Home Improvement

Red oak and white oak are trendy hardwood flooring options for oak wood floors. They’re both beautiful and add some character to your home. While both are wonderful, people typically wonder if one may be better than the other.

Home remodeling or renovation can be an expensive endeavor. You could end up spending somewhere in the neighborhood of $40,000 to have your home remodeled. Saving money whenever possible would be ideal.

Many homeowners get confused about their electrical system when talking about neutrals and grounds. This confusion can lead to questions about how the circuit breaker box in your home is wired. Is it permissible to have the neutral wires and the ground wires in your home’s electrical system connected to the same bus bar in the electrical panel?

The last thing you want to do is to disturb your housemates and neighbors with an overly loud rehearsal room. You can avoid this altogether if you simply soundproof the room. Not only does this stop sound from spilling out of your band practice room, but it will also make the music sound better in the room.

Concrete slabs are necessary for a variety of different projects. Maybe you need a concrete patio for your summer night parties- or a foundation to build your shed. Perhaps, you have another project in mind.

If you’re a handy homeowner, your garage probably isn’t just a place that you park your car. It’s actually a place where you park everything from seasonal storage, gardening gear, tools, kids’ toys, and wood saws. Without space-saving shelves to help contain all of these supplies and tools, your beautiful garage can end up looking like a disorganized mess.

Whether you are aware or not, backflow can be a major problem that threatens the health and safety of you and all the members of your household. Because of this, it’s recommended that a backflow test be performed annually by a certified plumbing company. During the test, valves will be opened and closed to detect any irregularities in the prevention system. Then, a form is submitted to the local city to ensure there are no code violations and the preventer meets the proper standards.

Shower curbs are such a fixture of the average full bathroom that it’s easy to ignore them even as you step over one. However, it is important to consider every aspect of a shower curb when you install or renovate a shower. So, what is the ideal shower curb height?

The bathroom is arguably one of the most overlooked rooms in the entire house. More and more homeowners are remodeling their bathrooms, putting in the time and effort to make this space a focal point. Seeing as we all begin and end our days in the bathroom, it should feel luxurious, calm, and relaxing. One of the easiest and most affordable ways to elevate your space is to add a waterfall faucet.

Corian has been around since 1964 and was first used for countertops and sinks. It’s been taking the design world by storm over the last couple of decades. Its clean, no-fuss style adds a touch of class without going overboard.

Buying your very first house is a huge accomplishment, and it’s also one of the most expensive purchases you’ll ever make. But closing day isn’t the finish line when it comes to home-ownership costs; it’s only the beginning. Many first-time homebuyers underestimate maintenance costs, which could lead to financial stress and buyer’s remorse.

Toilets are a crucial component of the design of your bathroom. Depending on your needs, aesthetic desires, and bathroom size, you have many choices to make regarding the toilet that you select. One of these choices has to do with the shape of the toilet bowl. Believe it or not, not all toilets are made equal and some are longer than others.

Radiant barriers are classically located in attics and are excellent at reducing the amount of heat and reducing cooling costs. While it may not be as typical, you can also install radiant barriers in stud walls. With this short guide, you will be well on your way to understanding how to go through this installation.

If you want to build a garden pathway on a tight budget that lasts a long time, then start looking for bricks. New bricks at home improvement stores can be fairly cheap (and also quite pricey), but if you are looking to build a pathway for as little as possible, don’t head to a retail store.

Insulation is an important part of every home. It keeps your house warm during the winter and cool during the summer.  But insulation also reduces noise, thus increasing privacy.

Towel bars are helpful accessories to have inside the bathroom. That is especially true if you find trying to dry off with moist towels to be very annoying.

Are you worried about property harm because of the water drainage? You shouldn’t be. We have everything you may need to know about this issue! While runoff from a neighbors yard can be detrimental to yours, there are ways to stop it. But how exactly do you do that?

That ambient buzzing that bees produce can be frightening for folks who’ve experienced the pain of being stung. Even if you haven’t been stung before, you probably want no part of experiencing that firsthand. Unfortunately, there are times when bees may be the ones who decide to take up residence on your property.

It can be pretty annoying when you take a shower and the water starts puddling around your feet. If it won’t go down, you probably thought it was clogged with hair or something. But after cleaning it and finding nothing, you probably realized that it is just that the drain stopper is stuck in the closed position.

A gravel driveway that is several years old can begin to look a little sad. Gravel tends to migrate, leaving bare patches or uneven places on your driveway. You can, of course, simply add more gravel to your driveway. However, many people consider applying a driveway sealer on top of their gravel driveway. Is this a viable solution?

New home foundations have been constructed from concrete for at least the last 50 years. Concrete is consistently ranked among the toughest materials in home improvement, offering unmatched strength and durability. Despite its toughness and enduring qualities, concrete is far from indestructible.

