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41 Articles

Ways to enjoy your great outdoors more

If the kitchen is the heart of the home, the garden—a.k.a. the yard—is the soul. So says a recent British survey on outdoor-living trends. It’s a nice idea. After all, we treasure the backyard as a place to relax and regroup, to connect with family and friends, to feel the earth beneath our feet, and to dig in and get our hands dirty. For me, the photo at right captures so much of what we want in a backyard these days. Designed and installed by TOH landscape contractor Jenn Nawada at the start of the pandemic, this outdoor space has all the essentials: places to sit and gather, spots to prepare a meal and to enjoy it, and even a plot for growing vegetables, bordered by lush, easy-care plantings. There’s still…

Ways to enjoy your great outdoors more

Around The House

BUDDY SYSTEM He goes where she goes FOR SOME LUCKY FOLKS, every day is Bring Your Best Friend to Work Day. And happily for the TOH team, Jenn Nawada’s “loyal, chill, peaceful, curious, and intelligent” Bernese mountain dog, Moby, is her constant companion. Moby takes his job seriously, too, jumping into the landscape contractor’s truck each day, whether they’re visiting clients or filming at the job site. “The set can get pretty frazzled from time to time, and when it does…MOBY BREAK!” says TOH mason Mark McCullough, who, like the rest of the gang, appreciates the therapeutic powers of this particular four-legged fan. As Jenn says, “Moby makes everyone smile.” The writing’s in the wall WHILE WORKING ON his 1864 Dutch Colonial in Saratoga Springs, NY—TOH’ s newest project house, page 60—homeowner Evan Williamson…

Around The House

Deck the house TOH Reader: Darin Frerichs, St. Francis, WI This deck is one of many projects I’ve designed and built for our house. I used varied-width composite boards and a cable-rail assembly; the frame is made of pressure-treated wood with butyl-tape protection on top. There’s a hidden door near the bottom of the stairs to access waterproof underdeck storage, which we use in winter. We’re very happy with how it turned out. It’s one of several projects TOH has inspired me to build simply, but with a powerful outcome. Primo pizza paddle TOH Insider: Joseph Gagnon, Lincoln County, SD Happy to share my first try at a pizza paddle with you. It’s made of purpleheart, bubinga, African padauk, and curly maple. For added stability, I embedded two ¼-inch stainless steel rods across the grain…

Past meets present

INSPIRING SPACES, DESIGN DETAILS, AND FINISHING TOUCHES With a vintage Beatles LP playing in the background and dinner simmering on the stove, Megan and Lincoln Pasquina relax with their two young sons in their new great room, its floor-to-ceiling windows inviting in views of the rolling meadow, woods, and pond on their three-acre property in Concord, Massachusetts. The family moved in just a couple of weeks before, and “the tree-house room,” as Megan has dubbed it, is already their favorite hangout space. The couple’s renovated Cape, built in 1880, wasn’t always so in tune with the land: When they purchased the place, it was a jumble of small rooms with an awkward flow and lackluster additions from the 1950s and 1960s. “We loved the coziness of the old house, but it felt…

Past meets present

CHANGING WITH THE TIMES

CHANGING WITH THE TIMES

All but the new great room, Megan’s office, and part of the basement occupies the same footprint as the existing house, but the layout has been reimagined. There’s a spacious new kitchen at the front, where the living room once was. It connects to the open-plan great room, which extends into the yard for dramatic views. Putting the main suite over the two-car garage meant demolishing the previous addition; its foundation would not have supported a second story. The four-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bath house now holds 4,025 square feet of living space on two floors, plus a large finished basement (not shown).…

Zoned for relaxation

Where a mild climate allows outdoor living year-round, a thoughtfully designed yard can double your living space. That was precisely the case for Kelly and Jeff Mindell, who bought their 1930s Los Angeles bungalow in part for the good-size backyard. But the existing lot was “a wasteland,” Jeff recalls—and unsafe for their young son, with a decrepit pergola and defunct in-ground hot tub. Happily, though, the existing features did suggest places for dining, relaxation, and play. So the couple resurfaced the patio slab alongside the house to lay patterned cement tile, and rebuilt the rotted pergola over it. They also swapped the patch of gravel around the hot tub for a fire-pit seating area paved with low-maintenance decomposed granite (DG). Then they turned to landscape designer Rachael Freitas for a planting…

