Some Simple Steps To Paint Your Bathtub

Your bathtub is a mess, chipping and stains all over. So, you're thinking of getting a bathtub paint job done, that's a great idea. You can do it yourself or can employ a specialist to assist you. If you're doing it yourself, here's a few steps that a bathtub paint job would consist of.

You would first have to paint the tub with a primer. This primer goes over the porcelain. This is needed so that the surface is porous and the paint will remain. While painting your bathtub, you rather use a paintbrush as against a roller. A roller may be easier for some to handle, but using a roller in the bathtub is not really convenient and it can be quite a pain at some times. It's advisable that you apply two coats of the base color. For this purpose you should use latex paint. Why use two coats? Well, it will give your bathtub a nice vibrant lool, and make it resilient.

You also have to be mindful of what type of paint your using for your bathtub. It's advisable to use EP Acrylic. This is an acrylic polymer coated paint. The thing that makes this pain ideal for your bathtub is that its high quality and is durable or long lasting. In addition, you can get this paint in an extensive range of colors, thus making it extremely easy for you. You can buy the paint that matches the color of your bathroom walls, or something that complements that color. It's best to use a glossy finish, for your bathtub paint.

It's also good to apply about two base coats of primer and then about two or three coats of the acrylic paint, which is the topcoat. Between each coat, make sure that you leave some time, at least about 30 - 60 minutes. Actually the best way to tell is by seeing if the coat that you applied is tried. Also after you've completed your bathtub paint job, make sure that you wait a while before you take a bath. At least wait for around 24 hours minimum. Sometimes you may have to wait even longer.

Russell Clark owns and operates the popular website BathtubSpecialist.info

Plywood Roof Sheeting - Roof Framing Trade Secrets

Most framing contractor's look at the building plans and order all of the material, according to those that are specified on the plans. This works out fine, and can often save you money, but rarely produces the best home that you could possibly frame.

As a professional framing contractor, I would like to share one of my house framing tips with you. Most plans require half-inch plywood or oriented strand board as their roof sheeting. This product is fine and if you're building a lot of homes, you're not going to have the choice. Ordering larger sized plywood could cost you thousands of dollars, especially if you're building a lot of homes.

However, if your framing or building a home for someone or even yourself, you might want to take my advice and think twice about it, before ordering the roof sheeting. Half-inch plywood, works okay for 16 inch on center roof rafters or engineered truss roofing systems. It doesn't work well on 24 inch on center roof rafters spacing.

It is usually flimsy and weak at the center point, directly in between the 24 inch roof rafter bays. If you're going to use the half-inch plywood, I would recommend using plywood clips that are relatively inexpensive and can be placed in the direct center of each roof rafter bay on each sheet of plywood. These can be purchased at most home improvement centers or lumber yards.

The other alternative, and this is what I recommend, would be to use 5/8 inch plywood. This plywood works great for 24 inch on center roof rafters and you will have a nice sturdy roof to walk on, while roofing your home.

I have actually seen people step through the flimsy plywood, while lifting heavy roof tiles and bundles of composition roof shingles. Experienced roofers try to walk directly on top of the roof rafters, when loading their roof shingles or even carrying them on the roof.

If you're a home builder and your concern is about making a profit, you will need to use the half-inch plywood. If you want to build a superior roof, use the 5/8 of an inch plywood.

If You Live in Northern San Diego County or South Orange County, and You're Looking for a Great Contractor, Click on This Link House Framing Contractors.

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Greg Vandenberge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a excellent home inspection checklist to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.

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Bathroom Decorating Ideas - Spruce Up Your Dull Bathroom

The bathroom is one of the places where you can relax with pleasure or where you can have a quiet time for yourself alone or just simply pamper yourself. Naturally, decorating your bathroom to make it more comfy is one way to create a quick fix for your home. Here are a few, quick bathroom decorating ideas to create bathroom pleasures:

1.Simple hygiene to make your bathroom brighter and sparkle like new is to clean and sanitize clogged places and remove grime and stain. A simple application of disinfectant will instantly clear your bathroom of unpleasant stains and dirt stuck in between crevices under your toilet, tubs and sinks. Put decorative fragrant bathroom sanitizers.

2.Instant bathroom decorating ideas is usually composed of solutions which require no minimal effort or none at all. So, decorating is accessorizing. A little accessory will do. Like sleek and simple towel hangers, colorful soap dishes, water proof figurines and even framed pictures or paintings will create good vibes in your bathroom.

3.Create a clutter-free zone in your bathroom. Installing glass or wooden shelves to organize bathroom stuff is one of the highlight of great bathroom decorating ideas. The idea is to keep things simple and minimal in a small to regular cramped space. Large cabinets will only take up more space, constricting the already limited space you have. One way to add style to your shelves is to have a carved hardwood with ornate design. Aside from being attractive, the wood is durable so it will not rot if splashed with a little water.

4.The illusion of space is not really a hard trick to pull-off. Space usage and minimalist-thinking are the secrets of successful bathroom decorating ideas. The use of mirrors to reflect light positioned in a strategic way like opposite a window to create an illusion of having another window or opposite each other to make a small room much larger is a surefire trick to revitalize your dull bathroom.

5.Of course, the rainbow connection should always be remembered. A splash of color in your bathroom will instantly jazz up the small space of an otherwise insignificant part of the house. Put up a bright shower curtain and match it with your window curtains. Or to even go bolder, repaint your all the walls or just one wall with a solid color to create contrast or focus on a single part of the bathroom like the tub area.

These are just simple bathroom decorating ideas in which one can easily accomplish for an instant perk up for the bathroom. Bathroom moments will surely be more comfortable and relaxing as well as pleasing to the eye as well.

For more information on bathroom decorating ideas and bathroom lighting fixtures visit http://www.lightingbathroomfixtures.com for helpful insight.

Building Codes - Stairway Construction

The stair building code was created for building safety. Before the building code and local city enforcement (Building Inspectors), anyone could build a house. This meant Uncle Earl who had just watched a couple of his friends build a house down the street construct some sort of a dwelling. The next step for Earl would be to help these guys for a day and now he is a professional home builder. You get the point.

Stair Building Codes create the safety needed for one of the most hazardous areas of your home. You might know someone who has fallen down a stairway?

I lived in a house I built for 15 years and I redesigned the stairs from a winder design to a T shaped set of stairs. Both sets of stairs were built using the local stair building code for my city.

Wow I could not believe how many times my family members fell down the stairs. I even fell down once. I was amazed. When I switched from the winder to the T shaped stairway there were less accidents. My point is that even using the stair building codes this is a dangerous part of your house.

Having a professional stair builder install your stairs is great advice. Take it. For example this happened to me on quite a few jobs. I get a set of plans from a architect who has been designing houses for over 40 years. I looked at the stairway to find out that he has designed a stairway that is too small for the length of this part of the home. If I build the stairs using the plans that by the way were approved from the local building department, I could have a problem.

You are probably asking yourself how does this happen. Aren't these people experienced professionals. Of course they are. They probably have the U.B.C. (Uniform Building Code) in their office somewhere. Everyone makes mistakes here and there but this is one area of the home where safety is a big concern.

Just look at it like this. The stair building code was designed to improve the safety and reduce the number of accidents while using the stairs. Over the years I have seen stairs poorly designed and constructed. These stairs create problems for the owners of the buildings not just the people that use them. Did I mention lawsuits. This is one area where a lawyer will have a field day.

As a building professional I advise you to use the stair building code first for safety and second to avoid lawsuits. Get an idea from some of the pictures I have taken over the years on problems with stair building.

Use common sense while building or remodeling your home. It goes a long way.

Greg Vandenberge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He is currently working on more building stairs books and adding useful content to help solve problems created by the lack of construction knowledge in the building industry. Stair Building Articles

Qatar Hotels

Qatar as a nation is largely dependent on the revenue of foreign businesses as well as the industry generated by business visitors and tourists coming to see the multitude of attractions and unique features of the nation. As a result, there is a nigh on confusing level of hotels available for people to stay in while visiting, be it in the capital (and largest) city of Doha, or elsewhere in the nation.

Doha, of course, by its nature as the transportation, tourist, and business center of Qatar, is also the center of the vast and profitable hotel industry. There are numerous hotels in Doha, offering a variety of different services and several kinds of levels of amenities. The cheaper, lower end of hotels in Doha offer a full range of customary treatments for the customer, including restaurants in the lobby, swimming pools, Jacuzzis, hair salons, and assistance with booking any sort of event or participatory activity. Many hotels offer discounts for tourist packages, where you can save money with one hotel by pre-purchasing tickets for one activity or another, be it something in the harbor or something fun to do out in the desert.

