and instead, you need to select a size of gas line that is compatible with the energy required by your stove. Here we look at how to calculate the size of gas line you need to ensure your new stove works as it should and is safe to use.

Standard Cooler Size
| Updated July 5, 2022 | Published April 28, 2022

A cooler is a perfect addition to many different types of outdoor scenarios, such as tailgating parties, cookouts, boating trips, camping trips, hunting and fishing trips, picnics, and even just daily use for enjoying a packed lunch at work.

Basements

Types of Basement Walls
| Updated February 10, 2024 | Published February 10, 2024

When designing or building a basement, you will face the option of which type of wall to use for your construction. Here we explore the pros and cons of the three main types of basement walls to help you make a more informed decision.

Basement Floor Colors to Brighten Up Your Space
|

The basement is often the most overlooked part of a home regarding design value. This extra storage room is incredibly versatile and can be used for a variety of purposes, including as a games or entertainment room, additional living space, storage, or home office. But when it comes to redesigning your basement, the floor color you select will give your area a fresh and clean feel.

Basement ceiling colors
| Updated January 21, 2023 | Published January 21, 2023

The color you choose should reflect the type of feel you want to achieve in your basement, and of course, this depends on what you intend to use the room for. Here we look at some stylish basement ceiling paint colors and explain how they can affect the atmosphere in your basement.

Ceilings

Ceiling Colors for The Kitchen
| Updated October 28, 2023 | Published October 28, 2023

Ceilings in any room of the home are traditionally painted white, and this is still a popular color choice in modern and contemporary homes. It is becoming more commonplace for other paint colors to be used on the ceiling, so if you want to branch out from the norm then you can explore alternative options. Here we explore some of the best paint colors for kitchen ceilings.

Shed Ceilings
| Updated October 17, 2023 | Published October 17, 2023

A shed ceiling gives the effect of a half-vaulted ceiling, adding height and the illusion of more space to a room that could otherwise appear quite small. There are various different types of shed ceiling, and they can be finished in a number of ways depending on the style you want to achieve.

Cathedral Ceiling What It Is History Characteristics Pros Cons
|

Cathedral ceilings are a controversial topic amongst many designers since they offer a wide range of advantages and disadvantages to the homeowner. Here we investigate exactly what a cathedral ceiling is and look through the history of the cathedral ceiling. We also explore the pros and cons of cathedral ceilings to help you gain an understanding of whether this type of vaulted ceiling would work well in your home.

Doors

Interior Door Colors with White Walls
| Updated December 2, 2023 | Published December 2, 2023

White walls provide a neutral backdrop that allows for seemingly endless possibilities for trim and interior door color. White walls can be considered a blank slate, so the interior door color you choose is going to significantly impact the overall aesthetic and atmosphere of a room.

Door Rough Opening Sizes
| Updated August 14, 2023 | Published August 14, 2023

Door rough opening sizes are typically 2 inches wider and 2.5 inches taller than the door size. For instance, the rough opening for a 36 × 80-inch door should be 38 × 82.5 inches.

Do Frameless Shower Doors Leak
| Updated January 10, 2024 | Published March 13, 2023

The way a frameless shower door is installed means that there will be a slight gap between the glass door and the shower wall it’s fitted to. This should not result in any leaks, providing the door is installed and used correctly.

Entry

How Many Steps in a Flight of Stairs
|

The average flight of stairs in a residential property will have between 10 and 18 steps, though this number can vary depending on various factors. The building regulations for stairs will be different from one state to the next and one country to the next, but generally, residential properties have much less stringent codes to follow regarding stairs compared with commercial or public buildings.

Hallway runner sizes
|

Hallway runners typically come in two width sizes of 2 and 3 feet, and they come in a range of lengths ranging from 5 feet to 14 feet. Here, we explore the various standard hallway runner dimensions and explain how to measure for a hallway runner.

What Color To Paint The Hallway
|

If you’re thinking about giving your hallway a makeover, it’s worth putting some real consideration into the hallway paint color, because it can set the tone for the rest of your home. The hallway is the first room that visitors will see when they come to your home, so think about the kind of first impression you want to create.

Fasterners

What Size Brad Nails Do I Need
| Updated January 10, 2024 | Published June 2, 2022

Brad nails are used for the final detail of a project and have a smaller head than their cousin. The length of your brad is generally determined by the thickness of wood you’re fastening together and its intended use.

Framing Nail Size
| Updated July 13, 2022 | Published October 9, 2021

When framing interior walls, you need to choose the right size nails to ensure the framing is strong and that your job isn’t too physically strenuous. This means you will want a nail that is large enough to be sturdy and robust while being small enough that it isn’t difficult to drive into the wood. You should also stay away from nails that are too bulky because they can split the wood upon entry, rendering your framing weak and unsuitable.

