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Finish Nailers Have Specific Purposes Finish nailers are ideal for trimming windows and doors, hanging crown molding, or fastening delicate woodworking pieces. But the reality is that one nailer can’t handle it all. Large nailers will split small pieces of trim, while small pin nailers won’t have the holding power to keep a molding in place. For this reason, many DIYers and pros keep several types (and sizes) of finish nailers on hand....

One of the habits I’ve carried with me since my days as a carpenter is always wearing a tool belt when I’m doing projects around my house. Having the necessary hand tools readily accessible improves my efficiency—and the result. These days, I tackle most repair and remodeling tasks on my own, whether carpentry, plumbing, or electrical. I find the work rewarding but have enough experience to know when I’m in over my head and need to call in a pro....

Winter Cleaning Checklist Here are 24 essential items you should clean, organize, inspect, or put away to prepare for the winter months. Winter Home Maintenance Tasks Air and Dryer Vents Clean air within your home is critical, especially in winter. Living in parts of the country with lower humidity and colder temperatures could increase the spread of disease, especially in enclosed spaces. One important way to improve air quality is to change out and use the best filters for your HVAC system....

Cracked skin, stuffy noses, and headaches can result, and house plants, woodwork, and furniture can suffer. While store-bought humidifiers will rectify the issue, they’re expensive and drive up energy consumption. Give these DIY humidifier ideas a shot instead. Ways to Humidify a Room Without a Humidifier Use the stove For an effective DIY way to add moisture to the air in your home, turn to your stove. By heating a kettle of water or boiling a pot of water for pasta, you’re causing evaporation....

Want to find the best gas fireplace for your home? Read on. Types of Gas Fireplaces: Inserts, Log Sets & Built-Ins Gas fireplaces come in three types: inserts, for folks who want to retrofit a wood-burning firebox with something more convenient and efficient; built-ins, for those who want a fireplace where there isn’t one now; and log sets, basic burners that sit in existing, open fireplaces. Both inserts and built-in fireplaces are reliable heat producers, filling your room with a mix of warm air and radiant heat....

Is Quartz is Better Than Granite? Their primary ingredient is ground quartz (about 94 percent), combined with polyester resins to bind it and pigments to give it color. For some designs, small amounts of recycled glass or metallic flecks are added to the mix. The resins also help make these counters stain and scratch resistant—and nonporous, so they never need to be sealed. Compare that with granite, the reigning king of high-end countertops, which typically requires a new protective top coat at least once a year....

The No. 102 low-angle block plane that made its debut in the 1877 catalog of Stanley Rule & Level Co. was a 5 1/2-inch-long, all-steel tool designed to slice through tough end grain, such as butcher blocks. All About the No. 102 Low-Angle Block Plane But carpenters found that the palm-size No. 102 neatly fit in a tool belt, and put it to use trimming cabinet doors, shaving shingles, scribe-fitting baseboards, and fine-tuning miters....

LURVIG Cat House This modern cat house can stand on legs or you can mount the box on a wall. Features a scratching surface on the door and pet cushion inside. Rubber-coated feet ensure little-to-no floor damage or movement of the structure as your pet uses it. BONUS! This can be incorporated into the IKEA KALLAX shelving unit. About $55; IKEA Fold-out Pet Bed This sleek design opens to accommodate growing pets or a sleepover with little furry friends!...

Whereas with traditional in-ground gardening, it takes time to develop rich, well-draining soil that is filled with organic matter. But the thing with gardening is, just as your veggie patch is hitting its stride—right around July—is about the time you might want to be on vacation. And few things will turn that green garden black faster than the combination of hot sun and lack of water. That’s why a self-watering planter is a perfect upgrade to a raised garden bed....

“I ran a marathon when I was six months pregnant,” says Sarah Madeira Day, one half of the brains and brawn behind the kind of whole-house reno that would give pause to a seasoned general contractor. “I have energy like a ten-year-old!” Shown: The core of the original house, believed to be nearly 300 years old, was built around three back-to-back fireplaces. The homeowners modernized the living space with a frugal blend of rustic materials like exposed beams, bricks, and lath—treated as artwork over the dining room fireplace—and fresh furnishings and paint colors....

What are Epsom Salts? Epsom salt, also known as magnesium sulfate, is a naturally occurring mineral compound comprised of magnesium, sulfur, and oxygen. 8 Uses for Wood Ash at Home and in the Garden It takes its common name from the place where it was first discovered—the waters near the town of Epsom, in Surrey, England—and was likely called a “salt” due to its crystalline chemical structure. Over the centuries, people have employed Epsom salts as a laxative and as a soothing soak for sore muscles, so it’s typically found in drugstores, not nurseries....