Choosing a new breaker is an important decision. Your home’s electrical system is comprised of several fail-safes meant to keep both you and the breaker safe. Homeline and QO breakers are among the most popular and effective on the market, so how are they different?

Proper ventilation is important not just for your HVAC system. It also matters for all the exhaust fans you have installed that take moist air from one place to the next. For instance, the air coming from your bathroom exhaust fan needs to come out somewhere.

Installing insulation isn’t the most exciting home improvement project, but it is a necessary one. As you probably already know, using insulation in your home is essential for improving efficiency and comfort. But how do you decide what kind of insulation is the best choice for your home? One of the most common questions homeowners ask is: what is the difference between R13 and R15 insulation?

The home you bought years ago may no longer be capable of comfortably accommodating your growing family. At the very least, it may seem that way given how cramped it currently feels. Before you put down money on a new home, you may want to consider modifying your current place of residence first.

In this modern world with so many advances in home design, functionality, and technology, there seems to be an endless number of ways to improve your home. Whether it’s turning it into a smart home or making your house as energy efficient as possible, there are lots of ways to make your home better. Some of these improvements are personal preferences, while others can drastically increase the value of a home. Take installing an EV charger in your home for example. Is this simply a personal preference, or can installing an EV charging station increase the value of your home?

Sheds are convenient for extra storage, holding everything from tools to lawn care equipment and sports gear. However, nowadays, sheds can be a lot more than just a place to stash your stuff. People use them as cabanas, workshops, small playrooms, and much more. 

White risers on wooden stairs can help to brighten a narrow or poorly lit stairway. They will often serve as a means to open up the room and provide a more spacious feel. Also, the use of white can emphasis a darker stain on the steps or darker colored surrounding walls.

Laying tile for shower walls can be hard work, but you can make it easier if you choose the right adhesive. There are so many tile adhesives on the market these days, but mastic and Thinset mortar are two mainstays when it comes to shower walls. So, what is better; mastic or Thinset for shower walls?

Wood paneling was a popular option for homes in the 1970s and 1980s, but today is a dated look. Many homeowners prefer the appearance of smooth drywall compared to wood grain paneling. Updating your interior space can not only make you happier at home, but it can increase the value of your home. Unfortunately, removing wood paneling can be extremely time-consuming and expensive.

Nothing is nicer than having a hot, steamy shower that hits you in a powerful, massaging way. Unfortunately, today, your shower decided not to give you that. Rather than give you the usual high pressure that you’re used to, your shower just puts out a little trickle of water. After annoyedly trying to huddle under the showerhead, you give up. What’s going on with this crazy thing?

You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars on a brand-new porch or expensive contractors. There are several simple things you can do to your porch to give it a brand new look just in time for spring. Treat yourself to a warm welcome every time you come home, and show your guests how excited you are to see them with these easy front porch refresh ideas.

During Superstorm Sandy, most of my neighborhood was out of power. Having a warm shower felt like a distant memory, unless you had that one “bougie” neighbor with a generator. I was lucky enough to be friends with a millionaire’s daughter at the time. So, I got a shower. Part of getting that warm water involved knowing what size generator they needed to run a water heater.

If you prefer a home somewhat smaller than today’s average of 2,600 square feet, you can make it work. Or, maybe you only need a little bit of space because you live alone or live a minimalist lifestyle. Still, perhaps based on where you live, your budget only allows for a home with less square footage. 

When you’re laying out a nice, new layer of porcelain tile, there are certain things you expect. For example, you expect your tiling to stay put. The problem is, using the wrong bonding agent can make it hard to keep your tiles in place. That’s why there’s an ongoing debate between using Versabond versus using Flexbond thinset mortars when you’re laying out tiling. So, what’s the difference between the two? Is one better than the other?

Hardwood flooring has been a popular choice for homeowners for quite some time. No matter what your style, hardwood flooring creates a timeless look. It also increases your home’s resale value!

Concrete is a remarkably durable material, but it’s still not immune to different types of damage. Over time, the concrete you installed may start to look worn down and its outermost layer may become uneven as well. Demolishing and replacing that old concrete may seem like your only option, but it’s worth noting that you can resurface it.

Pex is a cost-efficient plumbing material that is often times used in place of copper. Not only that, it actually results in a much quicker install than using copper, too. It is also quite flexible, making for a great remodeling option.

While most of the electric ovens that we are familiar with simply plug into the wall, not all electric units are created equally. From time to time, you may notice that a unit has the capability to be hardwired into place.

The electrical components of your home or business can require professional intervention much of the time for good reason. Not only is it a complicated setup, especially to DIYers, but it is dangerous as well. Plus there is the potential of installation going wrong on top of all that.

