Basement Finishing

Bring a flood of light into a dreary basement with a terraced window well. You also get an emergency escape route, planting beds and a view.…

That old basement floor with the crumbling vinyl tile may look hopeless, but with a little scraping and a few strips of crack isolation membrane…

Save yourself $100s by taping your own walls. We’ll show you how. This article shows you everything you need to get perfectly smooth walls,…

These DIY tips will help you get tight-fitting joints on doors, windows and base moldings, even if your walls are less than perfect. We'll…

Fiberglass batts are the cheapest, easiest way to insulate new walls. However, they're often installed poorly — and even small gaps can…

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…

You can install a wood plank floor over concrete if you first install a layer of 3/4-in. plywood. We show you the best way to do it.

Outside drywall corners have traditionally been protected with nail-on metal corners, but paper-faced corner bead is simpler and resists cracks…

Solve your concrete fastening problems with our favorite concrete anchors. We show you how to install light-duty, medium-duty and heavy-duty…

Concrete screws are the perfect fastener for speedily anchoring objects to concrete. We show you how to drill and drive them quickly and easily,…

Build your "man cave" in a garage, a basement, a corner of the yard, or any other piece of unclaimed real estate in your house. Get inspired by…

Learn about the tools, materials and techniques you need to cut, bend and install surface-mounted metal conduit. Add power to a basement or…

With surface wiring you can add outlets, switches and lights wherever you want easily and quickly, without tearing open a wall. When you paint…

Professional painters share their secrets for producing a great-looking interior paint job. The work will go faster with less hassle too.

This article shows you a simple technique for adding a second switch to a stairway light or a light in any room in your home. It covers running…

Tired of groping for pull chains in the dark? Wireless, piezoelectric switches allow you to control lights using nothing more than the energy…

This article will show you how to add 6 mil plastic sheeting on the ground and insulate the walls in your crawlspace. We use foil-faced rigid…

Learn to identify the most common causes of floor sagging—and what to do about it. Learn the best tools and methods for lifting and…

Egress windows provide emergency exits in case of fire. We tell you how big they should be and where you need them in your home. If your…

With a few simple tools and special techniques you'll be cutting drywall like a pro in no time. Plus we'll show you how to plan your…