Bathroom Dimensions and Clearances: The Numbers That Decide a Layout
This guide lists every dimension the 2021 IRC, 2020 NEC and ICC A117.1 set for a bathroom and explains how each one decides the next.
Interior Painting: Preparation Is Most of the Work
Interior paint reveals every flaw it covers, so this guide walks through the prep stages that actually decide how the finish looks.
How Far Apart to Plant Arborvitae for a Hedge
Spacing comes from the plant’s tag, not the species page. Take the mature width printed on the cultivar you’re buying, then plant at half of that number…
How Far Apart to Plant American hornbeam for a Hedge
Plant American hornbeam at half to two-thirds of the mature width listed on the tag of the specific plant you’re buying, not the wild species width.
Yew Turning Brown: Almost Always the Roots
Yew turning brown almost always traces back to the roots, not the foliage. Root rot in soil that stays wet is the single most common cause of death in…
Why Your Arborvitae Is Turning Brown, and Whether It Comes Back
An arborvitae turning brown almost always fits one of four patterns, and the pattern tells you which one you’re facing: needles fading near the trunk in…
When to Prune Yew, and How Far Back You Can Cut
Yew takes pruning in late spring, once the season’s new growth has firmed up and lost its soft, pale color.
When to Prune Arborvitae, and How Far Back You Can Cut
Late winter, just before new growth pushes, is the safe window for arborvitae. Midsummer works too, once the spring flush has hardened off.
Choosing, Planting and Keeping a Hedge
A hedge succeeds or fails long before the first cut, in three decisions: what job it needs to do, whether the species can regrow from old wood, and how…
Hail Damage: What It Looks Like and What to Do
Hail damage rarely looks dramatic. On asphalt shingles it shows up as small dark circles, dents, or bare patches where granules have been knocked loose.