Welcome to Thumb & Hammer:
This is not a "how-to" site, but rather a "how-I-did-it"
or "how-I-had-it-done" site (please read the Disclaimer).
Take a look at the home improvement projects I have tackled myself, and the ones where
I swallowed my pride and called in professional contractors. See what worked, what could
have been done better and learn from my mistakes. Enjoy your visit. Read
more about this site.
New guest content added
Jul 01, 2011
A new article about Home Security has been added by securitychoice.com.
Please "Like" our Facebook page
Thumbandhammer will be going mobile. Launch date to be announced.
Where there’s smoke….
Posted on
24 December 2011 @ 9:52 pm
Last week, to prepare our Sunday night dinner (frozen pizzas– who says I’m not a gourmet), I fired up our gas oven. A few minutes later, we could smell something burning. I opened the oven door to investigate and was slapped in the face by smoke that was pouring from beneath the bottom of the [...]
Thumb and Hammer is on Facebook
Share...
Thumb and Hammer has partnered with eLocal.com
Look for my contributing articles at eLocal.com, a source for finding plumbing, roofing, and electrical contractors.
Replacing a screen
door on the garage with a steel entry door required installing a completely
new frame. 
A 24 inch door
on a five foot wide closet just wasn't practical. Widening the doorway
and installing bifold doors allowed full use of the closet space.
A wood fence with
an uncommon design. How to build a fence using as few screws and nails
as possible.
A bathroom
makeover on a budget. Sure, elements may still be stuck in the fifties,
but they are easier to live with. Besides, you never know when peach and
blue tile will be back in style!
A complete
gut and remodel of a subterranean living space from start to finish.
How an ill-fitting
switch plate led me to gut a room to the studs.
The old deck
railing was too short so I replaced it. The new stairs and railing are
sturdy and look good. 
A
temporary fix for a water damaged bathroom wall. It ain't pretty, but
it prevented further damage until we could afford a complete remodel a
few years later.
The second floor
was already finished when we moved in, but improper insulation and electrical
issues led me to completely gut it and start over from scratch. Properly
finishing the attic in a one and a half storey house..
How we rebuilt
our house from the inside out after some bad DIY by the previous owner
compromised the structure. 
Complete professional kitchen remodel that addresses all the design problems of the old kitchen.