Zoned for relaxation

The Mindells’ yard features defined zones for dining and gathering, as well as an open area for play. Here’s what they did: 1. Kept the 353-square-foot patio, removed the mortared flagstone, and leveled the surface to accept tile. 2. Rebuilt the existing pergola, reusing the two 4×4 posts and the 2×8 beam closest to the house. The rafters are supported by an additional beam in the center; a slatted wall on one side adds privacy. 3. Removed an in-ground hot tub and its surround, dug out the area, hooked up the gas fire pit, laid gravel, and then topped it with DG, which was watered, rolled, and compacted. 4. Set up a kids’ crafts/snack table in the open area. Furniture covers protect the furnishings when it rains. 5. Replaced rotting pickets around the perimeter of…

When choosing a designer for a remodel, it’s a good idea to hire someone who will consider your future needs as well as your present wants. Even better when that person is your daughter and knows your taste to a tee. While Catherine Williamson’s parents wanted the 1950s Cape they bought near her family in Columbus, OH, to be their forever home, they could see that the second-floor primary bath (and the basement laundry) might not be doable for them down the road. So they turned to Catherine and her designer-husband, Bryan, to improve the existing first-floor guest bath and find space for laundry nearby. Key to making the bath more accessible: ditching the tub for a curbless walk-in shower. Stealing a foot of space from the guest bedroom and sacrificing…

Planning ahead to enable first-floor living, the designers annexed space from an adjacent bedroom for a large walk-in shower in the bath and a hallway laundry closet. 1. Bumped the tub/linen-cupboard wall out about 12 inches, stealing square footage from a guest room. 2. With the old tub/shower gone, built a curbless walk-in shower with a built-in bench and a grab bar in the expanded footprint. A shower curtain contains errant splashes. 3. Rebuilt the linen cupboard, which ceded space to the laundry; it is now 8 feet tall, 40 inches wide, and a shallow 10 inches deep. 4. Swapped the 72-inch vanity for a 60-inch model with a second sink, and installed medicine cabinets with sconces above to compensate for some of the lost storage. 5. Widened the entry by a couple of inches…

DESIGNING A BATH TO SUIT ALL AGES

1. Factor in seating arrangements A sturdy bench is a key feature for anyone who may become unsteady. Not only is the shower wand’s height adjustable, but the Williamsons also made sure the hose could reach the bench when someone is seated. “It’s one of those things that you may not realize until you actually try to use it,” says Catherine. 2. Raise the bar, designwise When it comes to style, grab bars have come a long way. The Williamsons chose a sleek, brushed-brass model that coordinates with the rest of the finishes, installing extra blocking when the walls were open in order to safely mount it. Since it also doubles as a towel bar for washcloths, guests are none the wiser. 3. Consider traction underfoot The Williamsons strategically selected a parquet tile pattern that…

DESIGNING A BATH TO SUIT ALL AGES

Best face forward

It was the large kitchen and open floor plan that sold Meg Copley on her 1931 house in Norwalk, CT. But she’s not a fan of the blue vinyl siding or the awkward office bumpout in front, saying, “It just seems like an afterthought.” So we asked architect Jeff Troyer to help Meg envision her Colonial Revival’s true potential. “My primary goal was to better integrate the front addition and to extend the entry to really accentuate it,” Troyer says. He simplified the roofline on the left with a shallow curve and added a second gable over the front entry, bringing that section forward by a foot and cladding it in brick to tie into the chimney. A curved portico roof over a new arch-top door offers some shelter from the…

