Repair and home improvement guides

Find a project, check its scope and safety notes, and follow the reviewed steps in Zapappy Fix-it.

Build a non-load-bearing interior wall

Frame a straight partition, hang drywall and finish it into a smooth, painted wall.

Replace sliding glass patio-door rollers

Restore smooth travel by matching worn roller assemblies and resetting the panel safely.

Install a storm door

Fit a new storm door, align its rails and adjust the latch and closer.

Replace a worn exterior-door threshold

Fit a matching removable threshold over a sound sill and restore the bottom seal.

Replace a damaged vinyl siding panel

Unlock the surrounding course, fit a matching panel and leave room for expansion.

Patch a chipped concrete step

Rebuild a small missing edge on a stable step with a compatible repair mortar.

Replace failed concrete-joint sealant

Renew a level slab joint with flexible sealant and correctly fitted backing.

Repair a broken sprinkler supply pipe

Replace a damaged section of a PVC irrigation lateral with a pressure-rated repair coupling.

Replace a damaged gutter downspout

Fit matching sections and elbows so roof runoff reaches its intended discharge point.

Repair a small open carpet seam

Rebond a short separated seam without gluing the carpet to its cushion.

Repair localized rot in exterior wood trim

Remove a small decayed area, rebuild the profile with a compatible epoxy system and seal the finish.

Refinish painted kitchen cabinets

Give sound painted cabinets a durable new finish with careful cleaning, priming and thin coats.

Install board-and-batten wall paneling

Create a crisp painted accent wall with evenly spaced battens and neatly fitted rails.

Install a modular closet organizer

Fit a wall-hung track system with adjustable shelves and hanging space that clears the doors.

Install pull-out cabinet trays

Add a bottom-mounted sliding tray that clears the cabinet opening and brings stored items within reach.

Install a rain barrel with a downspout diverter

Collect roof runoff in a closed barrel while excess water returns through a matched diverter.

Build a compost bin with removable front slats

Make an open-bottom garden bin with ventilated sides and a lift-out front for turning the pile.

Build a potting bench

Build a compact outdoor workbench with a slatted top, lower shelf and braced frame.

Build a freestanding firewood rack

Keep a small supply of split logs raised off the ground in a compact framed rack.

Build a garden trellis

Make a folding A-frame trellis for peas, beans and other lightweight annual climbers.

Build a French-cleat workshop storage wall

Mount interlocking wood rails on studs and add movable holders for everyday hand tools.

Rescreen a full window screen

Replace torn mesh while keeping a straight, sound screen frame.

Replace sliding patio-screen door rollers

Restore smooth travel with matching rollers and careful height adjustment.

Replace worn drawer slides

Fit a matched pair of side-mounted slides and align the drawer for smooth travel.

Repair stripped cabinet-hinge screw holes

Restore screw purchase in sound solid wood without changing the hinge position.

Install a prehung interior door

Set a complete door and jamb square, shim it securely and tune the reveal.

Install click-lock vinyl plank flooring

Lay a small room of floating vinyl planks with a sound base and room to move.

Replace a damaged click-lock floor plank

Work back from an accessible edge to replace one board without cutting its neighbors.

Repair lifted drywall tape

Remove a loose section, re-bed paper tape and blend the finish.

Remove old wallpaper

Lift the facing, soften the backing and leave a clean wall ready for repair.

Replace interior door casing

Fit new mitered trim around an existing sound doorway.

Replace damaged deck boards

Swap isolated worn boards while preserving a sound deck frame.

Replace damaged fence pickets

Replace individual wood pickets without rebuilding a sound fence.

Reset sunken walkway pavers

Rebuild a small settled area so the path is supported and drains correctly.

Seal a leaking gutter seam

Clean and reseal a sound gutter joint without blocking its drainage.

Seal a small concrete crack

Keep water out of a narrow, stable crack in a nonstructural outdoor slab.

Replace a toilet

Swap a standard two-piece toilet, make a fresh floor seal and check for leaks.

Replace a bathroom faucet

Fit a compatible deck-mounted faucet and renew the supply connections without changing the sink.

Replace a leaking toilet tank gasket

Renew the tank-to-bowl seal and bolt washers on a standard two-piece toilet.

Clear a clogged bathtub drain

Remove accessible hair, then use a hand auger only if the tub still drains slowly.