Bathroom vanities have evolved over the years from a simple cabinet and countertop design to sophisticated masterpieces. Homeowners and designers now use antiques and other repurposed furniture for bathroom vanities. The creativity is a welcome change, but it does come with some downsides, such as proper positioning of the vanity and plumbing.

Driveways are supposed to be a place where your car can feel at home…and where your car’s wheels won’t get too banged up. When you first kick off your driveway’s life, the asphalt is smooth and accommodating. Unfortunately, wear and tear can happen. If left for too long, asphalt cracks turn into crumbles, and then you’ve got a mess to deal with. So, how do you fix this problem?

If you just installed a floating floor, you might be wondering: Can a floating floor be glued down? If you find that the pieces are shifting after installation, it can feel tempting to just grab a glue or nail gun and put an end to the shifting.

Buying land is the American Dream. Who hasn’t had the idea of purchasing a plot of land and building the perfect home right on top of that plot? Unfortunately, there is far more to the dream than most of us realize. Like setting up utilities on that land.

Propane is a versatile fuel that can be used to power numerous appliances in and around the home. You can use propane for cooking, heating water, and it can also help provide some warmth.  Many homeowners even purchase propane tanks so they can store that fuel and use it on-demand.

When planning your bathroom remodel, you must decide what type of shower, tub surround, and sink fits your needs best. Many homeowners narrow the choices down to two types, Vikrell or acrylic. To make the best choice, you must understand the differences between Vikrell and acrylic.

Adding a new addition to your home as a builder-owner is a smart and exciting prospect. An addition of any size adds value, but a 20×20 addition is popular and offers many possibilities. You probably want to jump right into your 20×20 addition, but first, it’s important to know how much it will cost.

Double sink vanities are regal, helpful, and completely practical. When having a double sink vanity, you essentially get two sinks rather than one, but for the same price. Roughing in a sink involves connecting a sink, toilet, or tub in its final stage. After you rough-in your sink, you will be almost finished with the install. Although it can seem complicated, it is not too hard if you follow the steps correctly. 

Are you thinking about upgrading your bathroom to give it a fresh look? One of the best ways to make an impact is by replacing your old bathtub or, if you only have a shower right now, to add a new one. Unless you have advanced carpentry and plumbing skills, this will involve hiring a professional to carry out the work.

Whether you’re building a new house or remodeling an old one, your bathrooms are some of the most essential rooms in your home. Having a lovely bathroom vanity is crucial to getting the most enjoyment from your home. It’s also necessary to have a beautiful vanity if you ever hope to sell your house.

Repairing or installing water lines within your home typically requires that you use crimpers, adhesives, or solder. However, adhesives can smell awful and be a very messy undertaking. Also, crimpers are pricey, can be challenging to install in smaller areas, and solder requires that you use an open flame to heat the pipes.

What’s the best way to refresh your interior home design? Some would suggest moving pieces of furniture around, making adjustments to the window treatment, or changing the lighting. We want to remind homeowners that refreshing the coat of paint over their interior doors and trim is also an option.

You notice that your Sloan Flushmate toilet has developed a leak in the tank.  Immediately after flushing the toilet and the tank has refilled, the valve begins to trickle water into the tanks causing an overflow into the toilet bowl.  What can cause a Sloan Flushmate to leak water into the tank?

Some people call it paradise. Others see it as Eden in the Pacific. Whatever your views, you will probably admit that Hawaii is one of the most beautiful places in the world. Many people dream of living in Hawaii but wonder how much it costs to build a home in Hawaii?

Mobile homes offer the chance to reduce costs and move in quickly. Land preparation is much easier and cheaper than building a traditional brick-and-mortar home, and that makes mobile homes quite enticing. So, how much does it cost to hook up electricity to a mobile home?

There’s nothing like a hot shower until someone barges in to use the bathroom, or your toddler rushes in to ask a question. Suddenly, your beautiful glass-door shower seems a little too…revealing.

In the winter, your basement is cool and dry, and you don’t even have to think about water damage. But once the summer months come around, it becomes damp and humid in your cool basement. Why does this happen, and what can you do to prevent it?

Vinyl siding is extremely popular, even if you’re in a location that is famous for being rough on siding. When you’re trying to get new siding, you’re going to be presented with vinyl options as well as options that are less common. One of the rarer ones is composite siding. For the right home, composite can be the best choice ever. For others, it’s all about vinyl. The question we’re asking today is, which is better overall?

Your refrigerator can work with a standard electrical outlet as well as a GFCI. Many people believe that using a non-GFCI outlet is the best option for food storage. Thinking that this will prevent unnecessary tripping of the circuit breaker, causing food spoilage.

Your dream kitchen would not be complete without the right set of countertops. Countertops are functional and decorative additions that can round out your kitchen. All kinds of materials can be used to create kitchen countertops, thus opening up numerous design possibilities for you to try.