Tool & Material
Honest hands-on reviews of tools, materials, and supplies we actually bought or rented — what worked and what got returned.
15 articles
How to Remove a Stripped Screw Without Making the Problem Worse
Learn how to remove a stripped screw with household tools, gripping tricks, dril...
How to Remove Rust From Metal: A Practical Kitchen Renovation Guide
Learn how to remove rust from metal with a practical kitchen-renovation approach...
DIY concrete kitchen countertops: our honest budget and lessons
DIY concrete kitchen countertops can save money, but the process is messy. See o...
Kitchen Cabinet Doors: What Our Real Budget and Mistakes Taught Me
Kitchen cabinet doors can refresh an older kitchen for less than a full remodel....
Kitchen Cabinet Organizers: What We Bought and What Actually Worked
Kitchen cabinet organizers helped us reclaim a cramped 1994 kitchen. Here is wha...
Ready to Assemble Kitchen Cabinets: What Our Real Remodel Cost
Ready to assemble kitchen cabinets can cut renovation costs without cutting corn...
How to Paint Kitchen Cabinets Without Turning Your Kitchen Into a Disaster
Learn how to paint kitchen cabinets from a real mid-budget remodel: tools, prep,...
Kitchen Cabinet Hardware: What We Spent and What I Would Do Differently
Kitchen cabinet hardware can change a kitchen for $150-$600. See our real budget...
What DIY painting kitchen cabinets really costs, takes, and teaches you
DIY painting kitchen cabinets can save thousands when you plan the prep, paint, ...
DIY Kitchen Backsplash: What Our $412 Weekend Project Really Cost
DIY kitchen backsplash: see our real $412 budget, tools, mistakes, tile lessons,...
DIY Kitchen Countertops: What Our Real Renovation Cost
DIY kitchen countertops can cut renovation costs. See our real budget, materials...
The First 5 Tools I Bought (And the One I Returned)
The exact first five tools I bought for our DIY kitchen reno—and the one that we...