The more expensive and better rated hotels in Qatar are where the nation really shines. With the Qatar Tourism Authority overseeing the accommodations nationwide, a five star hotel in Doha (or any other city, for that matter) has to really go above and beyond the call of duty in order to keep that recognition.

Take for examples, "Intercontinental Doha", a hotel on Al Istiglal road in Doha. It is close to any number of activities, and those that are not within walking distance can be reached in no more than ten minutes by taxi or bus. There are over five different restaurants inside of the hotel proper, and that is just the start of the star treatment available there.

Extra services offered by the staff are truly all inclusive, providing a number of amenities unseen and unheard of in most any other country. There are babysitters who will watch the children while you and your love enjoy an evening in Doha, and when you return, you can have alcohol delivered to your room. Travel to anywhere from your hotel is handled by a proprietary shuttle, and all rides in said transport are pre-paid when you make the reservation for your room.

Doha is not the only city to offer amazing places to stay; Al Khor has a number of resorts in its region, including the world famous Al Sultan Beach Resort. It is less than a mile from any of the attractions of the city, and is little more than a half hour outside of the capital city. Providing a number of the aforementioned travel / tourism packages for people staying in the hotel, the Al Sultan Beach Resort also features the largest pool in all of Qatar, as well a style of Jacuzzi that is not seen anywhere else in Qatar, and is certainly worth the experience.

Further outside the borders of the big cities are a number of other resorts and hotels, generally in the more naturally beautiful parts of the country. Many of these more rural hotels have stables on their grounds, providing visitors with the opportunity to ride horses or even camels throughout the sand dunes of the Inland Sea. These accommodations are far enough away from mainstream civilization to offer a fair deal of privacy as well, espoused by the number of private villas for rent and the beach houses scattered along the little coves of the Persian Gulf.

If you're staying in Qatar, there are a vast number of places to choose from when trying to pick where to stay. A good rule of thumb is that pricing is a relatively good indication of quality and features offered by the hotel, thanks to the regulation and oversight of the QTA. Places further outside of the big cities generally offer discounted rates because of lack of access to the mass transit of Doha. However, riding a horse through the desert certainly has its own appeal that is not easily discovered in the back of a bus. No matter your desire or intention, there is a place in Qatar for you and yours.

The author is simply an individual that stayed over in Doha Hotels during a tour and decided to write about his experience. To learn more about Qatar Hotels visit bestqatarhotels.com

Nailing Or Screwing Drywall

Nails versus screws who will become the winner. When drywall first came out the installers used everything from regular steel nails to galvanized roofing nails. After a short amount of time they started to develop major problems from nails popping out of the finished drywall.

Nail popping results when the nail is driven into moist lumber and as the lumber shrinks the house settles and nail can actually pop out to the walls. Hard to imagine the nail could actually pop out of the drywall as the wood was drying out.

How far the nail would actually pop out was determined by how far it was driven in to the framing studs or ceiling joists. Well pretty soon drywall installers started to use ring shank nails to eliminate this problem. This worked great but these nails were hard to drive in and would often break.

As time went on the nails improved and were made out of galvanized metal with cupped shaped heads and came in a few different sizes. The size of the nail used was determined by the thickness of the drywall. These new nails worked great and had good holding power and eliminated a lot of nail popping.

Using nails means driving them in with a hammer. If you miss the nail you damage the drywall. This seemed to be a big problem and was virtually eliminated with the screws.

Well pretty soon people started using screws which had greater holding power and pretty much nail popping. Another advantage to using screws over nails is the simple fact you need less screws than you do nails to attach the drywall to the metal or wood framing.

This means less labor installing and finishing the drywall.

There is one problem with the screws and that is they have to be set perfectly. They can not break the paper surface on the drywall but have to be set enough into the drywall so that it can be finished properly. Most screw guns have an adjustable setting used to get just the right depth for the screws installed in the drywall. But this also was a problem when screwing into a hard piece of wood you can actually snapped the screw head off, strip the screw head or break the screw.

Nails on the other hand can bend while driving them into a hard surface.

Who wins the nails versus screws while installing drywall? I have got to give it to the screws. That doesn't mean the nails just got screwed or the screws just got nailed.

I couldn't resist. I actually preferred the screws over the nails except for when nailing the drywall corner bead on. Some drywall professionals use nails to hang the drywall and go back with a screw gun and some screws to finish the job. The nails sometimes seem handier than the screws when installing the drywall.

Greg Vandenberge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He is currently working on more Building and Remodeling Library and adding useful content to help solve problems created by the lack of construction knowledge in the building industry.

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Three 'Must-Know' Tips For Those New to Small Bathroom Floor Plans

The staggering array of small bathroom floor plans is quite a telling tribute to the ubiquity of small spaces. There are scores of homes across the country that are witness to a mad scramble for that solitary tub or shower on a regular basis. So what do homeowners do? They just make a beeline for the most accomplished contractor or home improvement store in the area and choose a plan that suites their preference and their purse.

But things are not as simple as they seem. For ignoramuses like me, these floor plans may seem as complicated as a narrative. There's no dearth of homeowners that lampoon the peculiarities of these plans. But not everything about them is designed to bounce off a layman's consciousness. With a fair bit of knowledge and oodles of creativity, your vision of a small but stunning bathroom can become a reality.

Four Tips That You Cannot Afford To Gloss Over

When you embark on the ambitious plan of designing your own bathroom, make sure you follow these tips thus ensuring the blueprint for success:

• You could either choose from a cauldron of finely crafted blueprints, or decide to draw one on your own. Either way, you must ensure that all the dimensions are pitched perfectly. All aspects like the doors, windows, bathtub, sink, toilet, shower and lighting must be considered earnestly.
• It's just not the efficient utilization of space that rules the roost. Let comfort and aesthetics form an inherent part of the planning process as well. Of course, you cannot treat the cost issues flippantly.
• Since the lack of space is the bane of a small bathroom, one must invest time in the selection of fittings and fixtures of the optimum size. Here again, one needs to strike the right balance between utilization of space and unrestrained luxury. Don't fret if that whirlpool tub washes away your long-cherished dream of an antique vanity or the shower nibbles at the space meant for that luxurious bathtub.
• The Internet is teeming with online catalogs that attenuate all your space-related concerns. So whether it is the positioning of the bathtub or the cabinets, help is at hand.

Just hope you experience the same kind of exhilaration that's such an inextricable part of the designing process.

Learn exactly how to generate 100's or even 1000's of positively *BRILLIANT* Bathroom Remodeling Ideas ... FAST ! And here are 25 Dirt Cheap Home Improvement Ideas that could increase the value of your home by several $1000's...

How Many Bathrooms Do You Really Need? Building New Homes

When my dad was a kid, they lived in a two bedroom house with one bathroom and the family consisted of him, his two brothers and his mother and father. When I grew up, we have it a little bit better. We had the same sized family as my father did, but we lived in a three-bedroom house with two bathrooms.

How many bathrooms do you really need? Think about it. Here's what I would like to suggest, if you have more money than you know what to do with and would love to help the economy, then you should put as many bathrooms as you need in your home.

If you really need to tell your friends, that you have a 250 bedroom house with 275 bathrooms, and you have the money to pay for it, do it and knock yourself out. However, if you are building a new home, I would like you to consider, this question. How many bathrooms do you really need?

If you want each one of your children to have their own bathroom, then go for it. It will require more cleaning, more money to build these bathrooms and is it really necessary.

Here's what I would suggest as a guideline for deciding, how many bathrooms you really need. One bathroom for two or less people, two bathrooms for five or less people and three bathrooms for eight or less people. You could actually add one bathroom for every three people as a general rule of thumb.

Don't get carried away and start installing bathrooms all over your house, it doesn't make sense. Bathrooms are expensive and I have been in the homes, where I was the only person that used at bathroom. Some bathrooms might not ever be used.

Click here if you are looking for some more Bathroom Remodeling Ideas

Greg Vandenberge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a Home Buyers Guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.

Click Here If your looking for some great Bathroom Ideas or Bathroom Remodeling Contractors

Choosing the Perfect Bathroom Vanity Unit

All bathrooms need a bathroom vanity, they are considered as an essential and vital part of your bathroom. These can help to improve the look of your bathroom and also provide a usable and functional storage space. Most of the time people overlook the idea of installing bathroom vanity cabinets, and simply add them in as an afterthought. Storage is very important in all bathrooms, vanity cabinets can provide you with useful and easily accessible storage space.

Before you consider purchasing a bathroom vanity cabinet there are some very important things that you must bear in mind. The widths of such cabinets can vary between 18 up to 48 inches. Typically these are available in 6 inch increments. You should look at bathroom vanity cabinets in home improvement stores that offer a wide range of different styles and sizes so that you can find the perfect one for your bathroom. Most bathroom vanity cabinets are made from wood, although they are also available in man made materials. Popular materials include oak, walnut and cherry wood. The material you choose will depend on the look of bathroom you are going for.

