This Old House Archives
August 2002
10 Minutes to More Flowers
A quick annual pruning will keep flowering shrubs shapely and full of blooms.
Building an Inexpensive Entertainment System
You can use stock cabinets and other parts to create a first-rate entertainment center.
Closing Your Vacation Home for the Season
It was a blast relaxing in your home away from home but now it's time to winterize it. Here are...
Dyeing Mortar
Different ways to add color to concrete
Get it in Writing
A signed agreement with your contractor is the best protection against disappointment — or...
How to Design Small Baths So They Feel Roomier
Our tips range from the practical—use a pocket door to the psychological—choose one...
How to Install a Picket Fence
An expert's step-by-step guide to digging postholes and assembling panels for a picket fence
Multifunctional One-by's
Q: "What is the purpose of the one-by's I see under all the floor and
ceiling joists on the show?"
Painting Over Cracked Plaster
Don't give up and replace it with drywall quite yet — fixing damaged plaster is worth the...
Removing Siding Nails
Having the right tool makes all the difference
September 2002
From fences to fireplaces, cupolas to columns, learn how to build the right way
Spruce Flooring
Q: "I am wondering how will spruce flooring hold up in a high-traffic area?"