Drywall Screw Size
| Updated July 13, 2022 | Published October 9, 2021

To effectively attach drywall to studs, you’ll need to select the correct size of screw. While there is a huge variety of screw sizes available for building work, there are only a handful of sizes that are suitable for use with drywall.

Flooring

Dining Room Rug Sizes
| Updated January 4, 2024 | Published January 4, 2024

A rug adds style and comfort to any room, but dining rooms in particular can benefit from the addition of a rug in both practical and aesthetic terms. If your dining room has a hard floor surface, then a rug can soften the sound of chairs moving when people position themselves at the dining table. A rug can also serve as a protective surface to avoid scuffs and scratches from damaging the floor.

Carpet pad thickness
| Updated July 17, 2023 | Published July 17, 2023

The standard depth of carpet pad is 7/16 inches, but the thickness you need will be dependent upon a number of factors, including the type of carpet you have, and your budget. Carpet padding typically varies in thickness from ⅜ an inch to ½ an inch, and thicker is better in some scenarios, while thinner and firmer is better for others.

Stylish Carpet Colors for Brown Walls
| Updated March 22, 2023 | Published March 7, 2023

While brown isn’t the most popular color for the walls, fortunately, it is versatile enough to complement many lighter and darker carpet colors without clashing. If you’re unsure of the best carpet color pairings for your light or dark brown-walls, here are some suggestions that work well with this earthy color:

Furniture

Floating Shelf Sizes & Depth
|

For versatile needs, standard floating shelves come in widths of 12, 24, 36, 48, and 60 inches, and depths of 4, 6, 8, and 10 inches. Choose 24-inch wide shelves for versatility in most rooms or 48-inch shelves for a bold statement in larger spaces. Depth-wise, 6 inches serves multiple purposes, while 10 inches is ideal for bulkier items.

Closet Rod Height
| Updated January 23, 2024 | Published January 23, 2024

. Whichever type of closet you have, you’ll need to set the closet rod to a suitable height for storing your clothing.

Makeup Vanity Dimensions
| Updated December 30, 2023 | Published December 30, 2023

Makeup vanity tables are the perfect place to store makeup, face creams, and hair products, and they also provide a dedicated area to use these items every day. Makeup vanities are also known as dressing tables or desks, and they come in a range of sizes to suit the differing needs of the user. 

Garages

Bold and Daring Garage Wall Paint Color Ideas
| Updated September 12, 2023 | Published November 11, 2022

What garage wall paint colors should you choose, and how should you paint them like a professional? We will give you some ideas as well as step-by-step instructions on how you can paint your garage walls in a fast and affordable way. Let’s get started!

How to Paint a Roll Up Garage Door
|

If you have a roll-up garage door, you might be wondering if this needs to be approached in a different way than painting a regular garage door. Here we look at the process you will need to follow to properly painting a roll-up garage door.

How Much Does It Cost to Build a 24×24 Garage
| Updated February 4, 2024 | Published April 19, 2022

The average cost to build a garage is $50 per square foot. A 24-foot by 24-foot garage will have a total square footage of 576, which brings the average cost of building out to $28,800.

Green Living

Why is My House So Hot?
| Updated January 10, 2024 | Published December 18, 2021

When warmer months roll around, many people find it difficult to stay cool in their own homes. This can make it especially difficult to sleep at night or even to concentrate during the day. If you have children in the home, they can become very uncomfortable and irritable if they overheat, and this can actually be potentially dangerous for babies. So, why is your house so hot?

Eco-Cleaning Products
| Updated May 11, 2021 | Published January 11, 2021

Since the times of the industrial-chemical boom of the 1950s, when all chemicals were regarded as beneficial, we have come a long way in understanding how even everyday household cleaning products can adversely affect our environment and our health.

Green Building
| Updated June 13, 2022 | Published September 22, 2020

Our homes have high energy needs. To satisfy them, we have been burning massive amounts of fossil fuels, which produces greenhouse gasses. The greenhouse gas buildup has created the current climate crisis – probably the largest threat and challenge humanity had yet faced. Let’s dive into the innovative world of green building together and get some answers!

Home Exterior Remodel & Improvement

What Colors Go With Cedar Siding
|

Cedar is a really great choice of wood for siding because it has a lot of properties that make it ideally suited to exposure to the outdoors. However, cedar is a somewhat intense color that can be tricky to coordinate with. Here we explore some of the best exterior home colors that go with cedar siding.

Types of Gutter Hangers
| Updated October 7, 2023 | Published October 7, 2023

Gutter hangers are the hardware components that attach the gutters to the fascia board or other mounting surfaces. They come in various styles and materials, each designed to accommodate different gutter types and installation requirements.

