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When Should You Replace Appliances? The life expectancy of a typical appliance depends to a great extent on how much it’s being used. Still, appliances are often replaced long before they are worn out because changes in styling, technology and consumer preferences make newer products more desirable. Of the major appliances in a home, gas ranges have the longest life expectancy: 15 years. Dryers and refrigerators last about 13 years. Some of the appliances with the shortest lifespan are: compactors (6 years), dishwashers (9 years) and microwave ovens (9 years)....

Steps for building an easy, DIY porch swing: 1. Cut the Boards to Size • Using the cut list provided, cut the 2x6 and 2x4 pieces to length. 2. Drill the Pocket Holes • Prep the boards with pocket holes noted in the cut list for a strong and sturdy assembly. 3. Assemble Base Pieces • Layout the pieces of the base positioning the 2x6 ends flat between the front and back boards, and then add the 2x4 support pieces....

Tools and Materials Tack-free microfiber cloth Spray bottle Distilled water Mild dish soap The Best Way to Clean a Flat Screen TV There’s more to cleaning a flat screen TV than dousing it in window cleaner and scrubbing it with paper towels. The following is the best way to clean a flat screen LED, LCD, or plasma TV that won’t damage them or leave streaks behind.[WY1] Note: Be sure to check the owner’s manual before cleaning the TV....

Jenn Largesse is the editor of multiple DIY blogs, including House One and Build Basic. Shopping List: ¼-inch board Wood to cut a circle into (can be any species or dimension) Nail Tools:

Once you know what to look for, you can locate your leak, seal it, and get back to kicking back. It’s not always an easy job, but it can save your hot tub from a slow, leaky death. On the outside, a hot tub doesn’t seem all that complicated. But peel back that skirting (which you’ll probably have to do to fix it), and you’ll notice a network of piping and mechanical components....

Also, finding a molding profile that matches the existing trim can be challenging at best – and costly if it requires having the trim custom made. For these reasons, Tom Silva prefers to patch the baseboard with a dutchman – a wood repair patch that is glued into a custom-cut hole. Instead of cutting the patch to match the hole, Tom cuts the hole to match the patch. He uses a simple custom-made template and routers to cut the hole....

Double Up You need to dedicate only two-thirds of your closet to hanging rods. To maximize that space, mount two of them—one well above eye level for longer garments and one a little more than 3 feet off the ground for shorter (or foldable) ones. Position both at least 1 foot from the back wall. Put Small Items in Their Place Designate a container (a bowl or bin on a shelf, or a pouch that hangs on the inside of the door) to serve as a catchall for loose change, receipts, or other items that accumulate in your pockets....

Wainscoting: Lincrusta’s Art Nouveau wall covering; Lee Jofa. Paint: Benjamin Moore’s Pilgrim Haze (base) and Metallic Silver (highlights); Benjamin Moore Overview of Installing a Lincrusta Wainscot Day-to-Day Timeline Friday Lay out the placement of the panels and affix the liner to the walls. Saturday Cut and install the panels and prepare them for painting. Sunday Paint and highlight the panels, and attach the chair rail. Mark a Level Line and Create a Layout Remove receptacle plates and protect floors with kraft paper....

Steps for installing a utility sink Tools

How Much Does it Cost to Install an Attic Ladder? In the case of these products, you get what you pay for; more expensive models are better made and generally have a higher weight capacity. According Home Advisor, it can cost anywhere between $220 to $650 for attic ladder installation. How to Install Attic Stairs 3 Folding Attic Stair Installation Tips Putting temporary cleats across the stair’s jamb makes it easy to hold it in place while you shim it....

To get started, just cut up a 4x4 post and some dowels to make the game pieces and stake out the playing field with thinner dowels. This Old House’s game experts, aka Team Saturday, walk you through the steps of fashioning the king and kubbs in a video tutorial. Then you, too, can learn to relish that satisfying clunk of wood-on-wood contact in your own backyard—a realm where your rule reigns supreme....

How to Make and Mix Concrete Step 1: Gather Your Tools and Materials Here’s what you’ll need to mix your own concrete: A bag of portland cement Bulk coarse gravel or crushed stone Bulk sand Wheelbarrow Bucket (1- or 2-gallon) Bucket (5-gallon) Shovel Small cup or container Note: Concrete and cement are not the same things. Concrete is a mix of stone, sand, and cement. Cement is an aggregate used in concrete to act as the adhesive in the mix....

Steps: 1. At home center or lumberyard, handpick eight perfectly straight kiln-dried 2x4s. Avoid any board with excessive knots or defects. 2. Select one 4x8-foot sheet of ¾-inch-thick B-C fir plywood. Check to be sure the plywood edges and corners aren’t damaged. 3. For convenience, have the plywood cut to size by a home center employee at the panel saw.

How do you wire an extension cord plug? For about five bucks, you can attach a replacement plug. So, you don’t have to throw away that old extension cord, even if one of its prongs is broken. Steps on How to Replace and Wire a Plug: Step 1: Cut the Old Plug and Slice the Jacket First, cut off the damaged plug. Then use a utility knife to split and slice off the jacket about 3/4 inch from the end of the cord....

Modern master bath The dreamy master bath was designed with a personal spa in mind—a soothing neutral palette, abundant light, a freestanding soaking tub, and a fully appointed steam shower perfect for unwinding. Electric floor warming throughout the space means there’s no stepping out onto a chilly tile floor. Floor Warming: Schluter-DITRA-HEAT Electric Floor Warming Built-in bench A floating bench is a perfect place to sit back, relax, and breathe in the healing benefits of steam....

Choosing the right countertop is a tough task, because of the vast variety of materials available, appearance and durability details, and a square foot price range that starts around $20 and stretches up to $250. Consider Countertop Space Requirements Before the fun part of exploring materials, consider how much space you’ll devote to countertops and where you’ll put them. While this may depend on the size of your cook space, the National Kitchen and Bath Association recommends a total of 158 inches of countertop frontage, 24 inches deep—ideally including an uninterrupted 36-inch-wide section adjacent to the sink....

What is Modern Wood Wall Paneling? Wood wall paneling is a building material that covers a wall’s surface in wood boards or sheets. It can be made from hardwoods, softwoods, faux woods, or even wood byproducts. Popular in the 50s, 60s, and 70s, wood paneling found its home within Mid-century design, providing the clean, simple lines that the style embraces. It also offered a warm, rustic look for masculine dens and an affordable wall-covering option that was neutral and subtle, unlike the boldly patterned wallpapers of the era....