Repairs & How To

Repairs & How To

Repair Yankee Gutters in 5 Steps

A homeowner recoats her built-in yankee gutters to repair damaging leaks.

Repairs & How To

How To Install a Faux Slate Roof

Re-roofing a house can be an overwhelming prospect. That said, there’s a lot of instant gratification in roofing, and if done on a beautiful day, it can even be (dare I say it?) fun. Whether you’re looking to save money or just have a hand in sheltering your old home, some roof projects are worth undertaking.

Repairs & How To

How To Install Kitchen Cabinets

Thinking about trying to install kitchen cabinets yourself? Here are step-by-step instructions for installing kitchen cabinets in an old house kitchen.

Repairs & How To

Choosing Victorian Paint Colors

Author Brian Coleman gives us the inside scoop on how he selected the Victorian house paint colors for his fanciful Queen Anne.

Repairs & How To

How To Prevent Lightning Damage

Prevent lightning damage with lightning rods.

Repairs & How To

Expert Advice: Low VOC Paint

What is it that makes one kind of paint environmentally friendly? And how do the new standards affect performance? We explore low VOC paint and more.

Repairs & How To

Fast Facts on Fasteners

Understanding how fasteners work and how they were traditionally used is the first step to choosing the right one for your carpentry project.

Repairs & How To

How To Rebuild a Victorian Porch

Have you always wanted a Victorian porch with an elaborate balustrade? Here’s how one engineer did it.

Repairs & How To

Underneath What’s Underfoot

The finish flooring is only as good as its underlayment, especially when it comes to tile and resilient floors.

Repairs & How To

Expert Advice: Refinishing Fir Floors

If your home has original fir flooring or woodwork, here’s what you need to know about refinishing it.

Repairs & How To

Wood Floor Finishing Techniques

Two finishing techniques of the past, scraping and filling, help make wood floors look their best today.

Repairs & How To

How To Create Patinas on Hardware

Follow these simple steps to help “youthful” metals grow old gracefully (and quickly).

Repairs & How To

How To Find Replacements for Unusually Shaped Windows

Victorian-era houses came decked out with windows in a variety of curvy shapes. Today, restoring them has gotten a lot easier.

Repairs & How To

How To Restore Sash Windows

Restoring your home’s original sash windows is easier than it seems. We follow a Texas window restorer to get her tricks of the trade.

Repairs & How To

Mapping Out a Restoration

From the Civil War to Nixon, the Sanborn Fire Insurance Company’s maps meticulously documented buildings in thousands of cities. Today, they can be invaluable for uncovering your home’s long-lost historical details.

Repairs & How To

Where To Find Sanborn Maps Online

Searching for a Sanborn map of your neighborhood to aid in your home restoration? Check out these links.