Best face forward

FINISHING TOUCHES

PAINT PALETTE Arctic Shadows (siding, trim), Fieldstone (brick), Kendall Charcoal (shutters), Good Morning Sunshine (door). Aura Exterior Paint, $90 per gallon; benjaminmoore.com SHUTTERS Simple Colonial-style shutters complement a number of architectural styles. Flat Panel Shutters, from $1,200 per pair; timberlane.com ENTRY LIGHT This ceiling-mount fixture has an ultra-low profile. Astor LED Flush Mount in Oil-Rubbed Bronze, from $499; rejuvenation.com ENTRY DOOR An arched door with antique glass accents the entry. Round Top Glass Panel Door in Spanish Cedar (slab only), about $3,000; vintagedoors.com…

FINISHING TOUCHES

Some folks like to joke that an old country house is held together with spit and baling wire. But Chris Colomello, a general contractor in Amenia, New York, doesn’t kid around. “We do it all the time,” he says, referring to the steel ties his crew tightened overhead in this once-quaking 19th-century house. “It keeps the exterior walls from pushing apart.” By all outward appearances the post-and-beam, timber-framed antique was fine. But dips in the floors suggested otherwise. “We did some investigating and found sections of floor joists that were cut out at some point to run ductwork,” Colomello recalls. “It was a scary thing to find because by no means was this house structurally sound.” Homeowners Brian and Alexandra Tart waited 15 years before figuring the time was ripe to renovate.…

Renovation recap

THE HOMEOWNERS: Brian Tart and his wife, Alexandra (above, with their Welsh springer spaniel, Chief). Weekend DIYers, Brian renovated the barn after consulting a book, and Alex fixed the fridge after watching YouTube videos. THE HOUSE: A circa 1800 farmhouse that came with large rooms and a wide staircase, plus drafts, sags, no traces of the original kitchen or fireplace—and no first-floor closets. An existing one-story addition, possibly from the 1980s, had a slab foundation. “Every winter the pipes froze,” Alex says. THEIR PLAN: Update the infrastructure and replace the unloved one-story addition with a “glassy” two-story structure, allowing for new kitchen-dining-sitting areas, and a mudroom under a proper primary suite. Then wrap the new first-floor spaces with a porch that looks out at the gardens and spectacular sunsets. RENO REGRETS: Choosing a…

Renovation recap

KNOW-HOW YOU NEED TO GET HOME UPGRADES DONE RIGHT THE NEXT TIME you find yourself in an older part of a city such as Boston, Philadelphia, London, or Rome, take a moment to look down at the sidewalks and streets. Most likely, they’re paved with clay bricks that have been in place for more than a century, withstanding foot and vehicle traffic, sun, rain, revolutions, and parades. They show their age—their edges are rounded, their faces worn smooth—but they’ve stood the test of time. Made from clay and/or shale, brick pavers are fired in a kiln at higher temperatures than wall or chimney bricks. As a result, they’re stronger and better able to withstand heavy loads. The heat also changes the pavers’ texture in a process known as vitrification, making them nonporous,…

What do they cost? Paver bricks cost an average of $2.25 to $6 per square foot uninstalled; if they’re handmade or have a specialty finish such as tumbling or distressing, the cost can be $7.50 or more per square foot. How long do they last? The brick industry offers a conservative estimate of 40 years, but brick-paver sidewalks in colonial-era cities have been in service under constant traffic for nearly 150 years. Because brick pavers are impervious to most types of damage, warranties range from 20 to 100 years—to none at all. Where to buy them? A local masonry supplier will have the best selection and prices as well as knowledgeable staff. Some home centers carry a small selection of brick pavers. They are usually sold by the pallet, which may cover 50 to 120…

ARE BRICK PAVERS RIGHT FOR YOU?

