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July | August 2008

July | August 2008

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GREAT NEIGHBORHOODS

The Best Places to Buy an Old House

By KEITH PANDOLFI12 min

WORKSHOP

Ask This Old House

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GREAT NEIGHBORHOODS

The Best Places to Buy an Old House

Presenting eight great neighborhoods where the historic homes (and the life-affirming DIY challenges they bring) are rivaled only by the community spirit that surrounds them

By KEITH PANDOLFI12 min

122B123
WORKSHOP

Ask This Old House

Roger Cook replies: Your mason probably washed down the sides with muriatic acid, a standard way to remove mortar haze, but that would also remove anything organic for mold, moss, and mildew to grow on. I know one mason who corrects that condition with yogurt and milk, which he blends to the consistency of a smoothie, then sprays on new masonry.
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give your grill the works

Turn your burger-flipping station into an outdoor kitchen where you can prep, cook, and clean up all in one place. Here's how

By AMANDA LECKY8 min

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STEP-BY-STEP

Painting Kitchen Cabinets

YOUR CAVELIKE KITCHEN feels that way because the dark cabinets have sucked all the light out of the room. But a brighter makeover doesn’t necessarily mean replacing those gloomy boxes with all-new cabinets. As long as the frames and doors are structurally sound, you can clean them up and brush on some new paint—and within a weekend take kitchen from dreary to sunny.

By JENNIFER STIMPSON8 min

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Little Wonder

A homeowner shares the big ideas that transformed her small backyard into a lush oasis for outdoor living

By Valerie Easton8 min

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SECOND LIFE

The 1830s farmhouse with 1950s additions was a shoo-in for a teardown. Then a pair of old-house buffs decided to revive its antique core and build a gracious, vintage-look home around it

By JILL CONNORS7 min

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FAMILY PROJECT

Building a Lemonade Stand

How to make a sturdy display table, with instructions for parents and kids

By Chrystle Fiedler5 min

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LANDSCAPING

Meet the Survivors

Succulents thrive where most plants would shrivel. Here’s how their ability to go days without water makes them ideal garden staples for the sweltering days of summer

By JEANNE HUBER5 min

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HOUSE 911

Swamp Thing

An unattended swimming pool can quickly turn foul— but proper maintenance will restore its sparkle

By ARIANNE COHEN5 min

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GREEN HOUSE

So, You Pumped Your Walls Full of Soybeans?

A Chicago couple uses spray-foam insulation made from the versatile legume to keep their kitchen cool in the summer and warm in the winter

By KEITH PANDOLFI5 min

June2008 September2008