Home & Garden

There’s no place like home—especially when it’s in tip-top shape. We’ve rounded up the best cleaning and organizing tricks, affordable decor ideas, DIY hacks, and more. Warning: Once you’ve got everything just the way you want it, you may never want to leave!

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Dust and Air Filters

I have a problem with excessive dust in my house, and I want to install an electronic air filter to...


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Stucco Siding

We are thinking about moving to an area in British Columbia that has few brick houses but many stucco siding...


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Removing Caulking

The silicone caulking on the aluminum siding of my house needs to be replaced. What is the best way to...


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Repairing Lap Siding

What is the best way to repair rotten wooden lap siding?


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Aluminum Siding

I have made several attempts to clean the aluminum siding on my backyard workshed, without much luck. Is there a...


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Cleaning Siding

When I try cleaning the siding on my house, I always end up with ghostlike dirty streaks running vertically up...


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Shingles

I want to lay new asphalt shingles on my roof. How far should the shingles overhang the edge of the...


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Mold and Shingles

I have recently noticed some green mold on my shingled roof. What should I do to remove it, and what...

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Fiberglass or Asphalt Shingles

I want to install new shingles on my roof. Which ones are the best to use, fiberglass or felt-based asphalt...


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Concrete Steps

How can I patch concrete steps so that the concrete won't chip and break off every spring?


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Chimney-Wall Condensation

I changed my standard brick fireplace to a gas one. I installed a liner on the inside of the chimney,...


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Ice Dams-2

Last year I installed a new roof on my 40-year-old house. In doing so, I installed two new soffit vents...


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Ice Dams

Why do some houses have ice dams on the roof and others do not?


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Leaky Bricks

Every time a heavy rain blows on the east side of my two-story brick house, water enters through the wall,...


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Leaky Tar-and-Gravel Roof

I have a flat tar-and-gravel roof above my garage. I have experienced numerous leaks from the roof into the garage....


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Sloping Decks

I have an extension to my house with a deck on top that acts as a roof. But the deck...


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Removing Paint From Concrete

I have been removing old tiling from the concrete floor in the basement of my 60-year-old house. Underneath the tiles...

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Removing Paint From Wrought Iron

I have some wrought iron patio chairs. What is the easiest way to remove the paint and refinish them?


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Paint Strippers

I want to strip the paint off several pieces of furniture but I am worried that this will be expensive....


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Staining a Deck-2

I have a problem with my nine-year-old pressure-treated deck. It was never painted or stained, and lately when the kids...


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Staining Spindles

I plan to stain the spindles that form the wall on my backyard deck. Should I use a paintbrush to...


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Staining a Deck-1

Last week I installed a new deck in my backyard. How long should I wait until I apply a stain...


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Paint Spray Gun

I recently built some kitchen cabinets, which now have to be painted. I want to make sure the finish is...

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Finish

I bought some unfinished, unstained pine furniture. I want to put a finish on the furniture, but I do not...


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Painting Tiles

I have some ceramic tiles on my bathroom walls. Most of them are beige, with a smaller number of different-colored...


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Painting Stucco

I recently bought an old house that has a sprayed-on stucco ceiling, complete with small ridges and valleys. I know...


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Painted Steps

My outside steps are made of painted wood. During the winter, the steps are considerably slippery. I want to strip...


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Peeling Paint

I live in a wooden house that was built in 1815. In the six years I have lived there, I...


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Bleeding Knots

I moved into a house that was renovated by the previous owners. I think that they did not prime the...