Porch Rail Revival
The classical design of this railing with its turned balusters makes it appropriate for various Victorian-era house styles. The cross bracing on this railing is characteristic of woodwork on Stick-style houses. Flat-sawn Queen Anne—style ... [... more]
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Look Out Below
One issue that came up in preparing for the new landscape design at the TV project was how to remove three large maple trees from the small backyard. The solution: bring in a crane. A 121-foot articulating crane carries the severed top of this ... [... more]
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How to Install a Stair Runner: Overview
Add a touch of elegance, texture and color to your home's interior staircase by installing a carpeted runner. The narrow strip of carpeting is set on a pad and then attached to tackless strips nailed to each tread. The thin, dense pad helps to ... [... more]
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Fixing a Squeaky Floor
Squeaky floors may alert you to kids sneaking in past curfew, but they've got little else going for them. Annoying floor squeaks, common in many homes, typically occur after the house has settled and flooring lumber has dried out and shrunk. As ... [... more]
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Stair Designs
Simple Profiles Subtle Decoration Elaborate Details Ornamental Metalwork Natural Simplicity Minimalist Without the backdrop of her double-wide, red-carpeted, carved mahogany staircase, Scarlett O'Hara's entrances and exits would not have seemed ... [... more]
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Stairs That Disappear
Two hinged ladder sections unfold when the stair is opened, allowing it to reach the floor. When closed, all the sections tuck up neatly inside the rough opening. Treads range from 3/4 to 1 1/2 inches thick; thinner ones typically have steel ... [... more]
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How to Install Pull-Down Attic Stairs: Overview
You'll definitely break a sweat, and will need to follow the manufacturer's directions very closely, but the installation is pretty straightforward If your home is short on storage space—and whose isn't?— don't despair. A practical solution might ... [... more]
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How to Give It a Shellacking: Overview
For 90 years, the Clear finish on the maple banister had survived the touch of countless hands without ill effect—until a recurrent drip from a leaky roof bleached and discolored the surface, leaving one ruined spot on the otherwise pristine ... [... more]
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Perfect Stairs, at Your Doorstep
A wide range of baluster styles completes the look of a custom staircase. It can take a stairbuilder several weeks to complete a custom staircase, which is not terribly convenient for homeowners without alternate access to the second story. ... [... more]
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A Silent Stair
Tom is here to teach you how to get some peace and quiet on the landing. To silence a squeaky stair, tighten the tread to its stringer by driving in two finish nails at opposite 45-degree angles, creating a clamp. There are lots of reasons why ... [... more]
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New Turns for Old Newels
Some of the simplest wood newel posts have smooth square tops, while more decorative ones are capped with turned or carved finials. The clean lines of these newels make them a good choice for reuse in a vintage Craftsman-style house or in a new ... [... more]
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Posts With a Past
Cast-iron newel posts—those shapely pillars usually found at the foot of exterior stairs—have punctuated stoops from New York City to New Orleans since the mid-1800s. And like an urban row house's handshake, they introduce visitors to a ... [... more]
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