This Old House Archives
April 2010
13 Quick Fixes for Kid Clutter
If all your kids' gear has obscured your grown-up sense of style, reclaim your space—and...
14 Products to Give Mom a Vacation at Home
You don't have to send Mom off to the spa to give her a relaxing Mother's Day. Bring home the...
15 Decorative Paint Ideas
Bold paint is an quick and affordable way to refresh any tired space
5 of the Best Nontoxic Cleaners You Aren't Using
The question is why? After all, they're within reach—right in your kitchen cupboard.
72 Easy Upgrades for a Healthier Home
Our room-by-room guide will have you breathing easier in no time
75 Outdoor Upgrades for Under $75
Spruce up your patch of green with affordable finds and easy DIY projects. Here, the editors of...
A Rabid DIYer Renews a Foreclosed Foursquare
The 1921 house was abandoned, foreclosed on, and in a sorry state. But this DIYer figured he...
A Ramshackle Little House Gets a Second Life
You could see daylight through the brick walls, the ceiling was crumbling, and the place had...
All About Composite Decking
Long on life span and short on fuss, these man-made boards never splinter, rot, or need staining....
All About Exterior Stain
This Old House decodes the differences between the various types of stain so that you can get the...
Appliance Rebates
Clue your customers in to the Cash for Appliance Clunkers program
Better Score for Energy Use
A new evaluation tool looks at more than just green building materials when deciding if a house...
Blower Doors Used in Weatherization
A simple fan and flow meter, mounted in an exterior door frame, is the most valued tool in...
Cash for Caulkers Slow to Get Rolling
The Federal Weatherization Stimulus Package Programs seem to be off to a rough start
Creating Updated Decor With Effortless Style
Fresh fabrics and pieces with patina create a new classic interior
Custom Wainscoting for $4.49 a Square Foot
Tall panels built from stock parts (and a hand-me-down chandelier) dress up a plain-Jane dining...
Easy Upgrades for the Weekend DIYer
Use our step-by-step project planner to map out a season of fun and functional do-it-yourself...
Front Yard Plantings to Make an Entrance
An entry garden ties your house into the landscape and welcomes you home each day
Garden Arbor Buying Guide
Choose from basic, slimmed-down designs to stocky, trimmed-to perfection masterpieces
Great Moments in Squeegee History
More about the one tool window cleaners can't live without
Grow a Healthy Vegetable Garden
The benefits of vegetable gardening go way beyond cutting food costs. Here's a guide to planning,...
Home Inspection Nightmares XX
Milk-crates under the water heater and a shower head by the electrical panel? Check out the...
How to Build a Garden Arbor
Put together a graceful arched structure for your yard or opt for a premade one
How to Build a Wall-Mounted Pet Organizer
Hooks for leashes, a dressed-up bag dispenser, and a toy shelf keep dog-walking supplies close at...
How to Clean Windows Like a Pro
You don't have to like doing it, but you can at least love the result of a truly good washing...
How to Clear Any Clogged Drain
Armed with the right tools and techniques, you can easily unplug stopped-up drains without having...
How to Convert Radiators into Multi-Zone Heating
Upgrading an old radiator heating system with This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard...
How to Install Radiant Heat Under a Solid-Wood Floor
This Old House general contractor Tom Silva shows how to run radiant-heat tubing under a new...
How to Install Radiant Heat in a Pre-Fab House
This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey shows how radiant heat is installed...
How to Make a Pebble Mosaic
Turn smooth, flat stones into a whimsical outdoor accent of your own design
How to Retrofit Radiant Heat From Above
This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey shares tips for installing new...
Kitchen Storage Design Ideas
A lookbook of our most popular upgrades
Make a Mudroom That Works for You
7 versatile drop-spots for coats, bags, and shoes, each packed with space-saving and clutter...
New Lead Paint Rules for Contractors
Starting April 22, 2010, all contractors are required to take an EPA-sanctioned 8-hour class to...
Oh, Happy Day: Home Sales Rise
February was a good month for home sales—finally!
On Planning: DIY or Die Trying
TOH editor Scott Omelianuk recounts how his big plans for a swath of lakeside greenery got the...
Operating a Blower Door
During an energy audit in a home weatherization, once the house is prepared it's time to turn on...
Oversize Bar Pulls for Tired Kitchen Cabinets
When it comes to cabinet hardware, sometimes bigger is better. These hardworking handles will add...
Photoshop Redo: How to Update a Folk Victorian
A color update and period-style touches give an 1880s house even more charm
Preparing a Home for a Blower-Door Test
When doing an energy audit in preparation for weatherizing a home, you have to seal cracks and...
Same Size Kitchen, Fresh Look and Function
A careful, detail-oriented redo pumped up a kitchen's traditional style and ...
The World's Most Expensive Home Products
While you're out looking for the most affordable DIY projects, there are people out there who are...
This Old House Is Going to Los Angeles
TOH TV is is heading west—to Los Angeles, California, where the crew will work on its next...
Use Your Home to Give Yourself a Tax Break
Before you throw up your hands at the cost of homeownership, add up all the ways it pays off on...
Weatherization Tools
Lots of the tools used in weatherization work are common to contracting work, but some are...
Weatherizing Homes: An Introduction
The business of making existing houses more energy efficient is a growth industry for contractors