Home Improvement Exterior

Like any other outdoor room, porches are simply a continuation of your living space. Although all porches provide a space that bridges the gap between the outside world and the inside of your home, not all porches are created equal. Some porches are meant to greet visitors, while others are designed more for relaxing and enjoying the outdoors in an enclosed area.

If you’ve just moved into a new house and have a post but no mailbox, don’t panic! You can easily install a mailbox onto an already existing metal post. It’s a lot easier than it sounds, and it makes for an easier time with installation as you won’t need to dig the hole for the post or request permission. So, how do you install a mailbox on an existing metal post?

So, you went to your friend’s house the other night for some backyard conversation and wine and fell in love with their yard. It was relaxing and comfortable, and those string lights in their trees were the perfect finishing touch. Now you want to hang string lights in your backyard, but you don’t have any trees.

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?

The exterior cladding that you choose for your home serves as the protective barrier against dramatic changes in temperature and inclement weather conditions. Though, depending on the type that you choose, it can also impact the value of your home. Choosing a siding for your home is an important decision that requires careful consideration, as it’s going to last for many years.

Sliding glass doors are preferred by homeowners who enjoy picturesque views. They’re great for many more reasons, but a downside is that they can sometimes have water intrusion problems.

The main job of your siding is to protect your home from the elements – particularly precipitation and the negative effects of excess moisture. However, in addition to practicality, your siding also serves an aesthetic purpose and can drastically impact the value of your home. With this in mind, your choice in siding should be based on aesthetics, maintenance needs, durability, environmental impact, installation, composition, and overall costs.

The back door is not usually given a second thought. Most people think of it as strictly a means to the outdoor or back yard. And rarely is it considered a design component of a room.

There’s no way to completely protect your home from tornadoes, but impact-resistant doors and windows can help. The term “tornado-proof” isn’t ironclad, but you can take several steps to protect your home from tornadoes.

Having a home with a backyard is a blessing. It allows you the opportunity to enjoy nature, peace, and tranquility, especially in the summer months. There are all sorts of leisure activities perfect for the backyard, including grilling, sunbathing, and reading. But if your backyard is near a busy street, your backyard tranquility might be stifled by irritating noises. While it is easy to block the sight of traffic, is it possible to reduce the traffic noise in your backyard?

Working on a ladder is a delicate process. Yes, the ladder will allow you to get to spots high up off the ground that you wouldn’t be able to otherwise. They are a useful tool that any roofer, builder, or amateur handyman should have at his or her disposal. To keep your ladder steady, it’s a good idea to have a roof ladder hook. The good news is that you can make these, and it’s simple.

Shingling a roof can be far more complicated than you may have realized. Because of the various materials involved, there are certain specifications that must be met to ensure that the roof and shingles are properly installed.

If you want to install a chain-link fence, concrete is an easy way to ensure that your wall will stay there forever. However, you may want to avoid putting your fence in concrete, as it takes a great deal of time and money. It begs the question: do you need to use concrete to install a chain-link fence?

Chimneys offer curb appeal, functionality, and a classic vibe that appeals to countless homeowners. They are easy to spot from the street, but their primary benefit is that chimney caps protect your roof and fireplace. With all of the benefits that chimney caps have to offer; how many types are there?

Salt damages concrete because of how it affects water. Salt lowers the freezing point of water, leading to a repeated freeze-thaw cycle, which can significantly weaken the surface of the concrete. So, the water in the concrete freezes, turns into ice, thaws, and then freezes again.

Few home remodeling projects have the same impact or significance as those that involve the home’s outside. When visitors come into your driveway, the exterior is the first thing they see, and it’s also the first line of defense from the weather. Siding replacements are one of the most common home improvement jobs in the United States for these reasons.

Over time, your house can start to build up dirt, grime, and other unpleasantries since it’s exposed to the elements daily. Pressure washing can help you keep your home’s exterior looking its best, but do you have time to do it? How long does it take to pressure wash a house?

Drainage refers to the method of removing surface or sub-surface water from a particular area. Drainage systems are intended to dispose of wastewater as quickly as possible, while also preventing the gases from sewers and septic tanks from entering residential locations. Their main objective is to systemically collect and remove waste matter to preserve the healthy conditions in a residential or commercial setting.

When looking for ways to protect your home, there are a lot of different things to think about. Your driveway is something that gets used every day but isn’t often taken into consideration with regards to protection. By covering your asphalt driveway with a seal coating, you can help keep it in good condition.