Types of Vanities

There are four main types of bathroom vanity cabinets that you can consider. The first is the simplest and easiest to install, this is just a simple cabinet which can be mounted onto your wall, and these can also be used as medicine cabinets. Another vanity option is using shelving, either recessed, in a corner or on the wall. The third type of vanity you may be interested in is something that fits over the toilet. The most popular type is the cabinets that fit under the sink. These can be built as freestanding cabinets and can be used for storing linen and towels.

Styles

There are two different styles of bathroom vanity which you may be interested in. The first of these types is a face-frame cabinet. These are more traditional and fairly formal. The hinges are hidden from view and the doors are designed to frame the cabinet. Another option is going for a cabinet with frameless doors. Frameless cabinets will give your bathroom a more modern look.

Whether you want to improve the appearance of your bathroom or completely remodel it a bathroom vanity cabinet is a perfect way to do either. Vanity cabinets are one of the best investments on your home that you can make. It will be much easier to sell your home with an attractive bathroom complete with lots of storage.

The author Steve Bukento is very interested in themes relating to sewing roman shades and make roman shades. His contributions on roman window shades are published on http://www.shades-blinds-shutters-guide.com/roman-shades.html.

How Wide Should I Make My Carport? Planning Your Next Project

Whether you live in a home with or without a garage, you might be thinking about building a new carport. You've came to the right place and by the time you're done reading this article, you should have acquired a little more valuable information for your next home remodeling project.

Some homeowners install carports in front of their garage, on the side of their homes or even in their driveway. Car ports can be built anywhere on your property, as long as you have enough room and access to these areas for a car to be parked safely.

The most important thing to remember, when building a carports, is the width that will be required to park your vehicle underneath it. You will need to allow plenty of room, so that you will be able to access your vehicle comfortably.

There are plenty of carports, all over the country that are built right next to something, like a retaining wall, the side of your home or even another garage. I myself have parked in carports that were too small and over a period of time became an annoying inconvenience.

The minimum width that I would build any carport would be 10 foot wide, if you're going to build your carport next to a building, I would suggest that you park your car, open your door and measure the width of your car, with your door open.

This will give you a comfortable width for building your new carport. This is the best advice I could give anyone, who is planning on building a carport.

Garage Building Tips

If you're thinking about building a garage and San Diego County, we would be glad to help, for more information click on this link San Diego Garage Building

Greg Vandenberge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a Home Buyers Guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.

Thanks for reading my articles.

Shower and Bath Renovating - Wall Coverings and Choices

Choosing what to cover your shower or tub walls with can be just as difficult as choosing flooring in your home. There really is a lot to choose from: natural stone tiles, ceramic tile, ceramic porcelain tile, (Yes, there is a difference between ceramic porcelain and ceramic!), cultured marble panels, or one-piece fiberglass or PVC shower/tub insets. Also a decision is needed on covering the walls to the ceiling or just part way.

In choosing a wall covering for your shower or tub/shower combo here are a few points to consider:

Some of these decisions will be decided by existing factors such as the size of your shower, only a tub or only a shower, whether it is a addition, remodel or just changing the existing style and decor. Stand-alone showers also have the added choice of what to do with the shower floor. Install a prefabricated shower pan, a "hot mop" shower pan, PVC or other waterproof membrane lined shower pan.

The prefabricated shower pan is generally made of PVC; you can also order pans in cultured marble or fiberglass with an acrylic coating. These types of pans sit directly on the unfinished floor (sub-floor) of the shower. The only additional work after demo of the existing shower is adding the sub-floor atop the floor joist. Once the shower pan is in place and secured, you are done with the floor.

If you are going to tile your shower floor, you have a choice of which shower pan process to complete. A "hot mop" shower pan is hot tar poured over the mortared shower floor, which is a very smoky and smelly process. This type of shower pan is not as favorable as the membrane shower pan in recent years, partly due to the hot mop shower pan tendency to leak and cause mold odor and growth in your shower. The only way of ridding that is by removal of the shower pan. The membrane shower pan is covering your mortared shower floor in a PVC liner. This has been reputed to be the longer lasting shower pan if properly installed.

Deciding to cover the walls all the way to ceiling or not is a personal choice but one that needs to be considered. The pros and cons are basic: If the walls are covered only part way to the ceiling, there is a lip or ledge to collect dust and dirt, if the walls are covered all the way to the ceiling, there is not.

Tiled walls: While a freshly tiled shower is beautiful, no matter what type of tile is used, it is necessary to perform a rigorous maintenance routine to keep it beautiful. It is necessary to clean (wash down with clean water and wipe any left over soap, shampoo or conditioner off) and dry your tiles after each shower for long lasting beauty. For natural stone tiles, remember to check any cleaning agents used for acceptable use with natural stone tiles.

Natural stone tiles are porous and absorb moisture and chemicals. Soap, shampoos and conditioners can dull your tiles over a short period of time. Mineral deposits in the water can also dull your tiles. If choosing natural stone tiles for your shower walls, be sure and seal your tiles and grout. Sealing the tile and grout is not waterproofing or a one-time application. Tile and grout sealers aid in the prevention of the tiles and grout absorbing chemicals that can damage the tile finish and be absorbed into the grout. Most manufacturers and contractors recommend that you seal the tiles and grout at least once a year.

Ceramic tiles and porcelain tiles do not require sealing, however the grout between the tiles does. As with natural stone tile, ceramic and porcelain tiles also need to be cleaned and dried after each shower for long lasting shine.

As stated above, there is a difference between ceramic porcelain and ceramic tiles. Ceramic tiles are made of clay and have a water absorption rating of more than .05% with color or design being a coating on the surface. Ceramic tiles are easily scratched or chipped and drilling holes for shower valves or tub spouts is easier than with ceramic porcelain.

Ceramic porcelain tiles are generally made by dust pressing (dust from quartz, clay, feldspar and other inorganic raw material) which causes a denser tile leading to a lower water absorption rate. To be considered porcelain tile, the water absorption rate must be less than or equal to .05%, additional classifications as to their strength and durability are also made. Porcelain is stronger than ceramic and is harder to chip, scratch and drill a hole through. Some porcelain tiles called "full body" porcelain carry the color and design throughout the thickness of the tile. These are generally more expensive.

Cultured marble panels: In past years, these panels would discolor and turn dingy looking even with proper maintenance. Heat, moisture and chemicals affected them. However today the industry claims this has been resolved. Cultured wall panels are nice for the installer, but spendy for the customer. Maintenance of cultured marble is relatively easy as there are no grout lines to contend with. A simple squeegee after the shower is all it takes. If hard water deposits accumulate, they can be removed with vinegar, to restore the shine, a gel-gloss can be applied. (Recommended for shine maintenance once a year.) For more detailed cleaning, be sure to use a product that is non-abrasive.

One-piece fiberglass or PVC shower/tub insets: These are generally used in new construction or remodel projects for the simple reason of access. These one-piece shower/tub insets will not fit through a bathroom doorway, even with the door removed. Installation is relatively easy but cumbersome. Costs can be high if a custom size is needed, but for a standard size, they are pretty inexpensive compared to installing individual components of the shower pan or tub and installing tile or cultured marble.

In choosing shower/tub wall coverings, deciding how much time you are willing to devote to maintenance of the walls after the installation can be more important than how much you want to spend on the project.

MJ is a handyperson with 13 years experience in the plumbing industry and 5 years in home repair and maintenance. MJ has experience in bathroom renovations, plumbing, tile, drywall repairs, painting, electrical, and other general home maintenance tasks.

http://mj-dakota.blogspot.com/

How to Give Your Bathroom a Custom Look With Knobs and Pulls

Many homes today that have been purchased brand new or have been recently built suffer from something like a case of the blahs. The home itself is, of course, beautiful, or you wouldn't have bought it, but you may also find your new surroundings a bit sterile, particularly in the bathroom.

Brand new bathrooms are often done entirely in white - white walls, white tile flooring, white tub, white shower stall, white sinks...that's a lot of white, and certainly doesn't do much to show your personality. To really start feeling at home and comfortable in your new house and bathroom, you will want to put your own personal stamp on things, you'll want to express your unique sense of style, and the good news is that all that white makes the perfect canvas to put your creativity to work on.

Many of the things you can do to dress up your bathroom fall into the do-it-yourself home remodeling category. A bath remodel does not have to involve a contractor and a plumber, particularly when you just want to decorate the room, not tear it apart and start over again. If you don't want white walls, then a coat of paint in your favorite color will go a long way towards sprucing things up. Since much of the space in your bathroom is taken up by other things - toilet, tub, sink and vanity, medicine cabinet, shower stall - you can get away with painting the walls a bright or bold color without it being overpowering.