Replace a bathtub overflow gasket

Renew the seal behind a conventional overflow plate and check it under controlled water flow.

Repair a sagging wooden fence gate

Square a sound gate, add a tension cable and get the latch closing without lifting.

Lay a small paver patio

Build a tidy sitting area with a firm base, straight paving and drainage that works.

Build freestanding garage storage shelves

Turn unused garage wall space into sturdy slatted shelving for household bins and supplies.

Build a garage workbench

Build a practical plywood-and-lumber bench with a lower shelf and a checked cutting list.

Install a kitchen tile backsplash

Plan the layout, set ceramic tile and finish the joints for a clean, durable kitchen update.

Repair a loose wooden chair joint

Take the loose joint apart, clean away failed glue and clamp the chair back into a stable frame.

Refinish a worn wooden tabletop

Remove a failing finish, smooth shallow wear and restore a durable clear surface to a solid-wood table.

Refinish a weathered wood front door

Remove failing clear finish and renew the protection on a sound solid-wood entry door.

Replace a damaged section of baseboard

Remove a damaged trim run, fit a matching replacement and blend the finish into the room.

Fix a pocket door that rubs or sticks

Reset accessible hanger adjustments and bottom guides so the door clears the floor and closes evenly.

Repair a bifold closet door that comes off track

Replace a worn guide or pivot, reset the door height and alignment, and keep the panels running in their track.

Replace a worn toilet flapper

Fit the right flapper, adjust the chain and stop water quietly leaking from tank to bowl.

Replace a bathroom sink pop-up drain

Replace a leaking drain body, reconnect the lift-rod linkage and make the stopper open and seal properly.

Replace a leaking sink P-trap

Fit a matching rigid trap, align its seals and check every joint under a full drain flow.

Re-caulk a kitchen sink

Replace a failed rim seal with a clean, continuous bead that keeps splashes out of the countertop.

Re-caulk a bathtub

Remove the tired seal and leave a clean, watertight line around the tub.

Install a pegboard tool wall

Get everyday tools out of the drawer and onto an organized, easy-to-reach wall.

Refresh a wooden dresser with paint

Give a sound wooden dresser a smooth new finish without stripping it back to bare wood.

Stop a toilet that keeps running

Find the usual culprit and quiet the tank without replacing the whole toilet.

Clear a simple slow bathroom sink

Remove accessible hair buildup and use a sink plunger without opening the plumbing.

Fix a sticking interior door with loose hinges

Map the rub, secure loose hinge screws, and identify latch misalignment without cutting or altering the door.

Clear a jammed garbage disposal

Disconnect power, release a supported bottom-socket jam, and test without reaching into the chamber.

Jump-start a dead car battery

Check compatibility, connect jumper cables in order, and get help if the car still will not start.

Repair a nail hole or shallow drywall dent

Fill one tiny cosmetic defect with an approved compound-only method—without cutting into the wall.

Plan a wall shelf installation

Choose a documented shelf system and map a proposed location without drilling into an uncertain wall.

Fix a dripping faucet

Identify the valve type, then replace a matching serviceable cartridge without guessing at parts.

Change a flat tire safely

Fit a compatible spare using your vehicle’s lifting points, tightening specification, and spare-tire limits.

Replace a broken sprinkler head

Match a pop-up spray head, protect the underground connection, and restore the intended coverage.

Build a raised planter

Make a freestanding wooden planter with legs, a supported floor, and drainage.

Sharpen a mower blade

Restore a clean cut and balance the blade so the mower runs smoothly.

Replace worn door weatherstripping

Replace a tired adhesive seal so the door keeps drafts out and still closes easily.

Repair a small window-screen tear

Cover a small tear with a matching peel-and-stick mesh patch—without replacing the whole screen.

Clean a bathroom faucet aerator

Rinse out grit and loosen mineral buildup to restore a tidy, even stream.

Repair a large drywall hole

Fit a solid, screw-supported patch and blend the seams into the surrounding wall.

Repair peeling bathroom paint

Remove the failed coating, smooth the wall and repaint for a lasting bathroom finish.

Repair cracked tile grout

Remove failed grout from stable tile joints and replace it without damaging the tile edges.

Replace a cracked floor tile

Remove one damaged tile, prepare its base and set a matching replacement flush with the floor.

Restore weathered wooden outdoor furniture

Clean, smooth and refinish sound outdoor wood without hiding its grain under a heavy coating.