PROS + DURABLE The majority of brick pavers sold in the U.S. meet industry standards for compressive strength, resistance to cracking and abrasion, and minimal water absorption. Brick pavers rated for heavy vehicular traffic, for example, have a minimum compressive strength of 10,000 psi—the same as Belgian block. + EASY CARE Brick pavers need no special upkeep—just scrub them with a stiff-bristled brush and a mild detergent as needed to remove moss, algae, and stains. And because they don’t fade, they don’t need to be sealed, either. Any chipped or broken bricks—often the result of a faulty installation—can be individually replaced. + ECO-FRIENDLY Compared with other building materials such as concrete and manufactured stone, making brick consumes less energy and produces fewer emissions. Bricks also have a long life cycle—they can easily last…

A GUIDE TO BRICK CLASSIFICATIONS

ANY PAVER that meets ASTM standards will be classified by its ability to withstand freezing and abrasion as well as the installation method that should be used. These specs make it easy to determine if a paver can hold up to heavy vehicles or if it’s better suited for a patio. But this level of detail is often not included in a catalog, so you or your contractor will need to request the information from the supplier. WEATHER ▪ SX: Brick that may be frozen while saturated with water ▪ MX: Brick intended for exterior use with no freezing conditions ▪ NX: Brick intended for interior use with no freezing conditions ABRASION ▪ Type I: Brick subjected to extensive abrasion, such as public sidewalks and driveways ▪ Type II: Brick subjected to intermediate abrasion, such as residential…

1. Running bond To create this traditional brick pattern, simply arrange bricks end to end, staggered by half a brick over the previous course. Running bond can also be laid on a diagonal, but this requires 45° cuts at the perimeter. Used lengthwise on long paths or driveways, it easily adapts to gentle curves. 2. Herringbone Arranged in a zigzag pattern that’s either oriented at a right angle (shown here) or on the diagonal, the herringbone is an interlocking pattern durable enough to be used for a driveway. Creating the layout is labor-intensive, as are the required angled cuts at the edges for every course. 3. Basketweave This pattern alternates pairs of bricks from vertical to horizontal, repeating the pattern every other course. It works well for a straight run where cuts, if any, are…

THREE WAYS TO CUT BRICKS

➾ Quick and precise MASONRY BLADE Mark’s go-to method is to use a worm-drive circular saw or an angle grinder fitted with a diamond masonry blade. Be sure to wear a respirator to protect yourself from silica dust. Start by marking the cutline all around the brick with a square and pencil. Make a shallow cut, about ¼ inch deep, on the top, then increase the depth of the blade and make additional cuts to a depth of about 1 inch. Turn the brick over, and repeat the process. Tap off the waste end with a hammer, and then if necessary, clean the cut end with hammer taps on a cold chisel. ➾ Slower, but less dusty WET SAW Readily available at most rental centers, a wet saw cuts fairly slowly, but it’s quiet, and…

Creative groundcover combos

Workhorses in the landscape, groundcovers spread to knit a tight, low-maintenance carpet of foliage that densely covers bare earth. Not just pleasing to look at, they serve a number of practical purposes as well: “Groundcovers can stabilize the soil, help it retain moisture, and prevent weeds from taking hold,” says TOH landscape contractor Jenn Nawada, who prefers them to mulch where she knows they will thrive. And while there are times when filling a bare spot with a swath of a single plant provides a welcome rest for the eye, she loves the idea of combining two or more species for a pleasing mix of foliage shape, color, and texture, turning groundcovers into a design tool rather than just a backdrop. What constitutes a groundcover plant? The most familiar are low-growing,…

Creative groundcover combos

>> PLAN YOUR SPACING There are three factors to consider when spacing groundcovers in preparation for planting: the plant’s ultimate size, its growth rate, and your patience. For instance, European wild ginger spreads 18 inches wide but isn’t a particularly fast grower. So if you want quicker coverage, you may want to plant it every 12 inches. Bugleweed, on the other hand, is an aggressive spreader; spacing these plants farther apart is just fine, and saves you money. In such cases, Jenn says, “Don’t go for immediate gratification. Space them out and let them fill in.” >> PREPARE THE SOIL No matter how far apart you plant groundcovers, prepare the ground carefully first to give them a good start. Turn over the soil and remove any weeds and roots before smoothing it out…

