Weekend home repair projects
These take about an hour or more, sometimes with drying or curing time in between. None of them is hard, but they're worth starting on a morning when you won't be rushed.
Plan a weekend of these → Total time, one shopping list and the best order.
These take an hour or more, and some need drying or curing time, so the order you do them in matters. Start anything with caulk, patching compound or glue first thing, so it can set while you work on the rest, and save outdoor jobs for the driest part of the weekend.
Read the whole guide before you start and gather everything on the tools list first; the most common way a weekend project stalls is a mid-job run to the hardware store. The weekend planner can put several of these in order and build one shopping list for you.
Guides in this list
Clean dirty grout without harsh chemicals
Fill cracks in an asphalt driveway
Fix a crack in drywall
Fix a hole in a hollow door
Fix a wobbly table
Frost buildup in freezer
Get rid of a musty basement smell
Mold or mildew on the bathroom ceiling
Water pooling at the foundation
Clean gutters and downspouts safely
Dryer making loud noise
Drywall tape peeling or bubbling
Fill gaps between hardwood floorboards
Fix a dented drywall corner
Fix a laminate floor that's peaking or buckling
Fix a split door jamb
Fix a wobbly deck railing
Fix a wobbly wooden chair
Fix peeling paint on a wall or ceiling
Gutter leaking at the seams
Gutter pulling away from the house
Hardwood floor cupping
How to prevent ice dams
How to regrout tile
Install quarter round or shoe molding
Patch a crack in a concrete step or walkway
Patch a hole in a plaster wall
Patch a hole in drywall
Pipes banging when the water shuts off
Pocket door off track
Recaulk a tub or shower
Repair a rotted window sill
Replace a broken window pane
Replace a cracked or loose deck board
Replace a damaged vinyl plank
Replace a garage door bottom seal
Replace a light fixture
Shower faucet dripping
Thaw a frozen pipe safely
Tighten a loose stair railing
Toilet leaking at the base
Water heater making noise
Water stain on the ceiling
Why your hot water runs out so fast
Window won't stay open
Carpet ripples and wrinkles
Replace a cracked floor tile
Replace a damaged roof shingle
Weekend project questions
How many of these can I do in one weekend?
Two or three, for most people. Plan on about five or six hours of actual work a day, and more if it's your first time.
Which should I do first?
Anything that needs to dry, cure or soak, like caulk, patching compound or glue, so it's ready while you work on the rest.
What if I run out of time?
Most of these can pause at a clean stopping point. The guides mark where you can stop, and the weekend planner leaves a buffer between jobs.