ArcaMax

From early spring to late fall a lawn mower is the workhorse of yard chores, so it makes sense to keep it working at peak performance all season. It’s a machine, like your car, that needs regular maintenance, so it operates when needed. This routine care is a job even a first-time do-it-yourselfer can tackle, and the skill is one that will pay...Read more

We don’t know anyone who enjoys cleaning and repairing gutters — we sure don’t — but it’s an important job that carries rain and melting ice and snow away from the house and foundation. A working gutter system prevents soil erosion and water damage to the siding, and the low cost of repairing a faulty gutter system is nothing when ...Read more

For safe footing, a concrete walkway should be smooth and level. A hole or crack in concrete makes it a likely place where you or a passerby can trip or fall. Don’t ignore the damage that will only become worse; repairing it sooner rather than later is a good idea. If it’s ignored, the surface will continue to deteriorate. You can hire a ...Read more

Be creative in a kid’s room or playroom with a magnetic wall using a specialty magnetic primer as a base coat. The coating allows you to create a wall surface similar to your refrigerator for whatever can be held in place with a magnet. A wall in a home office is another popular place to use magnetic paint. The magnetic primer can be applied ...Read more

Anyone who has replaced kitchen cabinets will tell you it’s a big dollar home improvement. An alternative is refacing, not replacing the cabinets. The reason is that refacing doesn’t tear out the existing cabinets, it adds a new laminate surface to their base, fronts, sides and doors. It’s a good alternative to replacing them if the ...Read more

Take control of your clutter in a garage or basement by adding basic utility shelves, and store all your stuff in orderly fashion. We like using Simpson Strong-Tie metal connectors with sheets of plywood to make sturdy utility shelves. They won’t win a beauty contest, but they’re a practical solution to getting organized.

Most of the work ...Read more

If you enjoy instant hot drinks and soups, you know instant hot water is a nice convenience. Sure, you can use a microwave oven for a cup of tea, but a hot water sink dispenser is much better. Ask anyone who has one at their sink and they’ll probably tell you it’s something they can’t live without. Since the missing ingredient for many ...Read more

When a gas-operated heater stops producing hot water, usually after a good service life of 10 years or more, a replacement unit is needed sooner, not later, to keep everyone happy and humming along. You or a family member will be the first to know and react, because a hot water heater is one of those behind-the-scenes appliances that always ...Read more

Want to refresh the look of a kitchen without spending a lot of time and money? Install peel-and-stick vinyl tiles as a backsplash to the wall below the cabinets that join the surface of the countertop. This is a quick-fix solution and easy job that protects the wall surface, often prone to splashes of food or sauce during food preparation. ...Read more

A cornice or window topper is a good choice to complete a room’s décor, whether the window is a casual setting with blinds or a shade, or a more traditional style with draperies. Whatever the style, a fabric cornice adds a custom touch to any window. You can make one with a cornice board kit, which you assemble with polystyrene sections, two ...Read more

For a hardworking floor surface, you can’t go wrong with prefinished laminate planks. They’re affordable and easy to install, and they come in many styles and colors. Many lines of the laminate plank flooring provide a built-in underlayment — an installation shortcut that gives the surface the realistic sound of natural wood planks. Some ...Read more

A pull-out faucet in a bathroom sink makes it more useful than a two-handle faucet because it’s designed for many uses. Some of today’s bathroom sinks can be used for bathing a small infant, washing a kid’s hair, and even scrubbing dirty sneakers.

If the bathroom sink in your house gets a workout, consider replacing the existing faucet ...Read more