Putting in a Pergola

WHETHER ATTACHED to the house or freestanding, covered in vines or clean and modern, a pergola is an architectural feature that provides a welcome sense of enclosure outdoors, carving out an inviting retreat that allows in fresh air, gentle breezes, and dappled sunlight. “A pergola creates a sense of place and sets the stage for relaxing and entertaining,” says TOH landscape contractor Jenn Nawada. In its most basic form, a pergola consists of posts topped by beams and rafters, with room-sized proportions and a ceiling height of 8 to 12 feet. Set on a deck or patio and connected to the house, it can define a convenient area for alfresco dining or shield an outdoor kitchen from the elements. Anchored in the yard, it can frame a fire-pit seating area, shelter…

Putting in a Pergola

→ If you don’t need a custom size or look, buying a pergola as a kit will greatly simplify the job. Everything is precut and predrilled, and the hardware is provided—all you do is assemble the parts. What’s more, the kits come in a range of materials that would otherwise be difficult to source for a DIY pergola, including aluminum, steel, composite, and vinyl. Brands like Toja Grid and Backyard Discovery are available at home centers and typically range from 8-by-8 feet to 16-by-12 feet, and from about $1,000 to $8,000, depending on the size and materials used. Customizable kits can be purchased from a fence company or specialty supplier; Walpole Outdoors, for example, offers cellular PVC kits in custom sizes starting around $8,400 (walpoleoutdoors.com). → For help building your own…

TIPS FOR ADDING GREENERY

COVERING YOUR PERGOLA with plants and flowers lowers the temperature underneath—not just because of the increased shade but because plants cool the air as moisture evaporates from their foliage. Here’s Jenn’s advice for growing success: ➤ Offer support. Set up a wire grid or wood lattice to give twining vines, such as wisteria, grapevine, and bougainvillea, something to grow on. ➤ Consider a plant wall. To filter unwanted views, increase the sense of enclosure, or just add a lush touch, create a green screen. Install sturdy wood lattice or stainless steel cable railing between wood posts; then plant vines along the bottom, and weave them up and through as they grow. ➤ Keep clinging vines in check. Aggressive growers that adhere via suckers (like Virginia creeper and creeping fig) or with aerial roots…

TIPS FOR ADDING GREENERY

Kitchen garden from scratch

In the pursuit of a bumper crop of vegetables, too often an edible garden’s aesthetics fall by the wayside. For Nicole Burke, founder of Rooted Garden, a company that designs, installs, and maintains edible gardens in and around Houston, the backbone of the modern kitchen garden is a series of raised beds, fitted with trellises and gravel pathways, which add to both its beauty and utility. Inspired by the classic French potager, which weaves edibles with ornamentals in a design that complements the house, she wants her gardens to invite walking over for a better look. After all, the more inviting the garden, the likelier you are to spend time harvesting and maintaining it. Burke is on a mission to make gardening easier and more appealing, so more people will get…

Kitchen garden from scratch

Standing stronger

When Evan and Whitney Williamson’s house in Saratoga Springs, New York, was built, Abraham Lincoln was in the White House, and Ulysses S. Grant was slugging it out with Robert E. Lee in a struggle to shape the nation’s destiny. There were no telephones, automobiles, or refrigerators. Electric lighting was rare. Most homes in town lacked indoor plumbing. Over the century and a half since then, six generations of Evan’s family have lived in the house, making a series of changes to it along the way. The first kitchen was added in the late 1800s; around 1914, the house was widened and became a duplex, with a series of additions that introduced new bedrooms, another kitchen, and multiple narrow staircases. Now Evan and his wife, Whitney, have taken possession of the property,…

Standing stronger

Reducing the risk of radon

The work that was done to shore up the house’s foundation created an opportunity for some advance planning: Before pouring the basement floor, builder Matt Whitbeck and his crew placed four runs of perforated pipe in the subslab gravel, all tied into a sealed sump-pump basin. Two pipes will lead out of the basin: one to a drain field in the backyard, and one up through the roof. The backyard system is there to receive any groundwater that rises up under the slab; the pipe through the roof is there to exhaust any radon that might be present in the future. About one in five homes in Saratoga County has hazardous levels of radon, an invisible, odorless gas that’s formed when uranium undergoes radioactive decay in the earth. Uranium is ubiquitous…

