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Is a Kitchen Island a Good Idea? At a minimum, an island adds counter and storage space just where you need them: at the pivot point between your kitchen’s cooking, cleaning, and food-prep zones. And outfitted with fixtures and appliances, such as a sink and cooktop, or bar stools for dining, an island itself can become the hub of activity. Such utility is the reason builders and designers say that adding an island offers more bang for your buck than just about any other kitchen upgrade....

While homeowners insurance offers security against major events like earthquakes and fires, a home warranty fills in some of the gaps that insurance won’t cover. The next time your dishwasher goes on the fritz or your heating system breaks, your home warranty will kick in and prevent you from paying for expensive repairs or replacements. To help homeowners select the best home warranty policy for their needs, the This Old House Reviews Team researched the best home warranty companies in California and compared them on coverage, plans, and pricing....

Suite Deal From an Italian company that made its name with stylish pro-style ranges: Get one as part of a four-piece Energy Star–rated suite—a 30-inch range, vent hood, fridge, and dishwasher—all at a tasty price. From $7,245; veronaappliances.com Multifunction Microwave Scrapping the traditional interior turntable, this microwave uses dual convection fans to deliver bona fide baking, roasting, grilling, and air frying. Neat trick: The sleek drawer unit opens with a wave of the hand....

Building a Gazebo: Before You Begin Dining and entertaining If you’re planning to use your new gazebo for dining or entertaining, build one that’s at least 12 ft. in diameter. Anything narrower than that will be too small to accommodate a table and chairs or more than six people at a time. However, if the gazebo is going to be built in the middle of a garden to serve more as an architectural accent than as a meeting place, an 8 ft....

To recreate this DIY fireplace makeover, first prep and clean the fireplace. Next, press the paint into the cracks and crevices and coat the surface with a mini roller. Finish by applying the paint to the bricks for a fresh, bright look. Check out the full tutorial on sherwinwilliams.com, or learn more about the paint and supplies used to create this makeover by visiting your neighborhood Sherwin-Williams Paint Store!

Either way, to remove it without damaging the underlying walls or wallpaper, you’ll need to take your time. Below we’ve laid out the steps for the best way to remove wallpaper borders—without damaging your walls in the process. How to Remove Wallpaper Border Most wallpaper borders are easy to remove, especially those manufactured in relatively recently. The main tools it generally takes are a putty knife and some perseverance to lift the decorative accent and remove it without too much trouble....

NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. Entries must be posted between 12:00:01 AM 8/19/20 and 11:59:59 PM ET 8/26/20. Open to legal residents of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia 18 years of age or older. This contest is not affiliated with a social network or any outside company or entity. See Official Rules. Week 4: (Aug. 19-26): Pet Projects This week, we want to see the projects you’ve completed for your furry friends!...

Owning a second home for extended vacations, weekend escapes, or family reunions has never felt more appealing. Even before the pandemic, the market for second homes was heating up thanks to historically low mortgage rates and a prolonged stock market rally. Then 2020 ushered in an era of remote work, making vacation homes that could double as full-time retreats that much more attractive. The yearning for a second home isn’t likely to fade away soon, even as offices and schools reopen....

It took 14 years to create Mount Rushmore, starting in October 1927 and completing in 1941. There were no casualties while creating the monument. Resources: Expert assistance with this segment was provided by Mount Rushmore National Memorial.

Download the Boot Rack Cutlist. Overview Cut list to build a boot stand: Balusters: eight @ 23 inches long, with uniform base heights cut to 10° Boot-rack base: one 2x6 cut with 45° angled ends and to 24 inches between long points Boot-rack feet: two 2x4s cut with 45° angled ends and to 8 ½ inches between long points Or download the cut list here. Step 1: Cut the Balusters Use a boot to determine where to cut your balusters....

This Old House’s game experts, aka Team Saturday, walk you through the steps. As for how to lure your grade-school bully onto your turf for a little payback, you’re on your own. Overview to Build a Ladder Golf Game Set Our vexing version of the popular game Ladder Golf ups the ante considerably: The point-bearing horizontal rungs, instead of securely bridging two posts, are supported by just one upright. That means that even the deftest of tosses can slip right off the exposed ends—in which case you get zilch....

Steps for Choosing a Christmas Tree Tools:

How to clear a clogged drain Tools

And in our age of microchipped tools, we’re lucky we don’t remember this because the last things pre-power tool concrete drilling was were fast or easy. Back in the day, the best drill for concrete (and the only one) was a hardened steel bit, a sledgehammer, and a hand strength Thor would admire. Hit the bit like a nail, twist the bit a quarter turn, repeat. Some bit tips had a star pattern similar to what we’d call an SDS bit today....

Is It Hard to Finish Drywall? The process isn’t com­plicated. It takes just a few tools—a small and a large drywall knife and a swivel-head pole sander—to finish drywall. Here, Paul Landry, of P.L. Drywall in Waltham, Massachusetts, shows us how to mud and tape drywall, using premixed joint compound (a.k.a. “drywall mud”) and drywall tape. How to Finish Drywall Step-By-Step 1. Drywall Finishing Steps Overview The tricky part is learning how to properly bed the tape and feather out the compound to an imperceptible edge....