The next thing to look at is the shower curtains and window treatments. Adding in draperies for both the windows and the shower in a fabric that you love will instantly change the whole look of the room, and when you add in other matching bathroom accessories like rugs, toothbrush holders, soap dishes, and more, your bathroom is blah no more!

The last area to focus on is bathroom lighting and cabinet hardware. A beautiful new light fixture that blends in well with everything else you've done is an addition that is both functional and decorative, and to finish things off, choose knobs and pulls that complement either the room as a whole, or match the material your lighting fixture is made of. Bathroom cabinet knobs and drawer pulls come in a huge array of different styles and finishes, and while they are necessary items that you need in order to access your bathroom cupboards, your cabinet knobs can also be highly decorative.

It is easy - and if you shop carefully, also inexpensive - to put your mark on your plain bathroom and give it a custom look that lets your personality and style shine through.

Amanda works for Your Home Supply (YHS) the definitive website for home improvement tools, and gardening supplies. Your Home Supply offers a wide range of products, like cabinet hardware, to help customers with common household repairs, as well as decorative accessories for the home. Visit them now at http://www.YourHomeSupply.com

Plywood Roof Sheeting - Roof Framing Trade Secrets

Most framing contractor's look at the building plans and order all of the material, according to those that are specified on the plans. This works out fine, and can often save you money, but rarely produces the best home that you could possibly frame.

As a professional framing contractor, I would like to share one of my house framing tips with you. Most plans require half-inch plywood or oriented strand board as their roof sheeting. This product is fine and if you're building a lot of homes, you're not going to have the choice. Ordering larger sized plywood could cost you thousands of dollars, especially if you're building a lot of homes.

However, if your framing or building a home for someone or even yourself, you might want to take my advice and think twice about it, before ordering the roof sheeting. Half-inch plywood, works okay for 16 inch on center roof rafters or engineered truss roofing systems. It doesn't work well on 24 inch on center roof rafters spacing.

It is usually flimsy and weak at the center point, directly in between the 24 inch roof rafter bays. If you're going to use the half-inch plywood, I would recommend using plywood clips that are relatively inexpensive and can be placed in the direct center of each roof rafter bay on each sheet of plywood. These can be purchased at most home improvement centers or lumber yards.

The other alternative, and this is what I recommend, would be to use 5/8 inch plywood. This plywood works great for 24 inch on center roof rafters and you will have a nice sturdy roof to walk on, while roofing your home.

I have actually seen people step through the flimsy plywood, while lifting heavy roof tiles and bundles of composition roof shingles. Experienced roofers try to walk directly on top of the roof rafters, when loading their roof shingles or even carrying them on the roof.

If you're a home builder and your concern is about making a profit, you will need to use the half-inch plywood. If you want to build a superior roof, use the 5/8 of an inch plywood.

If You Live in Northern San Diego County or South Orange County, and You're Looking for a Great Contractor, Click on This Link House Framing Contractors.

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:

Greg Vandenberge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a excellent home inspection checklist to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.

Thanks For Reading My Articles

Subfloor Damage From Poor Bathtub Installation - Read Bath Tub Fixture Manuals

You should never under estimate the amount of damage that water can do to your wood subfloor. Especially if this wood is underneath your bathtub. If the bathtub is not installed properly, you could find yourself replacing the wood underneath, within a short period of time. This repair is not uncommon and as more homeowners and handyman seemed to be doing projects like these, without the proper experience, it's becoming even more common.

I wish I had a solution to the problem, however, I don't. The best advice I could give anyone who is going to be involved in any home remodeling project, would be to get some books on what ever task you are about to undertake and read all of the information that you possibly can about the products you are going to be installing. This is extremely helpful for anyone who has never installed a bathtub or any bathtub fixtures.

If the product fails and was installed properly, the manufacturer should be responsible for the water damage. I have been reading the manufacturer's installation manuals for quite some time now and every once in a while, I find something that is of great value to me and I get to pass it on to my readers. That's what I'm doing right now.

Whether you want to remodel your bathroom to save money or you want to accomplish a task that you haven't done yet. I would recommend, taking the time to understand, exactly how the water flows off of and on to another section of the bath tub or shower on its way to the drain. Understanding the basics of bathroom remodeling can save you big money in the future.

Save yourself some money and make sure that you install your bathtubs properly. Taking a little time before you start to read the bath tub fixture manuals, can save you some money and grief in the future.

Find More Facts On Home Water Damage.

Greg Vandenberge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a Home Buyers Guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.

Check out These Amazing Home Damage Videos.

Five Things That a Termite Inspection Company Might Not Ever Say

I don't think that I've ever heard of a termite inspector, ever go to a home and not find any termites. Even if the home doesn't have any damage that is visible from the termites, it seems like it's always a good idea, to tent the home, just in case, for protection. Anyway, here's five things that you might not ever hear a termite inspector ever say.

1. Your house is free of termites. This means that there isn't, one termite on your property and the termite inspector isn't going to make any money. Let's face it, termite damage, whether it's visible or invisible, keeps these guys working.

2. Your house isn't going to fall down, if I don't do anything to stop the termites. I have seen homes, where termites have been working on them for quite some time and they still seem to stand up and function properly.

3. Termites don't eat much and I wouldn't worry about the damage. Most termite inspectors will tell you how much a termite in Hawaii or Africa will eat in a day, but doesn't seem to have an honest idea, how much damage they are doing to your home, if they can't actually see it.

4. Every one that works for our company, has at least 30 years experience, repairing any termite damage. Don't even get me started with this one.

5. We will replace all of the termite damage wood, back to its original condition. What they might say, is that they will replace the wood that is damaged by termites, that you can actually see.

There are plenty of great termite companies out there and this article was meant just to have fun with most of them. Termite damage can be a serious problem with some homes and I would suggest that you contact at least three termite inspectors, before proceeding ahead with any home repairs or use of chemicals.

Try not to forget, the only way that a termite inspection company will make any money, looking at your house, will be to find something wrong with it.

If you're really interested in basement remodeling and repairs, you should click on this link Easy Home Repair Tips . Get some great home repair advice that can make a big difference on any of your home remodeling projects.

If You Live in Northern San Diego County or South Orange County, and You're Looking for a Great Contractor, Click on This Link San Diego Remodeling Contractors

Greg Vandenberge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a Home Buyers Guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.

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What If My Contractor Does Not Return My Call

This is one of the biggest problems in business today. You have some work done on your home in good faith that the contractor knows what he is doing. When all is said and done you have a problem that needs to be resolved as soon as possible. I really don't care how long it has been since the work was done. If you have a problem the least that your contractor can do is answer the telephone.

Some companies go out of business and others get to busy to respond to your problem. You will hear the old excuse "That's not my problem" or the ever popular " I didn't do that". I have been in business for over twenty years and had very few problems. Of course I built things to last as long as possible.

Keep in mind that some contractors are a one man operation and they might be on vacation. Some contractors do not answer their phones over the week ends or after business hours. So don't sink the ship to fast.

Do not call the Contractors Licensing Board or the Better Business Bureau unless it has been at least a few working days. I would give it at least a week or so. Oh yeah don't assume that the contractor got your message. Call a few times at the least.

It has always made me mad when I have to fix someone else's problems. I get the call when the other contractors won't respond. I listen to the home owner with regret for being in a business where I am considered a crook. This is one of the reasons why contractors in my business get out of it.

If you have the contractors address and they aren't responding by phone you can always send them a letter by certified mail. Request a return receipt. That's your proof that the company received your letter. Keep a copy for your files.

The good news for a home owner when a contractor will not respond to your calling them is the Department of Consumer Affairs. Most states have a complaint department of some sort that will listen to your complaints. Does this mean it will get resolved? NO there are no guarantees here.

If your state has a licensing board for contractors, this will be your next step.

This will get your contractors attention and there is a great chance they will respond now. If there are enough complaints against the contractor and they do nothing about them the contractors board will take their license away.

If your contractor does not respond after all of this. There is very little you can do about it. Hire someone to fix the problem and look at it as a very important lesson learned.

If your state doesn't have a contractors licensing board contact the Better Business Bureau or your local government for their recommendation. Ask some of your friends if they have had any problems like this and how they handled them.

For some more tips about hiring contractors go to
http://gregvan.com/library/homeowner_checklists.htm

Greg Vandenberge has been in the home building and remodeling business for over 30 years. With this knowledge he has created a few websites that provide useful information for home owners as well as contractors. His main goal is to educate professionals in the home related businesses, dealing with problems that can easily be avoided with just a little bit of information.