Building with a sense of place

On a craggy hillside covered with granite boulders and dense stands of pine trees, with views of majestic Mount Evans in the distance, the foundation is poured and ready to support the three-story, 4,500-square-foot solar-powered home that will take shape there. Dramatic gable and shed rooflines will crown tall windows sited to take in the views and flood the interior with natural light. Exterior feature walls of wood and stone in an earthy palette of browns and grays reflect the rugged mountain environment, but there’s nothing lodge-like about the house’s contemporary lines. The goal of this build, located in the greater Denver area, is to combine clean, modern design with state-of-the-art technology and advanced building science in a comfortable, energy-efficient home that reflects its natural surroundings. Leading the project—which will be…

Building with a sense of place

Classic wood beehive

NEW PRODUCTS, PRO ADVICE, AND HOW-TO PROJECTS When Tom saw how much satisfaction—and honey—his neighbors were getting from their backyard beehives, he decided to take up the challenge of building one for himself, from scratch. After some research, Tom settled on a Langstroth hive, a style popular with beekeepers for over 170 years. When Kevin commented that it looked complicated, Tom admitted, “It is, a little,” then suggested they get to work. This type of beehive is made up of five parts: the base (A); the hive body (B); the frames (C), where bees make their honeycombs (this hive has 10); an inner cover with a ventilation hole (D); and an aluminum-clad outer cover (E)—the hive’s weatherproof cap. This modular design allows you to use the same base and cap when stacking…

Classic wood beehive

Cordless finish nailers

Whether you’re installing crown molding, baseboards, stair treads, or window trim, a finish nailer will improve the quality and speed of your work. Not only do these tools shoot nails faster than anyone can hammer, but they also propel the nails at such a high velocity that they sink in before the wood has a chance to move. Once you start using a finish nailer, there’s no going back to a hammer. Until recently, nailers had to be tethered to a compressor hose (or fitted with a gas canister), which powered the piston that drove in the nails. Now, thanks to better batteries, the latest cordless nailers have the power and firing rate to match their compressor-dependent predecessors. And while they’re not as light or nimble as pneumatic nailers, the grab-and-go…

Cordless finish nailers

TECHNIQUE BASICS

SAFE NAILING Nailers fire with such speed and power, they need to be treated with respect. Make sure to follow these basic safety precautions every time you pick one up: > Remove the battery when you adjust the tool or fix a jam. This prevents accidental firings. > Keep hands away from the area being nailed, or anywhere a nail could exit unexpectedly. > Hold the nailer perpendicular to the work. Nails can ricochet off the wood if you angle the nailer or attempt to toenail with it. > Before pulling the trigger, place the nailer’s nose firmly against the surface. That way, the nail is more likely to sink to the proper depth, with the nailhead just below the wood surface. HOW TO KEEP NAILS FROM BLOWING OUT To ensure that a finish nail goes straight…

TECHNIQUE BASICS

1. Neat and easy garage storage Ryobi Link Modular Storage System More versatile and even simpler to install than pegboard, this wall-storage system starts with 33-inchlong polymer rails that screw into studs. The rails hold any of 15 different organizers and support 75 pounds per linear foot. $30 for two rails, accessories from $9 to $65 each; ryobitools.com 2.DIY-friendly bath-fan upgrade WhisperFit DC Fan This vent fan’s hinged support bracket slips easily into the ceiling, then expands to full size. Set the speed to 50 or 80 cubic feet per minute (cfm) for a powder room, 110 cfm for a full bath; all three settings are ultraquiet. From $217; fitdcfan.com 3. Washable matte wall color Behr Ultra Scuff Defense Interior Extra Durable Flat Paint Most velvety matte paints don’t hold up well…

TOH DIY expert Jenn Largesse shows how to build a weatherproof lounge chair from composite deck boards Recently, my husband and I realized our dream of putting in a swimming pool, which we surrounded with a composite deck. And since we ended up with lengths of leftover decking, I saw an opportunity to put them to use by building a pair of lounge chairs. The design I came up with has backrests that fold down flat, angled legs for a modern look, and a long, slatted seat so we can put up our feet while watching the kids. The composite material does make the chairs quite heavy, but with corrosion-resistant fasteners and polyurethane glue holding the parts together, I’m happy to report that the chairs are strong and nearly maintenance-free. To make…

