Just as foolproof as the more familiar spring-blooming varieties, these bulbs don’t need the winter chilling period to flower. Most require full sun—and can take the heat thanks to their underground energy stores—though some are equally happy under a leafy tree. As with all bulbs, well-drained soil is a must, so avoid planting them in muddy, low-lying areas. It’s safe to get them in the ground at around the same time as tomatoes, when the soil reaches about 60 degrees F; in cold climates they can be started earlier indoors, then transplanted....

To help you select a pump that’s right for your home, the This Old House Reviews team researched the best sump pumps on market today. Below we compare various models, talk about what to look for when shopping, and provide answers to common buyer questions. Here are our top picks. Top 6 Sump Pumps Most Compact: Superior Pump Store 1/4-Horsepower Utility Pump Pros and Cons ✔ Is factory-tested by the manufacturer for reliability and longevity✔ Includes a 3/4-inch garden hose adapter✔ The suction screen handles up to 1/8-inch solids ✘ Has a weaker gph water output than some competitors✘ Some users reported that the unit leaked oil...

Tools

While most homeowners wouldn’t trade their dog for the world, having a furry family member means dealing with some inconveniences. A daily one: getting up to open the door every time your pup wants to go out. A dog door minimizes that hassle. But people often hesitate to add one because they don’t want warmed or cooled air escaping, or they’ve heard stories about intruders getting in. TOH general contractor Tom Silva knows a little something about this....

What to Prune in Early Spring Summer-flowering deciduous shrubs These are shrubs that bloom on new growth, such as butterfly bush, rose of Sharon, and crape myrtle. When and why: These are still dormant in late winter/early spring, making it easy to see your cuts—and they’ll heal up quickly with the flush of new growth in spring, which is when the shrubs set the summer’s buds. Random-branching conifer trees and shrubs Examples of conifer trees and shrubs include arborvitae, juniper, yew, and holly....

Cut List for this Project Watch the video above, or get my cut list below and view the step-by-step instructions on how to make a floating shelf. Steps for Building a Floating Shelf For this DIY floating shelf project, I’m using stock boards from the home center, a miter saw to cut them to length, and a drill/driver to assemble the pieces with screws and wood glue. I’ll also be using a sander to smooth my edges, but you can also just use a sanding sponge....

From putting together your own built-in window seat to making an outdoor bench that hides tools, TOH brings you detailed step-by-step instructions, shopping lists, and tool lists to do it all yourself and get the extra storage space you need! Storage Bed The bedroom is often the room with the most need for maximum storage but the least amount of space for putting stuff away. Enter this bed—suggested by a reader who saw one featured in a recent issue of This Old House magazine; it has 23 cubic feet of storage but no room for dust bunnies....

Foundation Planting Ideas 1. Work with the architecture and overall style of your house. Is your home characterized by formal symmetry, with a centered door and equal numbers of windows lined up on either side—such as on Georgians, Federals, or some Colonial Revivals? If so, you may want to consider a design that has some formal elements, with sheared shrubs accenting the entry and mirror-image plantings on each side of it....

For the cut list, tools, and materials needed for this project, scroll down to the bottom of this page. Steps for Adding a Downdraft Sanding Table to a Workbench To see the other customizations I made to this bench, click the links below this video: Building a Mobile Workbench with Built-In Table Saw Adding Tool Organization to a Workbench Building DIY Drawers Creating a Dust Collection System Adding a Clamp Rack...

As thousands of Southern Californians contemplate how they’ll rebuild their homes charred by the wildfires ripping through the region, they’ll undoubtedly look for materials that won’t burn. What are Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs)? The answer for many of individuals in areas at risk of wildfires will be ICFs (insulated concrete forms)—polystyrene blocks that fit together like Legos to form a house’s shell. Filled with concrete—one of the most fire-and-heat-resistant construction materials—ICFs create solid insulated walls that block out sound and weather....

At 4x8 feet, this larger work surface will make a great out-feed table. The design requires a whopping five sheets of plywood to create the top, bottom, sides, and inside dividers. For the cut list, tools, and materials needed for this project, scroll down to the bottom of this page. Steps for Building a Workbench To see how I built the workbench and added tool organization, easy DIY drawers, dust collection, a downdraft sanding station, and clamp rack, click the links below:...

DIY Poker Tables Parts Materials Newel post: EverTrue 56-inch stain-grade oak newel post; Corbels: 9 13/16-inch raw maple corbel; Stain: Jacobean; minwax.com Felt: Padded green felt; pokertablematerials.com Cut List Lid ½-inch plywood lid: 1 @ 48 by 48 inches. You’ll cut off the corners to create an octagon. Nose and cove molding: You’ll miter the ends of 8 pieces at a 22½-degree angle. Game Table ½-inch plywood table: 1 @ 48 by 48 inches....