Retaining walls are built for different reasons. They may be built for landscaping purposes or perhaps for safety reasons. Some homeowners also want retaining walls to keep their property protected and to maintain their privacy.

It is tempting for any homeowner to maximize sunlight and keep pests away. The two most common ways for a homeowner to allow natural light into the house are with screen doors and storm doors. So, let’s settle a common debate amongst homeowners: screen door vs. storm door.

Anyone who has ever done a home renovation project knows how overwhelming the decision-making process can be. In regards to exterior treatment options, these can be particularly difficult. So, should you use dutch lap or traditional siding? What’s the difference?

One of the easiest ways to make shoveling less difficult and uncomfortable is to dress appropriately. It isn’t easy to dress for shoveling. After all, you need to consider the cold temperatures, wet ground, often harsh winds, and lastly your warm body.

When you’re building your home, you are in control of everything, including the orientation of your house. That small detail is something most people don’t think about but can make a huge impact on how you experience your home. After all, the direction your house faces will impact your heating, parking, as well as the amount of sunlight you get. So, what is the best direction for a backyard to face?

After binge-watching real estate shows, you might think you need to fix everything in your house before you can list it. But the truth is, you can overdo it. Some things just aren’t worth repairing or upgrading before you sell. However, there are undoubtedly home fixes you must complete before selling. 

The sound of your garage door opening when it shouldn’t is scary. Your garage is about more than parking your car; it’s also a gateway into your home. Every homeowner should trust their garage door to stay closed, but that’s hard when it’s faulty. So, why does my garage door open by itself?

Retaining walls are constructed on a property to help hold back soil and other forms of dirt. You’ll often find these structures on a hilly freeway, around stairways, in gardens or where multiple levels to a landscape are needed.

If you have a one-story home, accessing your roof will be a much simpler task whenever you need to get work done. However, it will still require supplies to make the job easier. Specifically, you’ll need a ladder. That means, you’ll need to determine the correct size to safely and easily reach the top of your roof.

Whether desiring an energy-efficient entry or just changing the look, replacing an exterior door makes a big impact. It can also be a relatively easy DIY project unless you need to start making structural changes. Depending on the extent of your replacement, you may or may not need a permit to replace an exterior door.

The first thing people see when they come to your house is the front porch. Whether a small humble stoop or a large wrap-around showpiece, your porch should feel welcoming and make people want to see more. Therefore, if the front of your house needs a facelift, it’s time to spruce up your front porch.

Whether you’re a prepper by nature or not, you should always be prepared in the instance a flood should occur and threaten to damage your home. While you can certainly purchase the right insurance and stock up on necessary supplies, the post-flood cleanup and having to replace your treasured family belongings are not worth the energy.

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 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.

Like anything else in life, there will come a time where our driveway can become worn down, cracked, and generally look very poor. When this happens, it is time to repave the driveway to make it structurally sound and aesthetically pleasing.

Damage to the foundation or rim joist of a house can be potentially dangerous for structural integrity reasons. Generally speaking, the rim joist will be located under an exterior wall and will more often than not be load bearing.

Painting your house is a huge undertaking. And you probably don’t want to do it twice. So, choose the best color for your foundation the first time. Then, update the style every few years.

Stucco is one of those building materials that acts as a cornerstone of the “Southwestern” look. It’s a gorgeous, sturdy material that is made primarily of an aggregate of materials similar to plaster and sand. With its gritty, sandy texture, power washing it seems to be risky. Should you try to power wash your stucco?

Owning a home can be fun and exciting, especially when it comes to styling the outside as an expression of your character. However, this can be done in more than one way. Instead of painting the house or trim, what if you change your garage door colors to add some pizazz? Some people even choose to have black garage doors, but is this a bad idea?

There’s no denying that energy costs are out of control, getting higher and higher year after year. Utility costs tend to rise right along with the rising outdoor temperatures. Therefore, it’s not surprising that people want to reduce the heat entering their homes so that they can lower their bills. A popular method is planting trees to save on air conditioning. But this only works if you know where to plant them.

One of the tiniest pests that also packs a powerful bite is the elusive no-see-um. The official name of these bugs is the Ceratopogonidae, but these pests are called no-see-ums because you can’t see them, but you certainly feel them after they bite you.

