KnowRemodeling

The archive

Every guide, one shelf.

Interior refinishes, exterior maintenance, and the tips we wish someone had told us first. Browse by where the work happens.

Vertical white battens being leveled and nailed onto a painted bedroom wall in progress
InteriorAccent Walls & Millwork9 min read

Install a Board-and-Batten Accent Wall That Looks Built-In

A step-by-step guide to a board-and-batten accent wall: spacing math that lands even, adhesive plus nails, caulk discipline, and enamel paint that seals the look.
Caulk gun laying a clean bead of white sealant along an exterior window frame, with weatherstripping and a utility knife on the sill
ExteriorWeatherproofing & Drainage Solutions8 min read

Seal It Up: Weatherproofing Your Home Before the Seasons Turn

A DIY weatherproofing checklist: find air leaks, caulk exterior gaps, add weatherstripping and door sweeps, and cut drafts for about $40 in materials.
Cedar window box planted with petunias mounted on black brackets below a white window on gray lap siding
ExteriorShutters & Window Trim8 min read

Build and Mount Window Boxes That Will Not Rot the Siding

A step-by-step guide to building cedar window boxes with drainage, mounting them on brackets with standoffs, and sealing fasteners so the siding stays dry.
Gloved hands lifting an asphalt shingle tab on a roof, flat pry bar and loose roofing nails resting on the courses
ExteriorRoof Repair & Maintenance9 min read

Replace Damaged Asphalt Shingles Safely, One Tab at a Time

A step-by-step guide to replacing wind-torn or cracked asphalt shingles: breaking the seal, pulling eight nails, nailing on the line, and hand-sealing.
Freshly painted exterior shutters being mounted beside a window on lap siding, with a drill and level nearby
ExteriorShutters & Window Trim8 min read

Hang Exterior Shutters Sized and Mounted Right

A step-by-step guide to exterior shutters that look original: sizing at half the window width, full height, correct fasteners for every siding type, and shutter dogs.
New screen mesh being rolled into an aluminum sliding screen door frame on sawhorses beside a patio door
ExteriorPatio & Sliding Doors7 min read

Rebuild a Sliding Screen Door That Glides Like New

A step-by-step guide to rebuilding a patio sliding screen door: pulling it, replacing the rollers, re-screening with new spline, cleaning the track, and adjusting the fit.
A warm brass and linen pendant light being installed on a white ceiling, wires connected with orange nuts
InteriorLighting & Electrical Upgrades8 min read

Replace a Ceiling Light Fixture, Safely and Squarely

Swap a dated ceiling light for a new fixture: breaker safety, non-contact voltage testing, wire connections that last, and getting the canopy tight to the ceiling.
A sliding patio door panel on sawhorses with a new roller held beside the worn old one, tools and a dirty track nearby
ExteriorPatio & Sliding Doors8 min read

Make a Sticking Sliding Patio Door Glide Like New

A step-by-step guide to fixing a hard-to-slide patio door: cleaning the track, lifting the panel out, replacing worn rollers, adjusting height, and realigning the latch.
Plastic injection ports glued along a hairline crack in a poured concrete basement wall, epoxy cartridge nearby
ExteriorFoundation Repair9 min read

Seal Hairline Foundation Cracks With Epoxy Injection

A step-by-step guide to injecting epoxy into hairline foundation cracks: ports, surface paste, bottom-up injection, and the cracks that mean call a pro.
A stone fire pit with glowing evening fire on a circular gravel patio, Adirondack chairs arranged around it
ExteriorPatios & Hardscaping12 min read

Build a Fire Pit Patio in a Weekend

Build a circular gravel patio with a stacked-block fire pit: siting for safety and codes, excavation, compacted base, ring assembly, and first-burn rules.