This Old House

Nathan Gilbert Carpenter Mark McCullough Mason Kevin O’Connor Host Tom Silva General Contractor Richard Trethewey Plumbing and Heating Expert Norm Abram Master Carpenter Mauro Henrique Painter Jenn Nawada Landscape Contractor Charlie Silva Home Build

Our home will have walls, a roof and a floor, A kitchen, some windows and maybe a door, With dozens of guest rooms, a garden, a shed, A mailbox with numerals all painted in red, If bathrooms you need, we ought to have plenty, We’ll plumb the whole bu

It might be a 19th-century pile in the suburbs, bursting with kids and dogs. Or it might be a simple cottage near the beach just big enough for one or two. But chances are, if you’re reading this magazine, your vision of home revolves around a house,

Inexpensive fiberglass mesh may be the typical replacement for damaged window, door, or porch panel screens, but it’s not the only option. Different materials, strand thicknesses, and mesh sizes enable some screens to perform better against pet claws

Equally at home in arid xeriscapes and lush cottage gardens, corten steel—a.k.a. weathering steel—is having its day in the sun. Exposed to the elements, the alloy forms an oxidized coating that protects it from further corrosion, making it a top choi

For many backyard gardeners, midsummer means the lettuce has bolted and the peas are a stringy mess. But take heart: Lots of vegetables thrive in late summer and continue into fall, and most can be direct-sown in the soil now. First, do the math: Use

It’s hard to beat ceramic subway tile for early-20thcentury charm—but that doesn’t mean you can’t toy with tradition. The latest versions play with texture, color, patterns, and specialty glazes to lend a fresh look to these 3-by-6-inch standards. 1

Frustrated by stubborn green-to-black stains marring your pickets, deck rails, or siding? Steer clear of chlorine-bleach-based cleaners, which can kill plants, dissolve wood, and leave below-the-surface growth untouched. An easier, more effective way

This 9-inch-wide molding is milled from TruExterior poly-ash, a material impervious to water and barely affected by temperature swings. It’s also approved for use in areas prone to wildfires. Cuts smoothly with ordinary carbide saw blades, and you ca

The corner boards on my house are starting to rot. Can I replace just the rotten parts? —JOHN O’LEARY, TOPSFIELD, MA TOH MASTER CARPENTER NORM ABRAM: The ends of corner boards are usually the first to go because wood grain wicks up water like a spong

After hanging the door, he makes sure the roller stops on the rail are in the right spots. Install a sliding barn door Our master bath has no door. We’d like to install a pocket door or a sliding barn door, but I’m new to home fixes and not sure I ca

(Rosa ‘Sally Holmes’) Only slightly fragrant, this top-rated climbing rose earns its keep in Diana’s garden by growing vigorously and flowering profusely in shades of peachy pink all summer long. Zones 6 to 11 (Asclepias fascicularis) A West Coast na

THE HOMEOWNERS: Wesley and Sarah Madeira Day, who became parents to Elle 11 months after buying the house. THE HOUSE: An existing 1,706-square-foot Cape Cod with three exposed fireplaces—plus a nonfunctioning chimney, head-grazing ceilings, no insula

STANDING SEAM Its crisp lines, formed where panel edges interlock, complement a wide variety of houses, from traditional to modern. Hidden clips hold panels in place and let the metal move. Similar to shown: Universal Standing Seam in Silverstone, fr

WHAT DO THEY COST? Installed, metal roofs run $7 to $20 per square foot, depending on the type of metal used. That’s two to six times the cost of an asphalt roof. HOW LONG DO THEY LAST? On average, they have a 40- to 70-year life span, depending on t

TEAR OFF THE OLD While heavily embossed metal panels can be laid over old asphalt shingles, a full tear-off of the old roof is recommended. That way, the sheathing and flashing can be inspected (and, if necessary, replaced) before the new roof goes d

1 > STEEL $ This is the strongest, most popular, and, typically, least expensive option. To prevent rust, it’s usually dipped in molten zinc (making galvanized steel) or an aluminum-zinc alloy called Galvalume. Dipped steel can be left in a silvery s

> You may be surprised to learn that during peak hot-weather months, a metal roof stays 50 to 60 degrees cooler than one made from any other material. Light-colored metal roofs naturally reflect more of the sun’s energy than darker ones, but thanks t

> Metal roofing’s thickness ranges from 22 to 29 gauge; the lower the number, the beefier it is (16- and 20-ounce copper are equivalent to 24 and 22 gauge, respectively). Thinner metal can still meet UL hail- and fire-resistance standards, but thicke

1 > PORTICO ROOF Dark bronze standing-seam metal stands out against crisp white trim on a traditional Colonial Revival–style house. Since a portico bears the brunt of rain and snow falling from the main roof, metal roofing is a natural choice for thi

COVER: See the listing for “Fit for Generations to Come.” TOOLKIT (pp. 9–12) Get outdoor surfaces gleaming > Thanks to Jake Jacobs, manager, product development and innovation, U.S., Troy Corporation; troycorp.com. BEFORE + AFTER: FAMILY ROOM Refresh

1. Super mulcher POWER+ 21-INCH SELECT-CUT MOWER With two overlapping blades spinning at 2,800 rpm (max), this 56-volt, self-propelled cordless mower turns grass clippings into ultra-fine mulch. A 7.5-amp-hour battery provides up to 60 minutes of run

PRICE $59,900 LOCATION Water Valley, MS CONTACT Sherry Fischer, Re/Max, 662-607-1030 THE HISTORY Likely built in the 1890s as a Folk Victorian, the house sits on what was once known as Silk Stocking Row, where Water Valley’s prominent families lived