Charles Miller

A new kitchen combines exemplary woodworking and a practical plan

Fine-tuning a kitchen makeover with cardboard mock-ups dialed in a delightful design

A dazzling backsplash crowns a kitchen that got better by getting smaller

A stock crown profile and quarter-round form the mold for an inexpensive and unique fireplace surround

A second-story addition to a classic bungalow looks as though it has been there forever

Every kitchen or bath remodeling project starts out with a bunch of "What if?" questions. Sooner or later, the "What if we enlarged it?" question lands on the table.

The old ones had the wrong look, they were in the wrong place, and they were too good to toss

Make two little modifications that help hold workpieces better

A new house builds on the tradition forged by America’s greatest Arts and Crafts architects

Solving the typical problems bathroom remodel problems with stylish, practical solutions that include an in-law apartment bath and spa-like retreat

A dated ranch house gets a new kitchen built around a great place for the whole family to hang out

Knowing what to keep is as important as knowing what to throw overboard

A gracious home from the 1890s gets a new eat-in kitchen and a better connection to the yard and patio

Tearing out the old flat ceiling helps a closed-in kitchen live and breathe easier

Clever lighting strategies and creative cabinetry energize a contemporary kitchen and bath

A commercial griddle anchors a smokin’ hot prep-and-cook island counter

With a perfectly placed mirror, a small kitchen opens up to a bird’s-eye bay view

Three transformed baths show how radically a little room can be changed within the same footprint

Build a jig to draw a perfect ellipse with just two scraps of wood and a few nails

A custom drywall taping knife is cheap, easy to make, and produces excellent results

If you've ever wished you had a third hand to hold a board in place while framing, this tip is for you

Next time you need to fill small holes in synthetic trim, keep your clunky caulk gun in its holster

This zero-clearance circular-saw base ensures the edges of your plywood cuts stay clean

Teamed up with a straightedge, a sharpened putty knife cuts through foam like butter

For quick texture touch-ups, grab a plastic bottle, some joint compound, and an air gun

An ingenious alternative use for paper-face metal drywall tape

Give your brake a break with this improvised custom-flashing device

Instead of PVC glides or stick-on felt choose a combination of the two

A simple square of tape saves time and aggravation

Locate studs easily with a simple magnet and chain device

A tip for when the point is to have a sharp pencil on hand

A single-edge razor tucked into the roll keeps you from tearing your hair out

Know where to put your hands and use this heavy saw's weight to your advantage

Here's a fast way to keep those little levels safe, and found

This long, twisty work light won't leave you burned

An innovative solar-heating system is the foundation of an artist’s small country house, where an equally smart plan accommodates both life and work

Great moments in building history: Some people don't have to leave their houses to go river rafting

A trade-off seemed inevitable, but a clever solution made both possible

Straddling a Sonoma ridge, this contemporary house is an edgy mix of weathered boards, corrugated metal, and a plan that invites outdoor living

Straddling a Sonoma ridge, this contemporary house is an edgy mix of weathered boards, corrugated metal, and a plan that invites outdoor living

A sophisticated mix of simple shapes and familiar materials breathes new life into a venerable house style

Nine years later and still married, a cheapskate editor finally completes his kitchen with a mix of recycled materials

For a perfect combination, mix one part kitchen with spaces for both indoor and outdoor dining

On an exposed site, cedar logs buttress a small vacation house against West Coast elements

A leaf blower modified with off-the-shelf parts makes quick work of a tedious rite of autumn

Know the risks, and if you can't eliminate them, choose the right respirator

Sifting through the wreckage of Hurricane Andrew to learn why some houses survived and some didn't

A dean of American woodworkers has been tinkering with his house for 40 years

How a traditional stonemason quarries and dresses sandstone

Learn about a simple way to keep your truck bed clean without buying an expensive tarp.

Put away your shovel and save your back. Make your truck do all the work, with this simple homemade bed liner.

This simple setup uses a couple of sawhorses, some long screws, and a few pieces of plywood to make a spinner for supporting a door while it is painted

Easy-to-make jig for cutting blocking when framing

Don't bother bringing your router table to the job-site. All you need is this home-made jig and a couple of clamps to mill perfect molding on the fly.

A few 2x4s, 2 sheets of plywood, and some small casters are all you need to maximize the usable space in your pickup bed.

Don’t cry over spilt screws. Save time and your fingertips with this clever pick-up trick

With this device, I am able to check my coping without climbing a ladder, and if it is not a good fit, I am able to see exactly where and how much material needs to be removed.

Learn an old carpenter's trick for getting a sheet of sandpaper to last. All it takes is two folds and a quick slice with a knife.

An improvised spinner and a bucket of water work wonders when cleaning these handy little rollers.

Sometimes the right tool for the job isn't a tool at all. In this tip, watch Chuck Miller make a pilot hole by working backwards.

You may be surprised at the tool Chuck Miller uses to make sure his concrete pour goes as smoothly as possible.

Plumber Bruce Norman shares his secret to keeping PVC waste pipes right where he wants them.

How do you keep construction documents from getting buried under piles of tools and materials in your truck? Chuck Miller shows a couple of super-easy ways to fit a simple storage space for plans into any pickup.

Get your router bits to stay put and stay sharp.

Don't let your chalkline slip. Here's a tip for snapping diagonal lines on panels.

Does your extension ladder howl when you're driving down the road? Our latest 'Truck Tips' video has a quick fix for that. Plus, see an easy way to load ladders without breaking your back.

Washing a brush after every coat of paint can be a real drag. Follow this tip and your bristles will stay straight, and the brush should stay wet for days.

Don't let the back of your pickup get jammed up with soil or stone dust. Chuck Miller shares a tip for making a movable cover to keep your tailgate free of debris.

If you've lost the cap for the nipple on your pneumatic nailer, but want to keep the dust from building up and clogging the air line, try this simple tip.

See how a quick snip out of a cracked measuring tape stops the split from spreading.

Convert a spring clamp and two drywall screws into a strong miter clamp for assembling tight miter joints

Get suction on demand with this easy and inexpensive retrofit.

This video combines two tips into one - first, a quick way to make an access hole in drywall, and then an ingenious way to close it back up.

This smart solution for holding down lumber with a make-shift bench is sturdy and cheap

Got a flat? Instead of heading to the nearest gas station, try this easy technique that saves time and money.

Does throwing away an old, clogged caulk tube pain you? At five to ten bucks a pop it could. Here’s a way to revive old caulk tubs and even improve on the design.

Add a little water, grab a paint roller, and speed up this tedious job.

Don't throw away half-full cans of spay foam. Save them for later use with this tip.

Save valuable leftover paint without the danger that it will gluck up your walls

Don't let sagging plaster get you down. If you're in a pinch, you can secure it with an item from your plumber's tool kit

A simple and effective way of patching small holes in drywall or plaster is done without tape.

For quick texture touch-ups, grab a plastic bottle, some joint compound, and an air gun.

Don’t let narrow wall cavities filled with plaster prevent you from running new wires

A no-mess, no-fuss approach to spray painting screw heads for use with cabinetry, fixtures, and other carpentry projects

If you need a number of studs or deck boards cut to the same length, this accurate, time saving trick is your solution

Fool-proof horizontal holes

Two easy ways to make crown molding installation go smoothe

When making a large drywall patch, all you need is a scrap of plywood and some drywall screws.

Romex isn't just for electricity anymore! Make your own handy light snake with a few wraps of this easily-formable wire.