What Color Siding Goes With Tan Brick
| Updated August 30, 2023 | Published August 29, 2023

Some colors of siding, like green, will make tan brick pop, while other colors, such as warm neutrals, will make the tan bricks less of a prominent feature. Here, we explore the best siding colors with tan bricks depending on the effect you want to achieve.

Painting

Paint roller sizes
| Updated May 17, 2023 | Published May 17, 2023

The standard length measurement of a paint roller is 9 inches, though paint rollers also come in smaller and larger sizes for specific projects. The pile or ‘nap’ of a roller will also come in different measurements, and it’s important to pick the right roller nap for the job to get the best results.

How to Paint Ceiling without Moving Furniture
| Updated June 10, 2023 | Published February 23, 2023

If you’re able to paint your ceiling before you move into a new property, this is always the favorite option because you won’t need to worry about getting spills and splatters on furniture or being restricted in terms of movement because of bulky items. However, most people who need to paint their ceilings will do so while they are living in the home, which brings us to the common question of how to paint the ceiling without moving furniture.

How to Gloss Paint a Door
| Updated July 13, 2022 | Published July 2, 2022

Gloss paint looks great on doors, but if you make a mistake, the glossy surface can highlight your error. Below, we’ll cover how to get the best finish using gloss paint.

Porches and Patios

Swing Set Dimensions
|

Having your own swing set in the backyard is every child’s dream, transforming a basic garden into a fun playground. If you’re interested in adding a swing set to your garden, the first thing to think about is how much space you need to accommodate the swing set.

Deck Colors for A White House
| Updated August 1, 2023 | Published August 1, 2023

Houses that have been painted white, or have white siding, are one of the easiest to coordinate with because you’re guaranteed that any colors will go with white. Decks in neutral colors will work well with white, and even brighter or dark colors can be good options.

Porch Overhang Ideas to Fulfill Your Roofing Needs
| Updated February 1, 2024 | Published October 10, 2022

We have compiled a few practical porch roof designs with pictures to give you inspiration. But before we start, let’s delve a little into roof overhangs in case you’re not familiar with this topic.

Tools

Cost to Rent a Pressure Washer at Lowes
| Updated July 13, 2022 | Published April 5, 2022

Rental pressure washers at Lowe’s start at just $6 an hour for a minimum period of 4 hours, so you can complete quite an extensive task during that time for a really reasonable cost. By comparison, you can expect to pay a professional around $80 per hour to come and pressure wash your driveway, so that’s a significant saving.

Angled Finish Nailer VS Straight
| Updated July 13, 2022 | Published August 18, 2021

Having an electric nail gun is beneficial, especially if you have a do-it-yourself home improvement or construction project. Compared to hammering nails by hand, using an electric nail gun is easier and safer. Plus, it offers greater precision. However, what type of nail gun should you use?

Tools for Knife-Making
| Updated February 1, 2024 | Published August 8, 2021

Knifemaking is a process that’s been around for hundreds of years. To make a knife, one has to follow a series of processes, and all of these processes require tools. The earliest knives were made from such materials as flint, obsidian, brass, iron, copper, or bronze.

Walls

How to Cover a Mirror Wall
| Updated March 8, 2024 | Published March 8, 2024

Mirror walls can be a practical and appealing feature in a room, but they aren’t to everyone’s taste. If you have a mirrored wall that you can’t stand the sight of, there are a number of ways you could consider covering it.

Types of Basement Walls
| Updated February 10, 2024 | Published February 10, 2024

When designing or building a basement, you will face the option of which type of wall to use for your construction. Here we explore the pros and cons of the three main types of basement walls to help you make a more informed decision.

Coat Hook Spacing and Height
| Updated February 1, 2024 | Published February 1, 2024

The ideal height and spacing distance for your coat hooks will be determined by the area of the home they are in, what you plan to hang from them, and who is going to be using them. Determining this will improve functionality as well as aesthetic appeal. Meanwhile, A 9-12 inches spacing between each coat hook is generally recommended.

Windows

Front Door Window Covering Ideas
| Updated January 1, 2024 | Published July 22, 2023

Choosing a front door with a window in it is a popular way to allow more light into the entryway, and some people also like to see who is at their door before opening it up to visitors. However, there are also some drawbacks to having a window in your front door, such as a lack of privacy or light flooding in early in the morning and waking you up.

What color to paint window sills
|

Window sills are routinely painted white, as this is a popular, inoffensive color choice. However, window sills do not have to be white, and instead you can paint them in a color to coordinate with your color scheme, or to blend in with your walls.

Long or Short Curtains in Bedroom
| Updated January 18, 2024 | Published February 22, 2023

Should bedroom curtain length be long or short? The length you choose can turn your bedroom into a casual or formal space, so it comes down to personal preference not to mention the size of the bedroom.