His website http://gregvan.com provides all kinds of answers to remodeling and new house building issues that could create major damage as well as possible damage to your pocket book.

Plumbing Problems and Solutions - Repair Manuals

If you've owned a home for over 20 years, there's a very good chance, that you've had a water pipe break, a drainpipe clogged, a toilet that wouldn't flush right, or a water leak that damaged part of the home. If you don't know, what you're looking for and you have no idea what damage can be done, over time, this could mean trouble for the homeowner.

Plumbing problems like these have been around and will be around for many years. Knowing what to do about them, how to repair them and what materials will be needed, can be found in plumbing repair manuals for books. How would you like to have a professional plumber to advise you on your plumbing repairs. What if I told you that you could have a plumbing professional on hand at all times. Is this something that you might be interested in.

Well I can't guarantee that, so let's forget about what I just said and go to the next best thing. Plumbing repair manuals are full of tips and advice that when needed can sometimes be priceless. If water is leaking from the ceiling in your home and you have no idea, where the water is coming from or how to stop it from leaking, any information could be priceless and I mean priceless.

Plumbers, usually charge over $100 an hour for emergency service. I've seen plumbers come to peoples homes, turn the water off to the house, stop the water from leaking and now it is no longer an emergency. The plumber quickly pulls out an invoice for the plumbing repairs and it could be over $1000, if you decide that this is ridiculous and choose not to pay it, the plumber can hand you a bill for stopping the water leak. Some of these bills are what I would consider quite ridiculous, for just shutting the water off.

You're not paying the plumber for the amount of time it took him, you're paying him for his knowledge. If you knew where to shut the water off, you wouldn't have an emergency situation and could contact a plumber during normal hours. This could save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars.

With a simple home repair manual or a home plumbing book, you could prepare yourself for a situation like this and other plumbing problems. Most home repair manuals have general solutions and advice and can solve most of the problems around your home. If they can't solve all of the problems, they can probably save you from major catastrophes like a water leak.

Most of the time it's not the water leak that will cost the most money, it's the damage the water will do to your furniture, carpeting, wood flooring, walls or ceilings. A little information and preparation can save you a lot of money in the long run.

Home Plumbing Books

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Greg Vandenberge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a home buyers guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.

Basic Home Electrical Wiring - For the Do it Yourself Home Electrician

The Green Bay Packers were one of the most successful football teams and Vince Lombardi said something to them that I will never forget," This is a football." All the football players laughed and he said that we're going to start with the basics and that's what I'm going to do, with this article.

Let's start with our electrical wire, the two most common electrical wire sizes, that will be used in most homes, will be 14 and 12 gauge electrical wire. Let's clear something up, right off the bat, the smaller the number, the larger the wire. In other words a 12 gauge electrical wire is a little bit larger and will carry more electricity, for longer distances than a 14 gauge wire.

What about electrical outlet plugs? These plugs are usually the same, except for the fact that they come in different colors. When I said that most electrical plugs are the same, I'm talking about your standard wall outlet plug. There are different electrical plugs that will be used for air conditioners and some kitchen appliances like 220 Volt electric stoves and ovens.

What about your home's light switches? Your standard two way light switch will usually turn a one light on or a group of lights on, from one location. A three way light switch will usually turn one light on or a group of lights on from two different locations. A four way light switch, will usually turn one light or a group of lights on from three different locations.

It doesn't get any more basic than that. I hope this gives you a better understanding about your home's electrical system.

If you're really interested in learning more about remodeling, new home construction, home maintenance, home repairs and really want to get the nuts and bolts of home improvement. Visit our web site and select from the best-selling home building books on the Internet.

Greg Vandenberge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a Home Buyers Guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.

If your looking for some more home inspection pictures or home building ideas.

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Tile Grouting Tips For Your Bathrooms, Kitchens and Floors

Isn't tile grouting supposed to be simple, if you read the directions and watch a couple of videos? What could make tile grouting so difficult? Grouting your tile isn't that difficult, by the time you're done reading this article, you should have a pretty good idea how to grout your floors, bathrooms, kitchens and anything else that requires tile.

I used to have problems grouting tile, but after I read the directions, I became a grouting wizard. This sounds hard to believe, but after reading the directions on the tile grout bag, I became a grout master. I know, you the type of person who never read the directions, you simply add water, mix and start grouting.

It's time to change your thinking about, whether or not the directions will be helpful. Whether it's about grouting your bathroom floor or putting together your home barbecued. I read one thing on the grout bag and it changed my entire grouting career.

The grout should slake. After you're done mixing the grout, you should wait between five and 10 minutes to let the moisture soak into the grout mix. Do this once, and you will never go back to mixing your grout and applying it, as quickly as possible after it has been mixed.

For more information on grouting, remodeling or home repairs, I would recommend reading books on home improvement and home repairs. Some of these books can make a big difference in your home improvement abilities as a handyman. I would also recommend reading more articles, there's plenty of information about tile and grouting, all over the Internet.

Click here if you are looking for some more Bathroom Remodeling Ideas

If you're really interested in basement remodeling and repairs, you should click on this link Home Repair Tips. Get some great home repair advice that can make a big difference on any of your home remodeling projects.

Greg Vandenberge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a Home Buyers Guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.

Thanks for reading the article

How to Protect Foundation Plumbing Pipes?

If you install any underground plumbing pipes, in your concrete building foundation, you will need to protect them, from the concrete. You can use a variety of products and the most common of them will be a Styrofoam wrapping that can be purchased at most plumbing supply stores.

Let's start with the waste pipes, that are made out of plastic. The concrete could actually start to put pressure on the plastic pipes as the concrete starts to expand and this pressure could actually damage your new waste pipes.

You don't need to wrap all of the plastic waste pipes, only the parts of the waste pipes that will be exposed or in direct contact any concrete, but you do need to protect every copper water supply line that will be buried under the ground or exposed to the concrete, with a plastic sleeve. These products can be purchased again at most building supply or plumbing supply stores.

If these pipes aren't protected properly, you could find yourself within a short time, repairing the pipes that are either inside of your concrete foundation or buried underneath your concrete foundation. Either way, this isn't going to be a good thing.

You definitely need to wrap a plastic sleeve around the water supply pipes that are going to be buried or in direct contact with the concrete. This is a must and most building departments will require your plumbing pipes to be wrapped, before it they will sign off on your rough foundation plumbing inspection.

However, for the waste pipes, you can actually use cardboard to protect them. If you're short on funds, why not grab some cardboard boxes, dismantle them and start using cardboard to wrap the pipes, with a little duct tape.

There are plenty of ways to save money in the construction business, buy a few books, read a couple of articles, with a lot of pictures in this can provide you with lots of construction information, from experience building contractors.

Check out some of the best selling Home Building Plumbing Books all on one website

If you're really interested in basement remodeling and repairs, you should click on this link Home Repairs. Get some great home repair advice that can make a big difference on any of your home remodeling projects.

Greg Vandenberge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a Home Buyers Guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.

Thanks for reading our articles

Plywood Roof Sheeting - Roof Framing Trade Secrets

Most framing contractor's look at the building plans and order all of the material, according to those that are specified on the plans. This works out fine, and can often save you money, but rarely produces the best home that you could possibly frame.

As a professional framing contractor, I would like to share one of my house framing tips with you. Most plans require half-inch plywood or oriented strand board as their roof sheeting. This product is fine and if you're building a lot of homes, you're not going to have the choice. Ordering larger sized plywood could cost you thousands of dollars, especially if you're building a lot of homes.

However, if your framing or building a home for someone or even yourself, you might want to take my advice and think twice about it, before ordering the roof sheeting. Half-inch plywood, works okay for 16 inch on center roof rafters or engineered truss roofing systems. It doesn't work well on 24 inch on center roof rafters spacing.

It is usually flimsy and weak at the center point, directly in between the 24 inch roof rafter bays. If you're going to use the half-inch plywood, I would recommend using plywood clips that are relatively inexpensive and can be placed in the direct center of each roof rafter bay on each sheet of plywood. These can be purchased at most home improvement centers or lumber yards.

The other alternative, and this is what I recommend, would be to use 5/8 inch plywood. This plywood works great for 24 inch on center roof rafters and you will have a nice sturdy roof to walk on, while roofing your home.

I have actually seen people step through the flimsy plywood, while lifting heavy roof tiles and bundles of composition roof shingles. Experienced roofers try to walk directly on top of the roof rafters, when loading their roof shingles or even carrying them on the roof.

If you're a home builder and your concern is about making a profit, you will need to use the half-inch plywood. If you want to build a superior roof, use the 5/8 of an inch plywood.

