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The top cushion is the Montlake Bench Cushion, manufactured by Classic Accessories. The baskets that Tom selected are the Rattique Storage Totes in Taupe, manufactured by Whitmor. The wood glue Tom used for the bench is manufactured by Gorilla Glue. The other tools and materials Tom and Kevin used to build the bench, including the track saw, sander, and sandpaper, can be found at home centers. Tools

By building a rain garden, you can divert your gutter water into an attractive planting bed that works like a sponge and natural filter to clean the water and let it percolate slowly into the surrounding soil. Installing a rain garden isn’t difficult if you’re willing to dig or you bring in machines to help. Ask your local Cooperative Extension Office for specifics about soil mix, garden size, and plants for your area....

We spent the first weekend cutting the lumber to length and applying two coats of primer to all surfaces. The next weekend, we dug and poured concrete footings and applied two topcoats of paint to the parts. Then we took one more day to build the arbor and paint the posts, which arrived the day before construction began. The arbor was built entirely of construction-grade redwood, which resists rot and insects....

Certain aspects of furniture building are intimidating. Tapering legs with any degree of accuracy, building and attaching drawers, and creating tabletops make newer woodworkers nervous. But, when host Kevin O’Connor meets maker Char Miller-King in her community’s workshop, she shows him some simple methods to build a beautiful shaker table with all of these features. Build It | Demilune Table How to build a Char Miller-King Shaker end table Resources You can check out other building projects by Char Miller-King at The Wooden Maven....

How Often Should Furnace Be Cleaned? Before chilly autumn nights set in, you need to make an appointment for your annual furnace maintenance. Without this yearly cleaning and inspection, a system can wear itself out quickly, pump deadly carbon monoxide into your home, or simply stop working. How Much Does It Cost to Clean a Furnace? Annual servicing is cheap—typically less than $100—especially when compared with the price of a new furnace....

Tools and Materials For this easy DIY project, you’ll need the following items: How to Install a Butcher Block Countertop a dough scraper kosher salt lemon juice baking soda scouring pad or stiff scrubbing brush paper towels razor blade scraper or fine-grit sandpaper food-grade mineral oil a lint-free cloth Keeping butcher block in good condition requires some TLC. It can’t be thrown into the dishwasher because of the high heat, and it doesn’t handle regular household cleaners, like bleach, well....

Steps for Fixing a Stair Tread Tools and Materials

Replacing a regular switch with a dimmer switch is one of the easiest DIY electrical projects. In most cases, no permit or inspection is required, but it is important to be careful whenever working around electricity. Safety Check: Is the Power Off? Any time you’re working with electricity, be sure to turn the power off at the panel and follow these steps: Check to be sure the circuit is dead by flipping the existing switch on and off before removing the switch plate....

Steps for Installing a Portable Air Conditioner Tools How to Select a Portable Air Conditioner

The other materials used for this project, including PVC piping, PVC glue, pipe cutters and wrenches, can all be found at home centers. In the workshop, Richard discusses which homeowners should consider a whole-house electric tankless. Expert assistance with this portion was provided by Bosch Thermotechnology. Expert assistance with this segment was provided by Jim’s Plumbing and Irrigation of Orlando, Florida. Tools

How to read pitch on a spirit level Some levels, like the I-beam, have vials with extra lines on both sides that show pitches of 1 and 2 percent. When the bubble in the vial touches the 2 percent line, for instance, the level has a pitch of ¼ inch per foot. Resources: Mark installed Andover Collection Stone Cleft pavers in the Richfield Blend color, which are manufactured by Ideal Concrete Block....

Installing crown molding Tools

The timed washing machine valve that only keeps pressure on the hoses for a set period of time is the Time Out Automatic Shutoff Valve, manufactured by Keeney Manufacturing Company.
The washing machine valve that only operates when it senses a current draw from the washer is the IntelliFlow, manufactured by Watts. Both of these valves can be ordered online or from a specialty plumbing supplier. Washing machine hosesWashing machine valve

Build a Plywood Frame The sides’ height should match the molding width, and their length should be slightly longer than the plastic planter that’ll nest inside. Glue and nail the sides together. Attach the Bottom of the Frame Wait about 15 minutes for the adhesive to cure. Then flip the frame right-side up, and insert the plastic planter. Add Drainage Mark the locations of the planter’s existing weep holes, and use a drill/driver fitted with a paddle bit to bore corresponding holes in the wood bottom....

Resources: Jenn demonstrated the bevel feature of the Kapex KS120 sliding compound miter saw by Festool, though she mentioned that any miter saw with a bevel feature will work for the projects she discussed. To make the hexagon, Jenn used ½-inch 1x4 hobby boards, which can be found at any home center. To secure them together, she used 3M painter’s tape and wood glue from Gorilla Glue. Jenn Largesse is the editor of multiple DIY blogs, including House One and Build Basic....

Finally, the disruption a big kitchen reno can cause is typically a massive headache. But, there’s good news: You can avoid the expense and inconvenience and still achieve a new look—if you know how to paint laminate countertops. Can You Paint Laminate Counters? Laminate counters are absolutely a candidate for a paint-based makeover. How to Laminate a Countertop Most homeowners believe they have two choices: rip out their counters and start fresh or live with what they have....