DIY Home Improvement Rules

Add new studs beside the old studs

Old walls are often crooked and out of plumb. One good method to fix the problem is to add new studs alongside the old ones, making sure the new ones are plumb and aligned. You'll be glad you did when it comes time to install cabinets and trim.

Got bowed studs? Here's how you can fix them.

Always check before doing electrical work

When you're doing electrical work, don't assume that because you flicked a switch or flipped a circuit breaker the power is off? always double-check. Buy a noncontact voltage tester and check all the wires in the box before you do any work.

It's a four-in-one tool

Aside from a hammer, a 'beater' chisel is the most useful tool to carry in your tool belt. It's a scraper, a pry bar and a putty knife all in one. Sometimes you can even use it as a chisel for crude work.

Buy more than you need to save extra trips

No matter how carefully you plan, it seems like you always need another elbow or extra length of pipe. Save yourself a trip to the store and buy extra the first time. Then return what you don't use.

Confine the dust no matter what

No matter how small your drywall job, take the time to carefully confine the dust. While the actual sanding might only take you about 10 minutes, cleaning the fine layer of dust from everything in sight will take you the rest of the afternoon.

If you're planning a large remodeling project, check out this collection of tips on how to protect your home during the process.

Anticipate how weather will affect a project

Learn a lesson from one of our editors who poured a garage slab late one fall day. It was cool outside, and he didn't realize how long the concrete would take to set up. He didn't finish troweling until about 2 a.m.

Don't try to get the trim flush with jambs

Leave a space (reveal) alongside moldings. It'll give you a little fudge factor and looks better than trying to get trim flush with jambs.

Interested in tricks and tips for getting tight-fitting trim joints on door and window casings and base moldings? Check out our complete guide.

Anticipate bad weather to prevent leaks

What will you do if you tear off the shingles and a storm pops up? At least if you have a plastic tarp that's large enough to cover the roof, you'll have a fighting chance of keeping your house dry.