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Precision Tile Work Matt Daniels of s Tile Designs carefully cuts out a square for a shampoo niche in one of the four 4-by-8-foot porcelain panels that will line the master bath shower. The large-format panels reflect a modern trend in easy-care, seamless shower walls – but their installation requires patience, precision, and a delicate touch. Tile: AKDO Kitchen Design Decisions Interior designer Denise Enright and Robin Decoteau, a designer with builder Cape Associates, discuss cabinet designs and finishes at the Cape Associates showroom....

In this episode: In Future House, home technology expert Ross Trethewey explores some of the ways home landscaping can be done automatically. Ross looks at automated products that can help out homeowners with their landscaping. Ross then looks at smart irrigation. Ross meets Joe Jones, who has designed a robot that’s capable of weeding a garden for you. Afterward, Ross talks to Jenn Nawada about the future of landscaping technology. Mason Mark McCullough shows Kevin O’Connor how to choose the best ice melt for your driveway and walkways....

In this episode: Landscape contractor Jenn Nawada tells us how she got started in her trade. Knowing that she wanted to make the natural world her office, she went back to school and achieved a master’s degree in landscape design. After getting her bachelor’s degree in environmental studies, she began teaching outdoor education at a farm in Vermont. After starting at the bottom at a nursery, Jenn worked her way up to working on construction sites with design teams....

In this episode: General contractor Tom Silva shows host Kevin O’Connor a quick, cheap, and accurate way to space balusters during a railing project. This simple trick involves a trip to the fabric store for an elastic band, a tape measure, and some careful alignment to perfectly place balusters without complicated math and fractions. Next, master electrician, Heath Eastman shows us the trade tricks for drilling holes through studs. Heath shows us the frequently used tools, including his drills, attachments, and drill bits that make drilling accurate and code-compliant holes a breeze....

In this episode: The professional tradespeople who make up the beloved Ask This Old House crew get real about their relationships. When asked to describe each other in just one word, terms like “genuine,” “meticulous,” and “G.O.A.T.” abound. The team’s respect and admiration for one another are on full display, and we get a close look at what it’s like to work alongside some of the best tradespeople to ever work in television....

In this episode: After nearly two years since the fire, the triple decker is just about ready for the homeowners to return. Host Kevin O’Connor checks out what’s left to do. Although the front porch sustained no damage from the fire, homeowner Carol has asked for some improvements. Kevin finds mason Mark McCullough with Todd Jones working on the front steps, which is getting coats of epoxy applied. Inside, Master Electrician Heath Eastman has a punch list of electrical projects and shows Kevin a new surge protector that’s new to the code....

In this episode: Work at our 1880 Cape continues as the temperature drops. Now that electrical, plumbing, and HVAC are completed behind the walls. The insulation is underway. Outside in 30-degree weather, Kevin O’Connor joins Tom and Charlie Silva on the soon-to-be top deck, where they installed rubber membrane and sleepers in preparation for the new deck. The three install a moisture-resistant composite decking material with the ease of a hidden fastener clip system and back-friendly tools....

In this episode: The 1880s Cape is ready for a modern addition in the back. Kevin O’Connor finds mason Mark McCullough at the intersection of the old and new house under the corner chimney. Mark constructs a block wall at the base of the newly poured footing to accept the addition framing and cuts a vertical slot in the chimney for copper flashing to prevent water from penetrating. A couple of weeks ago, the old part of the house was slightly tilted, and the new part is level....

The first step to successful pruning is timing it right. Shrubs that flower on new wood, or branches that form in spring and flower in summer—rose-of-Sharon and summersweet are two—should be pruned in late February or early March. This results in fewer but larger flowers the first year. “Pruning distributes the plant’s stored energy among fewer flower buds so that the ones left behind get more to eat,” explains horticulturalist Lee Reich....

Shown here: The green walls of the adjacent dining room inspired the kitchen’s new backsplash. Sad-Looking Space A bland color scheme and an awkward layout made this kitchen boring and inconvenient. So after a year—and with some DIY know-how passed down from his contractor dad—Eduardo spent two weeks removing the oak cabinets, refinishing and reinstalling them, then putting in new counters. The sink and the dishwasher swapped places, improving the room’s flow, and he added sleek new hardware and fixtures to update the space....

Top 4 Space Heaters Best Oscillation: Lasko 755320 Ceramic Space Heater Best Value: Lasko 754201 Ceramic Portable Space Heater Best For Small Spaces: GiveBest Portable Electric Space Heater Best Energy Efficiency: De’Longhi EW7707CM Oil-Filled Radiator Space Heater Best Oscillation: Lasko 755320 Ceramic Space Heater This Lasko space heater has a tall and skinny design that tips up, down, left, and right to distribute heat further. For your convenience, the heater and its oscillation function can be controlled from a remote....

Top 5 Coffee Makers Best Single-Cup: Keurig K-Classic Coffee Maker Best for Pot Brewing: Cuisinart Perfectemp 14-Cup Coffee Maker Best Programmable Brewer: Cuisinart SS-15P1 Coffee Center Most Versatile: Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker Best Design: Technivorm Moccamaster 10-Cup Coffee Maker Best Single-Cup: Keurig K-Classic Coffee Maker This Keurig single-serve coffee maker has easy-to-use buttons that help you brew a six-, eight-, or 10-ounce cup of coffee. Along with its button controls, this maker includes an auto-off feature that helps you save energy by turning off after being idle for two continuous hours....

Best Adhesion: Scotch Packaging Tape Best Basic Pack: P PERFECTAPE Packing Tape Best Pack Options: Duck Packaging Tape Best For Extreme Weather: Gorilla Packing Tape Best Bulk Pack: Tape King Packing Tape Best Adhesion: Scotch Packaging Tape Pros and Cons ✔ Meets USPS shipment regulations✔ Each package contains six rolls✔ Adheres to various surfaces, including recycled materials ✘ Package size options are limited✘ Materials are not domestically sourced What Customers Are Saying Customers liked that this tape was easy to remove, even with its strong adhesion....

Top 5 Pens Best Value: PILOT G2 Premium Rolling Ball Gel Pens Largest Pack: Sharpie S-Gel Gel Pens Best High-End Pen: Scriveiner Rollerball Pen Best For Lefties: uni-ball Jetstream Retractable Ballpoint Pens Best Fountain Pen: Asvine Forest Fountain Pen Best Value: PILOT G2 Premium Rolling Ball Gel Pens These rolling ball pens have gel ink and rubber gripping, making them comfortable and long-lasting. While this pack includes five affordable blue pens, you can purchase other packs with varying colors and sizes to best fit your needs....

Here are our top recommendations. Most Coverage: Litever Under-Cabinet Lighting Kit Best Strip Lights: WOBANE Under-Cabinet Lighting Kit Best Battery-Powered: Brilliant Evolution Under-Cabinet Lights Best Motion Sensor: RXWLKJ Portable Under-Cabinet Light Best Remote Control: Cadrim Under-Cabinet Puck Lights Most Coverage: Litever Under-Cabinet Lighting Kit Pros and Cons ✔ Includes a dimmer to adjust the brightness between 0% and 100%✔ Offers two installation options: plug-in or hardwired ✔ Comes with extension cords to reach far-away outlets ✘ Hardwiring requires a certified electrician✘ Not compatible with pre-existing dimmer switches...