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Exterior Remodeling

Step-by-step guides, tested in real houses.

A new full-view storm door with glass panel on a craftsman entry, warm wood front door visible behind it

Hang a Storm Door in a Day (and Have It Close Itself Softly)

Install a full-view storm door: measuring the opening, hinge-side selection, mounting rail plumb, closer adjustment, and the expander sweep that seals the sill.

Craftsman bungalow with fresh white paint, sage green shutters, a rust-red front door, and tidy mulched beds

ExteriorCurb Appeal Upgrades9 min read

Weekend Curb Appeal: Seven Projects That Transform Your Front Yard

Seven high-impact DIY curb appeal projects ranked by payoff per hour: front door paint, house numbers, lighting, mulch edges, and more.

A scraper lifting failed paint from wood lap siding in warm light, clean primed boards visible alongside

ExteriorExterior Painting & Staining12 min read

Wash, Scrape, Prime: The Prep That Makes Exterior Paint Last

Exterior paint prep done right: washing siding, scraping and feather-sanding failed paint, spot-priming bare wood, caulking, and reading the weather window.

A navy front door laid across sawhorses being painted with a small roller, matte black hardware and tray beside it

ExteriorFront Entry Doors9 min read

Paint Your Front Door and Swap the Hardware in a Day

A step-by-step guide to repainting a front entry door off its hinges: sanding, exterior enamel in the right sequence, and fitting new hardware that latches clean.

A cedar pergola frame going up over a concrete patio, beams clamped in place beside a blue stepladder and drill

ExteriorPergolas & Gazebos12 min read

Build a Pergola Over Your Patio That Stands Plumb for Decades

A step-by-step guide to building a patio pergola: post anchors on concrete, doubled beams, rafter spacing for shade, and bracing that keeps it square.

Leaves being scooped from an aluminum gutter at the eave of a craftsman house on a bright fall morning

ExteriorGutter Systems & Guards7 min read

The One-Morning Gutter Tune-Up That Prevents Basement Water

A seasonal gutter maintenance routine: safe ladder work, clearing and flushing, resealing end caps and seams, correcting pitch, and extending downspouts.

A textured roller applying light sand-colored acrylic coating to a clean concrete pool deck beside blue water

ExteriorPools & Pool Decks10 min read

Resurface a Concrete Pool Deck With Cool-Deck Coating

A step-by-step guide to renewing a worn concrete pool deck: pressure washing, crack repair, acrylic cool-deck coating, and a barefoot-friendly texture.

A curved paver walkway through a green front yard, rubber mallet and level resting on freshly laid stones

ExteriorDriveways & Walkways13 min read

Lay a Paver Walkway That Won’t Heave, Wander, or Grow Weeds

Build a paver walkway from the ground up: excavation depth, compacted base lifts, screeded bedding sand, edge restraints, and polymeric sand joints.

Backyard deck half restained in rich warm brown and half weathered gray, with a stain pad and open can of stain

ExteriorDecks & Porches10 min read

How to Clean and Restain a Weathered Deck

Bring gray, weathered deck boards back to life: cleaning, brightening, drying, and staining in the right sequence, with product and weather guidance.

A rake leveling crushed gravel inside a timber frame shed base, string lines and level nearby in a backyard

ExteriorSheds & Workshops11 min read

Build a Gravel Shed Base and Set Your Kit Shed Square

A step-by-step guide to building a level gravel foundation for a kit shed: layout, excavation, timber perimeter, compacted stone, and squaring the floor.