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.

Samples of asphalt shingle, standing-seam metal panel, clay tile, and concrete tile laid on a workbench outdoors
ExteriorRoof Replacement (Asphalt, Metal, Tile)10 min read

Asphalt, Metal, or Tile: Choose Your Roof by Decades Per Dollar

A step-by-step guide to picking your next roof: how climate, slope, structure, and cost per year of service decide between asphalt, metal, and tile.
Hand installing a satin nickel swing-clear offset hinge on a white interior door beside a wheelchair
InteriorWider Doorways & Open Layouts7 min read

Offset Hinges and Other Two-Inch Wins for Wheelchair Clearance

A step-by-step guide to gaining wheelchair clearance without reframing: swing-clear offset hinges, stop removal, lever handles, and threshold fixes.
A new GFCI outlet being wired into a wall box with a voltage tester resting nearby
InteriorElectrical & Wiring9 min read

Replace Worn Outlets and Add GFCI Protection Safely

A careful guide to replacing worn receptacles and adding GFCI outlets where code requires: breaker off, testing twice, line vs. load, and when to call an electrician.
A widened interior doorway with new king and jack studs exposed and a level against the jamb
InteriorWider Doorways & Open Layouts11 min read

Widen an Interior Doorway to 36 Inches for Real Clearance

A step-by-step guide to widening a non-load-bearing interior doorway to 36 inches: confirming the wall, reframing king and jack studs, and recasing.
A shallow toe-kick drawer pulled out from under a white kitchen base cabinet holding baking sheets and cutting boards
InteriorSmall-Space Solutions9 min read

Add Toe-Kick Drawers Under Your Kitchen Cabinets

A step-by-step guide to building toe-kick drawers under existing base cabinets: measuring the void, low-profile slides, and matching the front to the kick.
Gloved hands sealing metal flashing at the base of a brick chimney with a caulk gun, wire brush on the shingles
ExteriorChimneys & Flashing9 min read

Reseal Chimney Flashing Before It Stains Your Ceiling

A step-by-step guide to resealing chimney flashing: reading the two-layer system, cleaning the reglet joint, choosing the right sealant, and when to call a pro.
Wall-mounted rail and standard shelving system with baskets rising to the ceiling in a small bedroom
InteriorSmall-Space Solutions8 min read

Go Vertical: Wall Systems That Triple Small-Room Storage

A step-by-step guide to installing a rail-and-standard wall storage system: finding studs, hanging the top rail, anchoring, and loading high shelves safely.
Hands connecting tubing to an under-sink water filter housing below a kitchen sink with a brass tee adapter and dedicated faucet
InteriorWater Heaters & Filtration8 min read

Install an Under-Sink Water Filter With Its Own Faucet

A step-by-step guide to installing an under-sink water filter: tee adapter on the cold supply, drilling for a dedicated faucet, tubing, flushing, and cartridge schedule.
A second layer of drywall being installed over damping compound on a bedroom wall
InteriorSoundproofing & Insulation11 min read

Soundproof a Bedroom Wall So It Actually Works

A step-by-step guide to soundproofing a bedroom wall with mass, damping, decoupling, and airtight sealing — and why foam panels alone fail.
A black EPDM rubber liner draped into a freshly dug pond with tiered shelves, stones stacked for a small waterfall
ExteriorPonds & Fountains12 min read

Dig and Line a Backyard Pond With a Small Waterfall

A step-by-step guide to building a lined garden pond: digging plant shelves, underlayment and EPDM liner, sizing the pump, and stacking a spillway.