Mike McClintock

Masonry walls are only as solid as their weak links, the mortar joints. Stacks of concrete block, brick and stone that depend on them always outlast them. Hairline cracks are...

The problem with old mantels, tables and chairs is that the oak, maple or other elegant wood is often buried under layers of paint. Stripping, scraping, sanding and then refinishing...

Plugging may sound like a temporary quick fix. But in carpentry it's a classy way to hide recessed fasteners. Drill a hole part way into a board, drive a fastener...

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) starts its advisory on preventing poisonings in the home with this phrase: "Young children will eat and drink almost anything." That's a good yardstick...

Adhesive holds tiles in place on floors, walls and countertops. But without grout to fill and seal the seams, they won't stay there for long. It's the crucial finishing step...

Leaving out tiny jeweler's hammers at one end and machine powered mauls at the other, there are only a hundred or so different models in between. Lightweight tack hammers are...

Some old houses have attics the size of a small barn, complete with dormers for light and air. You want a few extra bedrooms or maybe a bowling alley, no...

To deal with damaging ice dams on the roof, you can use electrical cables strung along the eaves to melt the ice or install a waterproof barrier beneath the shingles....

Almost 2 million U.S. households use wood as their primary fuel source for home heating. Every state makes the list, including Florida, where homeowners are more likely to buy bundles...

Kitchen sinks are a lot slicker than they used to be, sold now with connections for garbage disposals, detergent pumps, telescoping faucets and even coatings to deaden the sounds of...