Repairs & How To

Problems with plaster, woodwork, pocket doors–find advice here for old-house inspection, repair, and maintenance.

Product of the Week

Products of the Week

Ward Clapboard Mill

Repairs & How To

Window Problem Solvers for Old-House Retrofits & Add-ons

Good windows, well designed, can solve problems with function, proportion, letting in the light, and ventilation. Manufacturers are stepping up.

Repairs & How To

An urgent question from an OHJ staffer: “How hard would it be to get rid of my hideous popcorn ceiling?” (If you don’t remember, this is a heavily textured, spray-on finish, sometimes with glitter, popular from the postwar years through the 1970s.) I looked through our archive and found little encouragement. Then I trolled the internet and YouTube. Still not encouraging but certainly entertaining. Here’s my take on the options.

Repairs & How To

Restoring & Rewiring Vintage Lamps

Here’s expert advice on how to create new and unique lighting fixtures from vintage parts, including a step-by-step guide to rewiring old lamps.

Repairs & How To

How to Drill Holes in Tight Spaces

Drilling holes in tight spaces can be a challenge for any old house DIY-er, but there are solutions. Here’s a look at the right way and the wrong way to drill holes in small spaces.

Repairs & How To

How to Lay Linoleum Tile

Parallel or on the diagonal, one color or a checkerboard: real linoleum tiling is practical and lends period appeal. Precut tiles make it a DIY job.

Repairs & How To

10 Budget-Savvy Renovation Tips

Culled from readers and editors over the years, here are 10 nuggets to help you renovate and decorate without spending a fortune. Taken together, they suggest both a timeline (plan ahead!) and an approach (listen to the house). Take your time. Seek advice from other renovators, reliable contractors, and a designer who can help you avoid pitfalls.

Repairs & How To

How to Strip Paint From Woodwork

Stripping paint from woodwork is on the list of most-hated restoration jobs. It’s among the most hazardous, too. Fortunately, you no longer have to strip door casings or painted balusters with such hazardous chemicals as methylene chloride, nor should you blast them with high heat. Recent years have brought gentler methods that are just as effective, safer for DIYers, and easier on the wood itself.

Repairs & How To

Restoring a Vintage Door in a 1920s Tudor House

The arch-top entry door, a signature piece of the century-old Tudor Revival house, was in bad shape. A local carpenter made expert repairs.

Repairs & How To

Simple Roof Repair Tips

Every roofing material has a lifespan. Use these methods to fix minor breakage or missing units, extending the life of the roof.

Repairs & How To

Unmuddling a 19th Century Queen Anne

The author’s past two homes were custom-builds. Time to take on the restoration of a Victorian!

Repairs & How To

Restoring Wood Elements in Old Houses

Restoring architectural elements damaged over time requires ingenuity and labor but it isn’t necessarily difficult. Two recent projects—one pro, one DIY—show how perseverance brings wood ornamentation beautifully back to useful life.

Repairs & How To

Restoring Casement Windows

Lately, casement windows have been on my mind. No surprise: my 1913 Adirondack-style cottage has a dozen wood casements—and they all need work. Unlike double-hung sash windows that move up and down, casement windows swing outward, inward, or occasionally upward, turning on hinges attached to one edge of the frame.