Paving slabs can make a pathway or driveway look fantastic with just a little bit of hard work. We are going to show you the ins and outs, of laying down paving slabs on a sloped surface. Since not all properties are perfectly flat, it’s essential to know how to do this, especially if your property is on a slope!

The addition of a wrap around front porch can be one of the greatest ways to enhance the exterior of your home and increase your living space. They provide an excellent location for entertaining guests, enjoying gorgeous views, lounging in a rocking chair and sipping on lemonade.

It may go without saying, but the foundation of a home is one of the most important aspects of the entire property. The foundation literally holds the structure up. When there are issues with the foundation, it can lead to serious concerns about structural integrity and can cost quite a bit to repair.

Painting the exterior of your home can completely transform the entire look and feel of your house. A fresh coat of paint can instantly update your home’s curb appeal while giving it a cleaner, fresher look. But, choosing the right color is vital, and with a green roof, it’s important to consider color choices wisely.

Gutters serve the important function of directing water away from your house, and they are a fixture of every house. Every builder-owner knows the importance of good gutters and the trouble that having them can save.

They say that tall fences make good neighbors, and to a point, I can agree with that. You don’t want everyone knowing your business. Getting fencing installed, for most homes, is a must. The thing is, finding a fencing company can be a little tricky, especially if you aren’t very comfy with getting them all called to your home and fielding quotes over the phone. Most people wish they could just go to Home Depot and get their fencing installed. But, is this a thing?

Home enthusiasts (and self-proclaimed designers) alike are constantly looking for new ways to spruce up both the interiors and exteriors of their homes. If your house is suffering from old, worn-looking brick, can you put siding over the top to give it a refresh?

A mural is an excellent way to capture people’s attention and communicate a message to the public. You’ll often see murals on the side of buildings throughout a city or inside people’s homes. But what kind of permission and permit do you need to paint a mural, if any?

Cement board, widely known as Hardie board, is a form of fiber cement that is commonly used on the exterior of buildings or as the backing for walls, floors, and tile applications. The boards are incredibly durable and highly resistant to fire, rot, and mold and mildew growth. When used as an exterior building material, you may be wondering: “can you paint cement board?”

You finally have the time to fix your driveway. Concrete is the ideal material, but it’s also expensive. As you look for ways to stretch your budget, bagged concrete may come to mind. Will it work?

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.

There is nothing worse than a gap in your door that lets pests and cold air in, and warm air out. It can increase your energy bills and make life uncomfortable when bugs enter your home unwanted. You have probably heard that door sweeps can solve this problem, but what are the main types of door sweeps?

Most people dream of having a pool in their backyard. It would be nice to go out your back door to swim, instead of going to a crowded public pool or lake. Except, there’s only one issue: You don’t want to dig up your yard. That’s okay! We have a way around that.

Fiberglass exterior doors are becoming more popular with builders and homeowners upgrading their homes. Fiberglass doors offer a lot of advantages like those offered by steel or PVC door units. However, fiberglass door units offer only a few color options, and many homeowners wonder if they can paint a fiberglass door to match the exterior of their homes. 

A pond in your backyard can be a fun feature, adding beauty and a relaxing, calming atmosphere. But if your pond ends up grimy, full of algae, or otherwise yucky, it’s anything but beautiful. So, how do you keep a backyard pond clean so it’s worth having as part of your oasis?

Whether you’re building a new house or want to do some work around your old one, it’s a good idea to have something around your foundation. Having something around the foundation of your house is an excellent way to improve its looks and provide protection. But are there certain things that are better around a home than others?

If you’re a new pool owner, you might be wondering how to properly maintain your pool while keeping your family safe. When you fill up your pool for the first time, there are specific steps you have to take to make sure the water is ready for recreational use. So, what exactly do you do right after you fill your pool with water?

A septic tank needs ample space to drain. And without knowing precisely how big your field should be, it can lead to ground contamination at worst and a nasty cleanup effort at best. Taking the proper precautions beforehand will save you a lot of headaches in the long run.

The exterior of your home’s cladding not only provides an aesthetic appeal but can also play a significant role in the insulation and overall protection of your home.

Asbestos is the great boogeyman of building materials. Once seen in almost every home as a siding material, it’s now regarded as “blue death.” Builders do not want to touch it unless they absolutely have to, and rightfully so. It’s cancer-causing. But, when you have asbestos siding, it feels like you need to work with it. Can you place siding over asbestos?