Archive for September, 2008

Basic Steps For Remodeling a Basement

A basement can add a lot of value to a home, it’s like having a whole additional story that’s just located underground! It’s also a great way to add some much needed space to a home that’s not quite as large as you’d like. The first step in finishing or remodeling a basement is of course to decide what you’d like to use all the extra space for!

Basements make great spaces for family or game rooms. If you’ve always wanted a pool table but never had the room, the basement is the perfect place to have one. And, if you’re basement is large enough, you could have a large family room plus a guest room. There’s just so many options when you’ve got a whole additional floor in your home.

Basements are naturally sound resistant, so it’s a great place for a home theater. And, other things like musical instruments won’t bother the neighbors as much underground. One good advantage in turning your basement into a very much used section of the home is that there is already everything you need, pipes and electrical wires are usually easy to access from the basement.

After you’ve decided exactly what you want to use the basement for, the next step is to check for any water problems and fix them. A basement that never gets used might have leakage problems without you even knowing it. If you’re only in the basement occasionally, the water could have time to dry up and you won’t be aware of a problem.

Fixing water and moisture problems before adding insulation and walls is much easier and less expensive than finding out there’s a leak after you’ve done all the work. Even if you’re going to do all the work on the basement yourself, leaks are one area that it will be worth calling in a professional.

Before you start any of the remodeling, get a plan. Take exact measurements of the basement and draw it out on paper. Mark the water and electrical sources so that you can plan where to put outlets, light fixtures or an extra bathroom. Drawing out a rough blue print can help a lot when you start making separations or adding extra walls.

Another really important consideration when finishing a basement is the air circulation. Most basements have little if any vents, good air circulation is essential to help prevent the chances of molds and mildew growing. You’ll also need to decide on the type of heating and cooling you’ll want to use. Duct work can be used to connect into the existing heat and air units that service the rest of the home.

Installing insulation is critical step in not only keeping the basement comfortable, but it can also keep it dry. Since the ground stays cool, warm air will create condensation on the walls. Insulation will block warm air from hitting the walls and creating moisture. It’s another way to reduce the chance of mold and mildew, but it can also keep the walls from eventually rotting.

If you have a basement that is partially above ground, make use of the space by adding larger windows. But, if you don’t have the advantage of natural light, make the best out of artificial lighting. Since basement ceilings are generally lower than regular ceilings, add some indirect sources of light that shine on the ceiling to make them appear higher.

Mirrors can also magnify the lighting that you do have. Light reflecting off of mirrors can really increase the light of any room. Recessed lighting fixtures are also good additions to a basement. Just remember that lighting is very important, unlike traditional rooms that have windows, a basement can still appear dark with just a few lighting sources.

How To Pickle Wood To Add Vintage Charm

Lot’s of people have an immense appreciation for the look of vintage, aged furniture. Antique furniture is a highly sought after home furnishing, but antique pieces can cost thousands of dollars. The alternative is to make new pieces look antique!

Faux painting methods are becoming more popular everyday as homeowners seek out ways to have the old world look without the modern prices. Pickling furniture is a great way to get that look, it can give new wood a charming aged appearance.

Years ago wood pickling was achieved by soaking galvanized nails in white vinegar for several days. The vinegar would dissolve the galvanizing off of the nails, after a few days the vinegar would be cloudy and it was then applied to the wood.

Pickled wood is becoming a very popular look again, but now you don’t have to wait days for vinegar and nails to create the solution! If you check your local hardware or paint store, you’ll find many paints that are especially for pickling. They’re usually available in either white or off white and can be either water or oil based paints.

Since they are considered specialty paints, they are generally higher than regular paint. But, you can easily make your own pickling paint for a loss less. If you choose a latex paint you’ll need to mix one part paint to three parts of water. Oil based paints will work well to, but you’ll need to mix one part paint with three parts of turpentine or paint thinner instead of using water.

