DIY Smarts
Every month, Ask This Old House and The Home Depot will present a practical home improvement project—from maintenance and repairs, to enhancements and how-to’s—complete with video demonstrations, straightforward instructions, and a handy shopping list to get you started.
How to Maximize the Impact of Insulation
Ask This Old House general contractor Tom Silva shares some tips for insulating an attic.
How to Replace a Cracked Floor Tile
Ask This Old House general contractor Tom Silva demonstrates some DIY Smarts with the correct way to replace a cracked kitchen floor tile.
Low-Cost Closet Solutions
Ask This Old House general contractor Tom Silva shares some DIY Smarts low-cost options to customize a closet.
How to Choose a New Toilet Seat
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey discusses DIY Smarts on the basics of choosing and installing toilet seats.
How to Paint a Room in 13 Steps
What does it take and how much does it cost to paint a room? Watch our video and read our easy instructions on how to prep and paint like a pro.
Common Water Heater Myths Answered
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey shares some tips on maintaining water heaters.
How to Upgrade to Soft Close Cabinets
In this video, Ask This Old House carpenter Nathan Gilbert upgrades a kitchen to have soft close cabinets.
Why is This Lawn Patchy?
Ask This Old House landscape contractors Roger Cook and Jenn Nawada share DIY Smarts tips for killing weeds without hurting the lawn.
How to Plant Hardier Foundation Plantings
In this DIY Smarts, Ask This Old House landscape designer Jenn Nawada helps a homeowner replace and improve foundation plantings that have been crushed by snow piles.
How to Install a Tile Backsplash
We show you the right materials and techniques to use to put up a tile backsplash in one afternoon.
How to Re-Stain a Deck
In this edition of DIY Smarts, Ask This Old House painter Mauro Henrique teaches a homeowner how to re-stain her mahogany deck.
How to Upgrade to a Smart Irrigation System
Ask This Old House landscape contractor Jenn Nawada shares DIY Smarts tips when she travels to Orlando to upgrade an irrigation system.
How to Paint a Mold-Resistant Bathroom
Ask This Old House painter Mauro Henrique paints a bathroom using a mold-resistant paint, in this edition of DIY Smarts.
Tool Recommendations for New Homeowners
Ask This Old House host Kevin O’Connor, general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and landscape designer Jenn Nawada discuss DIY Smarts around tools that make good gifts for new homeowners.
How to Install Your Own DIY Security System
In this DIY Smarts, Ask This Old House home technology expert Ross Trethewey installs a DIY security system.
How to Start an Organic Garden
Ask This Old House landscape designer Jenn Nawada shares some share DIY Smarts tips on starting an organic garden.
How to Update a Kitchen on a Budget
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey goes over low-budget kitchen upgrades in this edition of DIY Smarts.
How to Revitalize a Lawn
Ask This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook shares some DIY Smarts as he tends to a lawn that was seeded in the summer and is not doing well.
Repairing a Paver Walkway | Generation NEXT
Ask This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook teaches his apprentice how to identify and repair a walkway that has been damaged by chipmunks This episode of DIY Smarts is brought to you by The Home Depot
How to Select a Bathroom Vanity
From ornate to out-of-the-box, Richard Trethewey explains some DIY Smarts on what to consider when shopping for a new bathroom vanity.
How to Replace a Garage Door Opener
Ask This Old House master electrician Scott Caron replaces an old garage door opener with a smart opener in this edition of DIY Smarts.
How to Monitor a Home with a Smart Phone
In this edition of DIY Smarts, Ask This Old House host Kevin O’Connor shows general contractor Tom Silva a new home monitoring device that works with a smart phone.
How to Change a Toilet
Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey gives some DIY Smarts and shows the basics of changing a toilet.
How to Install Smart Smoke and CO Detectors
Ask This Old House master electrician Scott Caron installs smart smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in this edition of DIY Smarts.