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With an outdoor kitchen you can prepare meals and be around your guests with minimal time spent running back inside for plates, beverages, or tongs. Although you could spend tens of thousands of dollars for a custom outdoor kitchen, a basic island is an efficient design that leaves out the complexity of curves and angles. Not only that, with an island guests can relax on one side while you’re cooking on the other, so you feel as though you’re part of the gathering....

That’s why one of the first steps in planning a new patio is deciding which material to put underfoot, typically brick, concrete, stone, or gravel. The surface you choose plays a huge role in establishing not only the style of your patio but also its cost, whether you can build it yourself, and how you’ll care for it over the long term. Follow along to learn which patio material is right for you, get guidance on coming up with a design, and find installation tips for cost-conscious DIYers....

In this episode: Tom travels to Utah to help a homeowner replace his traditional stair railing with more modern cable railing; Richard explains why standard PVC should not be used to vent gas appliances and what should be used instead; Nathan upgrades a standard, flat panel hollow core door to look more modern; Mauro helps a homeowner properly clean and paint her vinyl shutters. How to Install a Cable Railing Tom travels to Utah to help a homeowner replace his traditional stair railing with more modern cable railing....

Steps for Building a Magazine Rack Step 1: Prep the plywood Using the cut list above, mark the cut lines on the plywood. Place the plywood up on blocks, or so that the cut line is overhanging the edge of the work surface. Clamp the plywood in place. Tip: Place a piece of painters tape inside each cut line to protect the edges from chipping. Step 2: Cut the plywood Using a circular saw, cut along the first line....

Glaring holes in the wall from picture frames The fix: Overfill holes with a lightweight patching compound. Once dry, smooth with a damp sponge. Unlike with sandpaper, there’s no dust and no damage to the wall paint. Cabinet doors won’t stay shut The fix: The old spring or roller latch is worn out or covered with paint. Order a heavy-duty magnet catch and install it in just a couple of minutes....

Preventing Pet Odors in Your Carpets and Furniture Nothing holds a doggy smell like fabric. The best way to keep your carpets and furniture from holding onto Fido’s funk is to prevent it from happening in the first place. Here are our top prevention tips: Never let your wet dog on the carpet or furniture. You know they love to rub down after a bath, but don’t allow them in a carpeted room or on the couch until they’re completely dry....

David Grudzinski Advantage Home Inspections Cranston, R.I. All images courtesy of the ASHI Reporter Location, Location, Location This is a pull-down ladder in a garage. A support post was added in the middle of the garage. Careful! The first step is a doozy! Rick A. Harrington Patch Independent Home Inspections, LLC Pickerington, Ohio All images courtesy of the ASHI Reporter Steam Trapped I guess the homeowner wanted to move the radiator, but didn’t want to spend time or money relocating the pipe and had no concept of steam dynamics....

How Do Smart Thermostats Work? Smart thermostats are hardwired just as traditional thermostats are, but you’ll also need a Wi-Fi connection to make them work remotely. If your Wi-Fi goes out, you can still manually operate a smart thermostat just as you would a regular one. How to Use Smart Thermostats Check with the manufacturer to make sure your desired smart thermostat is compatible with your heating and cooling setup, especially if you own an older home....

What’s Your Dream Bar Like? When you get past the daydreaming phase of basement bar construction, start making your dreams a reality by making a plan. Begin by formulating your bar element wish list. Do you want a place to just refill beers? Or would you like it to be an entertainment center in its own right, with a mounted TV (or TVs!) and dedicated sound system? What are your favorite beverages?...

Follow along as This Old House contributor Christopher Beidel, owner of Pernt, a handmade-furniture company in Brooklyn, New York, leads you through the simple steps it takes to green up your garden. How to Build a Rain Barrel: The Overview Timeline SATURDAY: Assemble the box (Steps 2-13). SUNDAY: Install the bin, attach the diverter, and make the connections (Steps 14-18). Cut List 1x6 pressure-treated vertical slats: sixteen @ 40 inches 1x6 pressure-treated lid slats: four @ 23⅞ inches (cut to fit) 1x6 pressure-treated floorboards: four @ 20⅞ inches (cut to fit) 5/4x4 pressure-treated interior battens: four @ 23⅞ inches 5/4x4 pressure-treated interior battens: four at 20⅜ inches 5/4x4 pressure-treated lid battens: two @ 18⅜inches 1x4 pressure-treated decorative battens: two @ 23 inches (cut to fit) 1x4 pressure-treated decorative battens: two @ 24⅜ inches (cut to fit) 1x3 pressure-treated decorative battens: four @ 23 inches (cut to fit) 1x3 pressure-treated decorative battens: four @ 24⅜ inches (cut to fit) 4x4 pressure-treated legs: four @ 10 inches or customized to your terrain DIY Rain Barrel Construction and Installation Kit with Downspout Diverter: one; Rain Brothers Black 35-gallon square trash can: one ¾-by-3-inch brass nipple: one 5¾-inch black door pull: one...

I love the streamlined look of a classic tripod lamp, but lighting can get pricey fast. Vintage models often have the kind of industrial wood tripod that supported optical equipment, such as a surveyor’s transit. Their tapered, adjustable-height legs terminate in a small platform, and usually have brass fittings that lend a certain mechanical elegance. This lamp has a simplified design that’s straightforward and inexpensive to build, but will look equally great illuminating your living space....

NOTE: Cedar boards can be ordered at most home centers and are stocked at most lumberyards. Overview of How to Build a Fold-Down Murphy Bar Murphy bar cut list 1x4 cedar back slats: six @ 36 inches 1x4 cedar door slats: four @ 29 inches (cut to fit) 1x8 cedar box vertical pieces: three @ 22 inches 1x8 cedar shelf: one @ 16 ⅞ inches 1x8 cedar box bottom: one @ 36 inches 1x8 cedar gable ends: two @ 36 inches 1x10 cedar roof pieces: two @ 22 inches 1x10 cedar box top: one @ 36 inches 5/4 x 4 cedar door-frame rails: two @ 36 inches 5/4 x 4 cedar door-frame stiles: two @ 15¼ inches ¾-by-¾-inch cedar shelf cleats: two @ 7¼ inches (ripped from 1x8 scraps)...

Filling her garage with saws and clamps would have been easy, but because it has to pull double duty, storing tools and her car during winter, the layout required some problem solving. That’s where Tom Silva stepped in. All About Building a Workshop How to Build a Garage Workshop The solution focused on mobility. “Stefani has a long, narrow space, so we made the big tools easy to move around, letting her squeeze her car in,” explains Tom....

The straightforward design here is very flexible. You can paint or stain the finished product, use plain plywood instead of beadboard for the sides, add a handle to the lid, screw cup hooks inside to hang a laundry bag—the options are limited only by your imagination. Use the cut list at thisoldhouse.com/bonus to help you build it, and when you’re done, double-check to make sure no nails are sticking out inside the bin....

How to Cut Down a Tree Tools