Repairs & How To

Repairs & How To

The Hardware Search (and when to choose reproduction)

Replacing missing hardware, especially for windows and doors, requires perseverance and an eye for detail. Options extend to vintage and reproduction.

Repairs & How To

A Fix for Paint Peeling

Mysterious exterior paint peeling, under the eaves.

Repairs & How To

Repurposed Elevator Indicator Lights

Industrial-chic, oversize wall sconces can be made from repurposed elevator indicator lights.

Repairs & How To

Repairs to Stairs

Tread and riser, baluster and handrail: a staircase can be merely utilitarian or a stunning work of art. There are many ways to build a staircase—box or spiral, dogleg or winding—and infinitely more ways for these complex structures to develop creaks, sags, or leans.

Repairs & How To

Freshen Up Your Fireplace

Make your fireplace a focal point this winter.

Repairs & How To

Keeping the Chimney Well-equipped and Safe

Liners, dampers, fire brick, and chimney caps all play protective roles in fireplace safety and comfort.

Repairs & How To

DIY Recessed Medicine Cabinet

How to make a recessed medicine cabinet with a salvaged mirror as a door.

Repairs & How To

8 Popular Ways to Modernize an Old House

There’s no need for massive renovations to bring your classic home up to speed.

Repairs & How To

Old-House Restoration Learning Curve

It’s one thing to love an old house, another to take one on. Restoration can be intimidating; still, the rare sort of homeowner thrives on the work, typically describing their characterful money pit as “a fun project.”

Repairs & How To

Incentives for Old-House Preservation

Not every old house is destined for restoration in full period style. But more can be saved from demolition if tax credits are used to justify rehabilitation costs.

Repairs & How To

DIY Vintage Seating

American industrial ingenuity yields a couple of unique seating ideas.

Repairs & How To

5 Gadgets for Ease & Comfort Around the House

Five very specific fixes can make life more comfortable this winter.

Repairs & How To

Incredible Energy Savings

Innovations in home energy technologies make it easier to find better comfort while saving money on fuel costs.

Repairs & How To

An Experience with Mini Duct Installation

Converting a 1910 Shingle Style house with no air conditioning to one with a whole-house system was not something I took lightly. I have spent my life restoring old houses. If HVAC was in my future it had better be efficient and virtually invisible.

Repairs & How To

DIY Window Sash to Mirror

Copper-clad wood window sashes from an iconic building find new uses.

Repairs & How To

Window Sash Clinic

Antique windows are one of the enchanting architectural elements that set an older home apart. While I’m an equal opportunity lover of all old windows, my expertise comes from restoring my 1886 Victorian, which has double-hung sash operated on ropes and pulleys.