If You Live in Northern San Diego County or South Orange County, and You're Looking for a Great Contractor, Click on This Link House Framing Contractors.

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:

Greg Vandenberge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a excellent home inspection checklist to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.

Thanks For Reading My Articles

Tile Grouting Tips For Your Bathrooms, Kitchens and Floors

Isn't tile grouting supposed to be simple, if you read the directions and watch a couple of videos? What could make tile grouting so difficult? Grouting your tile isn't that difficult, by the time you're done reading this article, you should have a pretty good idea how to grout your floors, bathrooms, kitchens and anything else that requires tile.

I used to have problems grouting tile, but after I read the directions, I became a grouting wizard. This sounds hard to believe, but after reading the directions on the tile grout bag, I became a grout master. I know, you the type of person who never read the directions, you simply add water, mix and start grouting.

It's time to change your thinking about, whether or not the directions will be helpful. Whether it's about grouting your bathroom floor or putting together your home barbecued. I read one thing on the grout bag and it changed my entire grouting career.

The grout should slake. After you're done mixing the grout, you should wait between five and 10 minutes to let the moisture soak into the grout mix. Do this once, and you will never go back to mixing your grout and applying it, as quickly as possible after it has been mixed.

For more information on grouting, remodeling or home repairs, I would recommend reading books on home improvement and home repairs. Some of these books can make a big difference in your home improvement abilities as a handyman. I would also recommend reading more articles, there's plenty of information about tile and grouting, all over the Internet.

Click here if you are looking for some more Bathroom Remodeling Ideas

If you're really interested in basement remodeling and repairs, you should click on this link Home Repair Tips. Get some great home repair advice that can make a big difference on any of your home remodeling projects.

Greg Vandenberge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a Home Buyers Guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.

Thanks for reading the article

Important Do-It-Yourself Home Remodeling Advice

Often I'm asked by homeowners, if they think that they can build something on their own. Often I end up explaining the process to them and it's pretty confusing. I would like to give some homeowners and construction handyman some do-it-yourself home remodeling advice, about projects that I think they should avoid and the reason why.

1. Working on Electrical Service Boxes

I really don't recommend, anyone who lacks experience working with electrical, to be working on it at all. When it comes to the electrical service box repairs, if you don't have any experience working in this specific area, I am suggesting this to all homeowners and do-it-yourselfers, stay away from electrical service power boxes. Electricity can be extremely hazardous to your health, so take my advice, this is coming from an expert on the subject.

2. Plumbing Water Supply Lines

I don't recommend, anyone who doesn't have any experience working with plumbing water supply lines, because if they break, or if your repair, doesn't hold properly, you could destroy a large portion of your home. Picture this, you just got through putting a new faucet in, everything looks great, but it's time for you to go to your baseball game. You come home about four hours later and the entire house is flooded with water.

This kind of stuff does happen and you need to take the advice of an expert here. It has even happened to me and I understand the process, pretty good. If you plan on fixing any plumbing water supply lines, make sure that you can spend the time, keeping an eye on your new home repair. If you're going to have any problems with them, they will usually happen within the first few hours of use.

I hope this helps, sometimes it's better to pay a professional, but I can understand, every intelligent person, is interested in saving a few dollars and learning new skills.

If you're really interested in basement remodeling and repairs, you should click on this link Home Repair Pictures and Advice. Get some great home repair advice that can make a big difference on any of your home remodeling projects.

If You Live in Northern San Diego County or South Orange County, and You're Looking for a Great Contractor, Click on This Link Vista Home Repair Contractors

Greg Vandenberge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a Home Buyers Guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.

Thanks For Reading My Articles

Trenchless Sewer Repairs - Home Repair Tips

Trenchless sewer repair can save your yard and landscaping from being entirely ruined. It also saves your driveway, by not having to dig up every inch of your yard to install a new sewer system. Many plumbers now offer the new trenchless sewer technology to repair your pipes and keep your yard intact, as well as your electrical, gas, and water lines.

Whether you have old, broken, or root infested sewer lines, a professional plumbing team can replace your old pipes with new, seamless polythylene pipes, saving you time and money in the process. This trenchless technology is referred to as pipe bursting, and only requires a minimum of digging. The plumbers use seamless pipes during this process, eliminating joints that allow root intrusion and exfiltration. Your flow capacity will also be increased, making your entire plumbing system more efficient.

Having trenchless sewers installed will also save you money, because you will not be paying for the labor involved in digging up your yard and driveway, not to mention the cost of putting it all back after the sewer repairs are done. No one wants a big mess in their yard after they have worked for years to get it just the way they like it.

The structural strength of this type of trenchless system is just as strong as any other type of sewer repair and installation process, so it makes sense to save your yard and driveway as you enjoy the benefits of a new sewer system in your home. Plumbing companies are switching to this method more often now that homeowners are aware of the benefits.

And now I invite you to find out more about your home's plumbing system by visiting http://www.LosAngelesPlumbingandSewer.com to learn how Schuelke Plumbing can offer you the best and most recent information available on plumbing and sewer repairs for your residential or commercial buildings.

Horizontal Or Vertical Drywall

How Hot is Your Kitchen

The kitchen is a feisty place, a place of sizzling, burning, searing, and grilling, with the whistle of steam and the crackle of oil all combining to create a symphony that's so good you can taste it.

But how hot is your kitchen in actuality? I'm not talking about temperature I am referring to excitement, to inspiration, to passion. Are the walls coated in bare and lonely wall paper, screaming for an accent? Or do they have style, and character, born from a thousand tiny details each expressing the inner you?

The energy in your kitchen may come from the cook, but the cook's energy has to come from inspiration. A kitchen devoid of character will not ignite new ideas, and it won't excite the imagination.

On the other hand however, it is quite possible to get too hot. You don't want to be sweating in the salsa. Over stimulation can lead to mistakes, and mistakes usually taste terrible.

So the kitchen ends up being a compromise. You balance hot against cold, energy against calculation, to form the perfect space for creation. And you judge this balance with the best scale available, your own body.

Everyone has an internal temperature, and a psychological temperament. Some people are always excited, always energetic, while others are calmer, and more calculating.

When you are the cook, it is your job to mold the kitchen to suit the emotional needs of your personality. This can be done by balancing your own heat, and energy, against the stimulus in the room. In this way you can invigorate your calm serenity with some exciting colors, or cool off a fiery temperament with some soothing art pieces.

Conclusion: How hot do you want your kitchen to be? Cool as a cucumber or hot as a tamale? The answer is simple, balance the space against your own personal flame.

Looking to add a unique flavor to your kitchen or bar ware set? Each and every stone beverage coaster offered by PebbleArt is made one of a kind by the natural properties which occur within its surface. These features give each piece its own distinct personality and character.

Lowest Construction Bids

Storage Rentals Make Remodeling Easier

A person may need storage rentals for a variety of different reasons. They can make many unpleasant tasks a lot easier. It isn't just individuals renting these storage containers. In fact, a number of retail businesses and even sports teams rent them for temporary storage of equipment and inventory. For the homeowner, some of the most common reasons to rent a storage container are when one is remodeling the house. From tearing down walls to adding a new bathroom, a remodel can become a messy affair. It is good to have a safe place in which to put all of your valuables.

It is just as handy for other, smaller jobs you are doing on the house. If you are going to take out the carpet and replace it with hardwood floors, or if you are repainting, you may want to use storage rentals to secure your belongings while you work. You will need to call the storage company and tell them the date on which you want the container delivered. Depending on the amount of material that you need to move into the container, you may want to have it delivered a few days ahead of time. This ensures that you won't have to rush the procedure.

Although there are many companies that offer storage equipment on the Internet, you should find one that has been in business for a while and has a professional staff. These professionals will listen to your needs and can help you with the proper storage container solutions. Learn more about a professional storage rental company by visiting ABRichards.com.

A.B. Richards, Inc., is a company that offers great storage rentals. To look at the available storage options, visit http://www.abrichards.com.

How Tough Are Concrete Epoxies

Winter Weather and Your Water Pipes

If you live in a region that gets freezing weather, your water pipes are at risk of freezing in the winter. What's the big deal about frozen pipes other than the fact that you can't flush the toilets, brush your teeth, or take a shower? When water freezes, it expands which can cause the pipes to burst! And burst pipes lead to major water damage and costly repairs.

Because of the risk of significant water damage to your home, it pays to protect your pipes from the dangers of freezing temperatures. Below are some tips to protect your pipes from winter weather:

Insulate all exposed water pipes by wrapping them in pipe insulation. Pay attention to pipes in unheated areas such as the attic, garage, and basement.

Learn how to shut off power, gas, and water at their primary source as well as any local shutoff valves.

