Blog Posts by This Old House Magazine

Enter daily until August 31
If you haven't already heard, we've launched our BIGGEST prize pool ever in the history of the Great TOH Giveaway. In 2010 we gave away $31,149 worth of amazing home-improvement must-haves and luxury remodeling goods, then in 2011 we got the grand total up to $178,000. As we've touted on the August 2012 cover of the magazine, our giveaway sponsors have outdone themselves, providing nearly half a million dollars worth of prizes to help YOU turn the the house you have into the home of your dreams! Here are some of the amazing prizes that you can enter daily ('til August 31) for a chance to win, PLUS the related how-to content you'll need if you take home the prize(s)! See contest rules.

DaVinci Roofscapes' Bellaforte Shake Polymer Roofing Tiles
DaVinci Roofscapes
Two (2) winners will each receive $25,000 worth of handsome new roofing. (Yeah, you read that correctly. $25,000).

RELATED: TOH Roofing Feature Package

Simonton Vinyl Replacement Windows and Patio Doors
Simonton Windows

Three (3)

Turn the house you have into the home of your dreams by handling one small area at a time! We already talked about adding architectural interest to staircases inside your home. Since the weather's still nice (and in preparation for holiday guests to come later in the year), let's head outside. TOH continues the "Quick and Easy Upgrades" series with our best, low-cost entry ideas. -Tabitha Sukhai, thisoldhouse.com

Upgrade Front-Door Hardware
Upgrade front-door hardware

If a complete entry overhaul (new door, porch upgrade, and so on) is out of your reach, shop for bargains at the home center to make your front door pop. Check out Personalize Your Front Door With Paint for some color inspiration to take you beyond the basic black. Then, swap a plain doorknob for a handsome, one-piece handle, tubular lock set, and handsome escutcheon. Consider a shapely new knocker and gleaming kick plate, too. See our full Step-by-Step project, How to Upgrade Front-Door Hardware for instructions to get it all done in about an

Add Shapely Stair Brackets
Turn the house you have into the home of your dreams one easy upgrade at a time! With a little DIY, you can do a few micro-makeovers to boost architectural interest and character throughout your home. Let's get started with the stairs. (And you can look forward to posts on bath vanities, kitchen sinks, counters, and backsplashes, entryways, and much more-every Monday from This Old House!) -Tabitha Sukhai, thisoldhouse.com

RELATED: Install a Basic Stair Runner (Carpet)

How to Add Shapely Stair Brackets
Securing brackets to stairs
The newel post and balusters get all the attention, while the exposed side of most staircases is largely ignored. But with the addition of decorative stair brackets, a bland stringer can become an elegant eye-catcher. Get the look with just a few hours of DIY. See the full step-by-step instructions here.

Install Runner Rods
Install Stair Rods
Before pneumatic carpet nailers, handsome metal rods secured stair runners. See where you can get rods like the ones shown here and see 11 other DIY Projects to

Christine Schneider/Getty Image

A top-notch education starts at home, and a dedicated homework area could help your kids complete their assignments efficiently and successfully-with the least amount of kicking and screaming. Whatever your space or budget limitations may be, any devoted space for study is better than sprawling out on the floor in front of the television. Not convinced? Build it-whether it's a nook in the kitchen or a room all its own-and the good grades will come. Here are a few pointers to keep in mind as you get started. -Tabitha Sukhai, thisoldhouse.com

SEE ALL: The TOH Guide to Creating the Perfect Study Station

Focus on Location, Location, Location

Location, location, location
Consider your kid's age and learning style when deciding where to site a study space. The U.S. Department of Education recommends a quiet, well-lighted place that's fully stocked with the necessary materials and supplies for your child's grade level. Younger kids who need homework help and supervision, for example, might

No, we are not barking up the wrong tree with this story (and, yes, that's just the first of a whole bunch of really bad wordplay you'll find in the next handful of pages). Frankly, we think doghouses are right at home in This Old House. From our point of view, the five canine cribs that follow make perfect sense given the love affair that most Americans-and certainly our readers-have with their pets. But we also think these doggie domiciles are a pretty good way of putting the fine-craftsmanship cornerstone of TOH on display. -Jason Carpenter & Thomas Baker, This Old House magazine
Georgian-style doghouse
This scaled-down brick Georgian is a masterpiece of fool-the-eye invention, starting with the bricks. The faux masonry is actually individual pieces of 1/4-inch Lauan plywood, covered with a textured terra-cotta paint. See more on this doghouse here.

Arts and crafts bungalow doghouse
If a cobbler's children have no shoes, then you might expect a doghouse builder's dog to have nothing more than a corner of the workshop floor to

Welcome to August! Before you know it you'll be sending your little ones back to school. In the meantime, make the most of summer with a few of TOH's Family Projects and teach your kids valuable basic DIY skills-while spending some quality time. As always, supervision and safety are paramount. But This Old House will provide all the know-how you need for a successful project. -Tabitha Sukhai for thisoldhouse.com

1. Build a Backyard Fort
Build a fort
Every kid ought to have a backyard fort! It's the perfect place to let their imaginations run wild. They can create a magical world of knights and dragons or pirates and buried treasure-or just a kid-run kingdom. The design of this fort encourages tons of fun, with a super-cool kid-sized hatch-complete with a peephole to check out visitors-and a flag that kids can design and make themselves. It'll take 3 hours to build, then you can all enjoy the play structure for years to come. Here are the Step-by-Step with Templates and How-To Video

Get the scoop on those winged stingers around your home-and learn how to get them to buzz off! -Keith Pandolfi, This Old House magazine

Honeybee Honeybees: What They Do

Docile honeybees are essential pollinators in gardens. They nest in protected areas, like tree cavities, or within attics or walls. If aggravated, they'll sting just once; their barbed stingers rip off, killing them. (Their fatter, fuzzier bumblebee cousins can repeatedly inflict a painful sting.)

Known for their ability to bore perfectly round holes into wood, they're often found Carpenter Beein eaves and beneath decks. As females build the nest, males flit about looking menacing, but, surprisingly, they can't sting. And while females can, they rarely do.

These territorial, aggressive predators feed on caterpillars,

How to Stop That Running Toilet
Expert advice for solving seven annoying lavatory problems and other easy repairs to your loo!

See more of our vital guide to toilets here!
Installing a Toilet
1. Replace your old toilet in just one day with step-by-step help from TOH plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey

2. Say goodbye to that sweaty toilet-a problem in hot, humid summer-by installing a toilet-tank insulator or an antisweat valve

3. Avoid water damage caused by a leaking toilet by installing a new wax ring to create a watertight seal

4. Unclog a toilet like a pro in only 5-10 minutes

5. Quickly replace the tank's worn rubber flapper valve, one of the most annoying plumbing problems, with a pro's foolproof instructions

rocking toilet fix
6. Steady that rocker! Richard Trethewey outlines the right way to take the wobble out of your throne


7. Learn to speak toilet by identifying parts and diagnosing problems so you can fix a leaky or runny commode with ease

See more expert advice on how to fix your toilet at