Unlike traditional hardwood flooring, which consists of solid wood planks, engineered wood planks consist of a thin top layer of hardwood glued to an engineered base. The word “engineered” is a technical term for wood boards that have been formed using wood pieces and adhesives. While there are many types of engineered woods, the most common is plywood. We’ve broken down the pros and cons of engineered wood flooring so you can see how it stacks up against traditional hardwood....

How to Make Pavlova If you’ve ever made a meringue-topped pie from scratch, making pavlova is going to be a breeze. Most pavlova recipes will have a similar meringue base. You can use our strawberry-mango pavlova recipe (pictured above) as a guide, but feel free to change up the fruit to whatever’s in season or in your kitchen. Step 1: Prepare Egg Whites and Pavlova Template Step 2: Beat Egg Whites Step 3: Bake Meringue for Pavlova Spread meringue mixture over the circle on parchment, building up edges slightly to form a sort of bowl-like space for the cream and fruit....

If your cake didn’t rise or had a dense texture instead of the light and fluffy one you wanted, there are factors to keep in mind during your cake-baking adventures. Successful baking requires attention to every detail, and following these guidelines will help your cakes rise with a tender and airy crumb. Every time. What Makes a Cake Rise It’s essential to learn what makes a cake rise to prevent it from sinking (or rising and then deflating after cooling)....

Modern cabinets mix with classic elements to fashion this hip kitchen. The homeowners saved on cabinetry by purchasing IKEA components that they built and installed themselves, saving the budget about $15,000. With the savings, the couple could afford to splurge on a 48-inch professional-style range. Browse more beautiful white kitchens in our Decorating Gallery. Grays can go cold and flat if you’re not careful, so choose soft, warm tones like this gray quartz-surfacing used on the countertops and island top and sides for a neutral kitchen you can live with for years to come....

According to data from Yardzen, a virtual landscape design service, requests for functional front yard designs have increased by 150%. “People are more willing to embrace alternatives to the traditional lawn, definitely. Now, I think that that willingness differs from one neighborhood to the next—it’s not universal,” says Kevin Lenhart, landscape architect with Yardzen. “And many people have deep personal memories attached to a lawn.” But the data shows that many are also looking for new ways to maximize their properties....

Where to Plant Asparagus Fern Asparagus fern is grown as an annual or houseplant in most areas of the U.S., but it is a perennial in USDA Zones 9-11. Asparagus Fern Care Tips Asparagus ferns are easy-to-care-for plants that grow as houseplants and in shady gardens. Light When asparagus ferns are planted outside, they prefer a location with dappled shade. For best results as potted houseplants, asparagus ferns should be placed in indirect or filtered light....

If you’re going to grow multiple plants in one container, keep in mind that they’ll need similar sun, water, and soil requirements to thrive. Best Soil to Grow Potted Plants Container plants should be grown in a special potting mix that doesn’t contain soil. Garden soil is too heavy and can compact roots, cutting off oxygen. It also often contains weed seeds. Instead, buy or make a soilless mix; look for one composed of coconut fiber (coir) or peat moss, vermiculite or perlite, and other ingredients....

What is a tomato hornworm? A tomato hornworm is the larva of a hawk moth, also called a hummingbird moth. The moths emerge from the soil in late spring or early summer, then lay their eggs singly on the undersides of a host plant’s leaves. The tiny caterpillars hatch in about a week and quickly grow as they feed. They reach full size in three to four weeks. Fully grown hornworm larvae will drop to the ground, where they burrow in and form a cocoon to turn into a moth....

Note: If the wall is covered with drywall or plaster, most of the work consists of running cable and perhaps patching the wall afterwards. Safety tip: Before starting, shut off power to the circuit. Editor’s tip: If power runs to the receptacle, use two-wire cable to make a switch loop. Mark the white wire black to indicate that it is hot. Editor’s tip: If two cables originally entered the receptacle box, connect the grounds and mark the white switch wire black....

What You Need Broom or vacuumLevelLeveling compoundVinyl planksTransition strips, if necessarySafety glassesDrillMeasuring tapeOscillating sawTable saw, shear cutter, or chop saw1/4-inch spacersSquareCircular sawUtility knifeRubber malletPull barTapping blockJigsaw Step 1: Prep the Floor Gather materials. The materials should be available at any hardware store. Prep the floor by thoroughly sweeping or vacuuming up all dust and particles. Step 2: Level Floor Using a level, determine if the floor is mostly even. If not, apply leveling compound to uneven spots, following the manufacturer’s directions....

The kits are designed to work with standard 1 ⅜-inch-thick interior doors. If you use thicker doors, they may interfere with each other as they slide. Thinner doors may have a wide gap between them. The combined width of the doors should equal the width of the opening plus at least 1 inch. This provides ½ inch of overlap between the two doors when they are closed. Some minor variations exist among bypass door kits from different manufacturers, but they are all easy to install....

Now that fall is here and Halloween just around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about the food you’ll want to serve. For a delicious starter, we highly recommend making this adorable Halloween charcuterie board (or charbooterie, if you will). With a little imagination (and next to no cooking), meats, cheeses, and creatures become delightfully spirited creatures. Learn exactly how to make each tasty little monster, mummy, and ghoul below....

Prep your succulents at least a day before you start this project—the succulent cuttings will need to develop scabs where the stem is cut. To prepare, remove the succulent plants from their pots and wipe away any excess soil. Clip the succulents, leaving a stem to insert into the form. You can also order succulent cuttings online. Check Etsy or other online sellers to find all types of unique succulent cuttings you may never find near you....

Starting at the soil line, clip off all the leaves on the bottom two-thirds of the stem. Use a pruning tool rather than just pulling off the leaves to avoid damaging the stem. Carefully insert the bamboo stake next to the plant stem, pushing it to the bottom of the pot. Starting about 2 inches above the soil line, wrap one twist tie around the stake, then gently around the stem....