LUBRICATE AND CLEAN METAL STORMS Whenever you clean aluminum storm windows, give their metal frames extra attention—especially if they’re old and oxidized—to ensure they slide freely. Remove the storms, and vacuum the tracks and around the sill. Then lightly coat the tracks and spring-loaded locking tabs with a silicone lubricant spray such as B’laster (blasterproducts.com). Clean and dry the glass as usual, then pop the storms back in. HALT CARPENTER BEES These damaging insects may resemble bumblebees, but they bore into wood to lay their eggs in ½-inchdiameter tunnels. Wood decks, siding, window trim, and fascia boards are among their favorite nesting spots. The tunnels (right) can let in water and, in extreme infestations, weaken the wood. See signs of damage? Spray the wood with citrus or almond oil to repel the bees.…

ask This Old House

• Tips, tricks, and answers to your home-improvement questions Painting exterior wood railings I have cedar front-porch railings that I built years ago. The paint is gone in many areas or is peeling away. What is the best way to prep weathered cedar and repaint it white? —BRAD STUBBS, LEE’S SUMMIT, MO TOH painter Mauro Henrique: Cedar resists rot and insect damage, so it will be worth your while to get your railing back into shape. Paint is a good choice for your railings; it will hold up to sun and weather exposure better than other types of exterior coatings. To start, lay down a drop cloth to collect paint scrapings and protect the porch and stairs from paint drips. Then use a paint scraper to remove all the loose and peeling paint. Next, go over…

ask This Old House

Tub-drain replacement Occasionally, our bathtub drain leaks into the basement. Can I fix it myself? —BRIAN GENGLER, HAMILTON, NJ TOH plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey: If your tub is leaking during a bath and not during a shower, there’s a good chance that the seal between the drain flange and the tub has failed—a common occurrence in older tubs. In theory, fixing the leak is simple: You remove the strainer cover or drain plug, unscrew the drain flange, and replace the seal. But if the flange threads have rusted and can’t be unscrewed, then more drastic measures are called for; you’ll need to call in a pro to cut out and replace the drain assembly, as I did above. Fortunately, you have a basement, which will make it easier to access the underside of…

Adding window boxes We would like to add flower boxes to our house. How do we do that so we don’t end up with leaks behind the siding?—NAOMI BENSON, PLYMOUTH, MN TOH carpenter Nathan Gilbert: Nothing dresses up the outside of a house quite as nicely as a flower box or two filled with a mix of seasonal plants. I think boxes look best when they match the span of the windows’ sills. Making one that size is simple: You just glue and screw together a five-sided box, as shown at right. For this one, I used 3/4-inch-thick boards made of cellular PVC—which won’t rot and doesn’t need painting—and dressed them up with strips of PVC molding (find various profiles at archiexpo.com). A two-part PVC adhesive (pvctrimwelder.com) bonds all the pieces together; a nozzle…

Queen Anne filled with original details

THE HISTORY Built in the 1870s, when the city was a burgeoning manufacturing hub, this Victorian-era house was home to respected local businessman and county sheriff John Carlos Barber and his wife, Sarah, as well as two more generations of the family. Sold off in 1953, it then changed hands several more times. By 2010, having suffered neglect, the house was listed as abandoned; it sat vacant until 2015, when the Calhoun County Land Bank Authority acquired it. PRICE $119,000 LOCATION Battle Creek, MI CONTACT Melissa Kennedy, Troxel Realty Company; kennedy@troxelrealty.com WHY SAVE IT? The 3,536-square-foot house is on a corner parcel in Battle Creek’s Old Maple Street Historic District, among other grand turn-of-the-century homes. Significant Queen Anne–style features survive, including the turreted tower, elaborate unpainted oak millwork, majolica-tile fireplace surrounds, parquet floors, and…

Queen Anne filled with original details

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