When the temperatures drop below freezing, keep your thermostat set to at least 55 degrees, even if you are away from home.

Caulk the entry points of any pipes where they enter the home. In the winter, close ventilation vents in the foundation to minimize cold drafts.
Drain and remove outdoor hoses before winter weather arrives. Shut off any separate valves for outdoor faucets and then drain those pipes by turning on the faucets.

For outdoor hose bibs without separate shutoff valves, insulate the pipes. Shut off the water supply to the outdoor sprinkler systems.

Indoor pipes that are located against interior walls need special care. Wrap these in pipe insulation and open cabinet doors to allow heat to circulate.

During sub-freezing temperatures, allow one faucet to drip cold water. This keeps water slowly circulating throughout the water pipes.

If a water pipe bursts, immediately turn off the main water to the house to minimize flooding.

If a pipe does burst, prompt action on your part is critical. After turning off the main water supply, some water will remain in the pipes and eventually make its way to the burst pipe. To minimize the amount of water that leaks out, start flushing toilets or running water (preferably downstream of the broken pipe) in an attempt to drain the water that's currently in your home's water pipes.

Once the water stops flowing, let the mopping up begin. You may have extensive water damage requiring the help of a water damage professional. In addition, structural repairs such as replacing damaged drywall or cabinetry may be required. Extensive water damage may require filing an insurance claim, depending on your coverages and deductible amount.

Contact a water damage company and your insurance agent to start the process right away because time is of the essence. Prompt repairs and completely drying the area ASAP are necessary for minimizing the damage and preventing an unpleasant side effect of burst pipes: mold.

As winter approaches each year, take the time to take care of your pipes. Preventing pipe bursts and water damage is well worth the effort.

By: Mr. Mark Decherd

For more information and other articles by Mark Decherd go to:

Dryout Inc.
1415 Colonial Blvd.
Fort Myers, Fl. 33907
http://www.dryout.net
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Water Damage

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Pocket Door Problems

How To Clean Marble - Home Repair Tips

Marble differs from most other stones because it is extremely porous. In other words, it allows dirt and stains to set in and be retained far more easily than denser stone. Also for this reason, it cannot withstand most conventional cleaning mediums especially harsh detergents and acids.

Remember that marble has a slightly unstable chemistry and is quite delicate. Calcium carbonate (which is what marble basically consists of) will immediately and dramatically react with any kind of acid, resulting in pitting and scarring.

The best way of maintaining marbles overall cleanliness is with lukewarm water, a soft cloth and an occasional wipe down with a mild, non-abrasive detergent. The marble should be thoroughly wiped dry after such cleaning. If you like, a light coat of wax can be applied for further protection, but this is entirely optional, since marble will not gain additional luster from wax the way wood does.

The only safe way of tackling stains (blood, tea, coffee etc.) on marble is by gently soaking them off. To do this, any kind of absorbent material such as blotting paper or facial tissue can be lightly soaked in water and 20% hydrogen peroxide, placed over the stain and left there for several hours. The stain should wipe off easily after this treatment. Rust stains are best removed with regular rust removers; however, marble should not be exposed to them longer than strictly necessary.

Marble does tend to fade with the passage of time. This does not necessarily detract from its innate beauty. However, the luster of faded marble especially on domestic home floors can be effectively rejuvenated. There are specialty cleaning agents such as tin dioxide available at most leading housekeeping stores. Used as manual polish or in combination with an electric floor polisher, these work wonders in freshening up the lost shine of marble.

Keeping your marble in top condition is easy with a little care: it may be maintained with soft, conventional cleaning products; stains can be removed with hydrogen peroxide and it may even be polished to keep it looking new.

Wood Flooring provides detailed information about wood flooring, laminate wood flooring, hard wood flooring, engineered wood flooring and more. Wood Flooring is the sister site of How To Clean Marble.

What Kind Of Wood Rot

How to Refinish Coffee Tables

Coffee tables, due to their size, are great to keep around and use for many years. They receive a good deal of punishment, though, as they can be used for a variety of activities. Serving drinks, playing cards, and eating while watching television are all suited to coffee tables. A quality finish will stand up to regular wear and tear, but you may find that the day comes to strip the old finish and apply a new one. Coffee tables are good to work with as they usually don't have a large surface area and are fairly simple in design. Many of them don't feature tricky corners or ornaments.

The first step is to remove the old finish. A bristle brush, a good mask, and a chemical strip will be necessary. The chemicals will give off powerful fumes, so be sure to invest in a high quality mask. Apply the strip with the brush and scrub vigorously. Most coffee tables will require this step to be repeated once or twice.

After letting the fumes evaporate, move in with a paint scraper. Be careful here, as you do not want to damage the wood. Doing so will create another problem that is not remedied quite as easily (coffee tables can be fixed with filler, usually). After the old finish is stripped completely, you can start the next step.

You have a lot of freedom here, as there are a number of stains and finishes that can be applied to modern coffee tables. Determine what look you want for the table, and decide on a product that matches it as closely as possible. Some even contain a finish and sealant together. These can be very useful. Whatever you ultimately choose, determine if a sealant will be necessary. If the finish you use does not contain one, purchase and apply it separately. Follow the instructions on the product label, as there are specific methods for various substances. Some are even designed for coffee tables.

FeelMoreHuman.com offers a wide selection of coffee tables, console tables, and other coffee tables at great discount prices. Visit RogueStatus' blog for details.

Building Safe Stairs

Stair Lighting Problems - Safety Home Ideas

Walking up and down the stairs in the dark could become a safety issue. If the stairs in the house are not that old, there should be a light switch at the top and a light switch at the bottom of the stairway. This is a three way switch and is designed to allow you to turn the stair lighting on as you walk up the stairs and then turn the stair lighting off, once you've safely reached the top of the stairway. And vice versa as she walked down the stairs.

If you don't have a light switch, there are motion sensor lights that are battery operated and can be installed easily in the stairway. These lights can provide you with peace of mind, while protecting your family from accidents.

Stairway accidents are nothing to joke about, I lived in a two-story house with four other people and was the last one to fall down the stairway. None of us got seriously injured and the stairway was built to meet local building codes and was inspected by a building and safety inspector. The stairs were built correctly and the stair lighting was no problem, but people still fell down the stairway and it always happens in the evening.

During the day time there were two windows that let plenty of light into the stairway and in the evening the stairway became quite dark, rarely was the stair lightning ever turned on. This could have been outright laziness but nevertheless, it was rarely used and eventually became a safety issue.

Lighting your stairway might not end all of your problems but it can and some of your problems. There are plenty of stair lighting systems available on the market today and some of the battery operated stair lighting systems can be installed by most homeowners.

Think safety always and do your best to solve your stair lighting problems as soon as possible to prevent injuries or accidents.

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a Home Buyers Guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.

If your looking for some more building stairs or home building ideas.

Building Safe Stairs

Hardwood Lumber Is An Important Part Of Your Woodworking Project

A hardwood lumber is a must for any woodworking shop. Whenever you are making a solid wood product, you want a good quality wood. Such wood is not only looks good, but strong and durable as well. The project you are creating and the usage determines the type of material to be used.

Types of Hardwood Lumber

The rich and dark tones of Walnut are loved. A strong wood this tight grain has a distinct beauty of its own. The color of the wood differs depending on the country in which it has been grown in. This material is used to make different types of furniture, grandfather clocks and cabinets. Musical instruments have also been made from it. High quality veneers as made from Walnut too.

A very popular hardwood used in hardwood flooring, cabinet and furniture making of different types is Oak. It has a lovely, soft tone that looks good in a wide variety of situations and matches most home dcors. Mostly found in kitchen cabinets in country style homes, the problem with oak is its price. Oak is one of the most expensive types of wood.

In the Eastern United States the yellow poplar is one of the tallest trees. Though much cheaper than oak or walnut, it is still a good quality wood. Poplar is used in a variety of products including furniture, toys, musical instruments and sporting goods. It is one of the easiest of all types of woods, to work with in a home or commercial set up.

Beech is a variety grown on both the coasts of the United States. This type of wood can be used for a variety of projects like flooring, doors, furniture, boxes, baskets, etc. The plus point of Beech is that it is very easy to paint or stain. This type of wood accepts the stain well.

Hardwood plywood gives impression of hard wood without being pricey. For added strength the hardwood veneer is glued to particle board. Such wood is often used in bookcases. One of the best quality hardwood plywood types happens to be Oak plywood. Easy to stain, doesnt warp easily and is long lasting. The Windsor plywood is a high quality wood.

Where to Buy Lumber

Lumber can be found in many home improvement or lumber stores, such as 84 Lumber, Lumber Liquidators, Carter Lumber and Lowes Lumber. Types, such as walnut, may not be available in some home improvement stores though. Since this is mostly a special order item, some places may give you the facility of ordering it for you. Extra time is needed for ordering and delivery.

