Attics

Adequate roof ventilation reduces cooling bills, extends shingle life, and prevents roof rot and ice dams in winter. Both roof and soffit vents are easy to install in just a few hours. They'll protect your house from expensive...Read more»

Houses stay plumb and level not because of all the studs and joists, but because of the diagonal bracing—the triangles—incorporated into every part of the structure. Learn more about how this powerful structural tool works,...Read more»

Roof-top cupolas can be used for both decoration and ventilation. In the days before roof and ridge vents, a cupola was the most effective way to ventilate a stable, barn or even a house, and with new, rot-resistant materials they still...Read more»

Learn the drywall taping tips and techniques that pros use to speed up their work. Avoid irritating problems like lumpy mud, nail pops and tape bubbles, and get a better looking job every time.

Looking for a simple expansion that’ll give you more space in your home? A new dormer in a cramped, underused attic might just be the ticket. It'll create the additional headroom you need to make a comfortable living space--an extra...Read more»

Fast, trouble-free drywall taping is easy with this professional taper's tool. With a little practice you can learn to use a taping banjo and complete big drywall taping jobs in a hurry.

If you have a loose stair rail, a weak stair rail or no rail at all, fix the problem by installing a solidly anchored railing like we show here. Would your stair rail hold up to three energetic youngsters hanging on it like this? If...Read more»

Ice dams are a fact of life in snowy areas of the country, but they can be reduced and even eliminated with proper insulation and venting. Here's how to tackle the problem.

With surface wiring you can add outlets, switches and lights wherever you want easily and quickly, without tearing open a wall. When you paint the channels the wall color, they become almost invisible. You can...Read more»

Tired of groping for pull chains in the dark? Wireless, piezoelectric switches allow you to control lights using nothing more than the energy generated by a fingertip push.