The magazine writer Eric Slarkowski is very interested in subjects associated with mdf typical sizes and mdf board. His abstracts on mdf lumber are published on http://www.insidewoodworking.com/lumber/794mdf-lumber-size.html

What To Do If Your Home Floods

How to Weld Metal

The average person's impression of how metal is welded is that you simply fire-up a blow torch and run it along the edge of a metal seam to weld it together. Or they probably think you can just run that same torch across any kind of metal and cut through it, like in the safe-cracker movies. But the reality is that professional welding actually involves some fairly extensive knowledge, and is somewhat of an art form that takes many years of experience to master. Even so, if you are wanting to learn, you can start with a few simple techniques. Once you've mastered the basics and have a beginner's idea, you can then move on to the more complicated skills that take longer to master.

Safety Precautions

Before you ever start any project, always think about safety precautions first. Equipment and supplies can be replaced; you cannot be replaced. You may think that getting burned is the worst thing that can happen in a welding accident. However, damage to your eyes can occur from the intense light that comes from the process. Some metal welding techniques make use of high voltage electricity to create a weld, which always raises the possibility of electrocution or death if the you are careless. As you start any welding project, be sure to wear a proper helmet to protect your eyes, head and hair. And don't forget protective gloves and clothing. Lastly, be sure to read and follow all safety precautions written by the manufacturer of the particular metal welding equipment you are using.

Oxy-Acetylene Welding (also known as Oxyfuel Welding)

This is the type of welding that the average person is most familiar with, and which is often casually described as a "blow torch". However, even though oxy-acetylene welding is the most commonly-known type, it is actually the least used technique among professionals. On the upside, it is less complicated and less expensive than other types of welding. However, oxy-acetylene is less common nowadays because it is less accurate, doesn't produce a weld bead as cleanly as other methods and can result in weaker weld joints due to the slower cooling time it involves compared to other welding techniques. Even so, if you are interested in learning how to weld metal, you may want to practice oxy-acetylene welding in addition to other types of welding. It will be a handy skill to have because it's the best type to use on certain common welding projects, such as pipes or tubes, and when you have to use welding equipment to do repairing, bending and cutting.

Arc Welding

The most common technique used these days is "Arc Welding". If you're learning how to weld metal, you will definitely need to practice arc welding. Rather than using a gas torch, arc welding involves using high voltage electricity passing into the piece of metal. In Arc Welding, a spark (or "arc") jumping across from one piece of metal to the other causes enough heat to melt metal and form a weld. This process is more desirable in most cases because it is more accurate and produces a cleaner, stronger weld. Within the category of "Arc Welding" there are actually several different methods to choose from, depending on the type of metal welding work you need to do.

Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) may be best when you have large welds or metal welding in unusual positions, where a rough weld is acceptable. With this method, the electricity runs through an electrode rod (or "stick") which actually melts, producing the welded joint. On the other hand, MIG Welding, also know as Metal Inert Gas Welding, or Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW), may be better if you are involved in a metal welding project that requires more speed. With this welding technique you don't use rods that you have to keep replacing as they melt. Instead, you use equipment that sends the electricity through a metal tip that doesn't melt, and a separate piece of continuous wire is fed to the tip which melts and forms the weld. TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) Welding is somewhat similar to MIG welding, but is better when working with thin materials where you need a high-quality weld and speed is not important. As you learn you will also hear of other methods, such as Flux-Cored Arc Welding (FCAW), Submerged Arc Welding (SAW), Plasma Welding, etc. But don't worry too much about remembering all of the various techniques. Just focus on one method at a time and get to the point where you are comfortable that you know how to weld with that method before you learn something new.

Other Welding Methods

Although you will primarily be concerned with Arc Welding and Oxy-Acetylene Welding as you learn how to weld, you might hear about other types and wonder what they are, such as Resistance Welding, Energy Beam Welding and Solid-State Welding. Don't let that overwhelm you right now. Many of those welding methods are primarily useful in large, specialized industrial applications and don't really affect you as you learn how to weld.

Conclusion

Hopefully you now know a little more about the basic concepts that will be important to you as you learn how to weld. As you can see, although there are numerous methods, each with it's own unique set of equipment, procedures and purposes, there are actually only a couple of basic methods you need to remember and practice. To get started learning, start practicing with an inexpensive arc welding setup. Get yourself a machine and just start experimenting with it on some scrap pieces of metal (after reading all instructions and taking all safety precautions, or course). Figure out what works, and what doesn't. You will soon begin to develop a style that is most comfortable for you. Also, get yourself some oxy-acetylene equipment and try that type, too. With a lot of practice, you will become a good novice fairly quickly and will be able to master just about any common project you may encounter.

Want to know more about welding? Visit my blog at http://WeldLikeTheWind.com

I Have A Squeaky Floor

Home Bridge Construction Loans - Providing You the Funds You Need to Construct Your New Home

Are you planning to sell your old home and build a new one? If you are, then you may need to get some funds to construct your new home. However, you need to face the fact that selling homes today can be quite difficult. So, how will you be able to construct your new home if you can't sell your old home as fast as you can? Without selling your home, you will be faced with a dilemma where you will never have enough money to buy a new one.

Today, it is now possible for you to get the funds that you need in order for you to construct your new home even before you sell your old home. By taking out a bridge construction loan, this will be able to cover both the homes you are selling and the home you want to construct.

The great thing about bridge construction loans is that it is quite easy to qualify. The reason for this is that most lending companies know that you will only be obligated on both properties on a limited period of time.

You need to understand that bridge construction loans or home bridge loans are short term loans where it will only require you to pay one monthly payment and one closing payment. To make it more convenient, most bridge construction loans have low interest rates compared to other types of mortgages.

These are the things that you can benefit from with bridge construction loans. With it, you will be able to get the funds you need to construct your new home before you even sell your old home.

To Learn More About Bridge Mortgage Lenders and Loan Programs, Visit the Bridge Mortgage Loans Information Center Today at http://www.bridge-mortgage-loans.com/

Painting Metal Siding

Filtered Water Through Your Entire House

Water coming into your home is not always fit to drink. Shower and laundry water is also affected. Whole house filtration systems are being acquired to solve this problem. Once this is installed you can start getting filtered water at a fraction of the cost of bottled water.

There is a considerable amount of improvement in the home's air quality, overall, since the chemicals that are present in the water as contaminants, such as chlorine, are removed from it by the filters and, therefore, are not let out into the household. Clothing is protected against being embedded with contaminants contained in tap water, while laundry is being done, since clean and fresh water is provided for the entire family.

In the long run, the amount of cleaning that has to be done in the house gets reduced considerably after the installation of a house filter. This also includes the work required to clean deposits left behind by unclean water in the kitchen, the bathroom as well as on the dishes and utensils used for eating or for food storage.

The shower can also have a supply of clean filtered water, when a whole house filter is in use. The risk of water borne illnesses can can be reduced considerably when water free of harmful contaminants are used for bathing. Water coming out of your shower may contain chlorine which is harmful and can turn into chlorine gas and may enter the blood-stream through the skin, on account of absorption, when unfiltered is used for taking showers. Cancer may be caused, in addition to respiratory diseases like bronchitis and asthma, because of that.

Since protective oils of the natural kind are removed from the skin by chlorine, the softness of the hair and skin can be retained if the water used for bathing is sourced from filtered source. Similarly, while washing dishes or while bathing, one is protected against the air being filled with harsh chemicals that may irritate the respiratory system, through the use of such filters. Those suffering from allergies stand to benefit in a major way from that.

House water filters can prove to be effective protection against contaminants in the water supply, if the facility for treatment of water in the local area develops a fault. In addition to harmful contaminants, bacteria that could be harmful are also removed from the water by such filters. The plumbing system of the house is likely to remain completely free of such chemicals and bacteria, if a whole house water filter is in place.

Not only is pure and safe water provided by a outside filter, but the kind of clutter that there may be caused in a kitchen where a countertop filter is installed is also not there in the case of such a filter. The whole house water filter performs its functions effectively while remaining largely unseen. The taste of the water provided by it after filtration is also much better than that of tap water, since chlorine and other such chemicals that may affect taste are removed.

The advantages as well as disadvantages of installing a filter can be gauged from the evaluation of information such as the facts that have been discussed here. There is, obviously, a lot of benefits and convenience that the use of house water filtration can provide. Each and every source of water in the house can dispense clean and pure water, once such a filtration system is in operation.

Assisting you with your house water filter needs, the staff at Better Water Store is here to help achieve your clean water goals at an reasonable price. Whole house filters are also available.