Making your own pickling paint allows you to add color to the paint. But, the whole idea of pickling is that you can see the woods grain through the paint. The traditional process using nails and vinegar gave the wood a off-white or gray color that left light and dark shades of the woods grain visible. So if you do decide to add color, use pastel or light shades of paint.

The type of paint that you choose is just a personal preference. But, oil paint gives you more control over the out come. It dries slower than latex, so that if you don’t like the look you can wipe it off and start over, or just wipe some of it off. The main benefit of using latex paint is that there are less fumes. But, it dries quickly and you have to work fast to get the look you’re after.

Once you’ve made your pickling paint, it’s just simply applied using an old rag. Make sure that your wear some rubber gloves to protect your hands. Use one rag to apply the paint, then use another one to remove as much or as little as you want.

After you’ve got the entire piece of furniture done and achieved the look that you wanted, allow it to dry thoroughly. To protect the piece and your hard work, you should apply a clear sealant or coating. Use at least two coats letting it completely dry between each coat.

The best type of clear sealant to use is a clear water based formula. If you use a oil finish type you will end up with a gold tint on the piece that will change the entire look. You should also choose one that has a matte, satin or flat finish. If you use a gloss clear coat the different shadings in the woods grain won’t be as visible.

Pickling creates a dusty, washed out color that is just beautiful. And, for a more dramatic effect, choose woods that have lot’s of prominent grains. Something as simple as selecting wood pieces that have more visible grains can add to the spectrum of shades that will show through the pickling giving the piece even more old world charm!

Understanding Basic Woodworking Terms

If you’ve got a lot of experience with woodworking, then all of the technical terms aren’t much of a mystery. But, if you’re an amateur that just loves doing woodwork as a hobby or likes doing your own home repairs, some of the terms used can be pretty confusing.

By knowing what each term means, you can get a better visualized idea of what the process includes. And, having some idea of what the outcome is suppose to be can mean the difference between a successful project and one that ends up in the scrap pile!

If the project plans includes a mitered joint, it simply means that the two ends are cut a different angles so that they will fit together without any gap being left. A perfectly square corner has a 90* angle, to achieve this you would just cut each end at a 45* angle, when placed together they will create the perfect corner!

Professional carpenters or do it yourself carpenters that work with miters a lot usually have a miter saw. But, for most people that just do woodworking as a hobby or hobbyists or do small home repairs, a miter box generally does the job. A miter box is a small jig that the wood fits into, the sides are pre-cut with guides, you insert the hand saw into the guide to cut the wood and there’s no guess work!

A crosscut is just like the name implies, it’s a cut that goes across the grain of the board. There’s slightly more resistance when cutting against the grain of the wood, but saw blades with larger teeth can make it a snap. A rip cut is just the opposite of a crosscut, it’s when you cut the wood in the direction that the woods grain is going.

If you need to plane a piece of wood, you just need to remove some layers to make it thinner. There are various types of wood planes, but the most common is a hand plane. The plane will have a small handle to hold while you slide it across the wood, an attached blade shaves layers off the wood.

One place that planing comes in handy is around doors or windows. Often, over time your homes foundation may shift, or moisture may cause the wood frames around doors or windows to swell. The result is a window or door that doesn’t close properly. Instead of replacing the entire frame piece, you simply shave some of the wood off so that it’s flush again.

If you have a lot of planing projects, you may want to consider purchasing an electric plane. They come in all different sizes, from smaller ones that you can carry around like a drill, to sizes that are not portable. Electric planes are mainly used when you need to reduce the thickness on large areas of wood.

An electric plane can be very handy if you already have a lot of wood that is too thick for the project you want to do. And, the new trend is to make furniture and wood accessories out of vintage boards. Most older wood wasn’t always cut in perfect sizes, the thickness can vary just enough that when they’re put together the surface isn’t completely flat.

You may rarely run across a project that requires a mortise, but when you do you, you’re probably going wonder what it means. The most common places that you find a mortise is on doors. A mortise is an area of the wood that is removed so that another item can sit in the wood and be flush with the woods surface, such as the area where a hinge attaches to a door frame.

You can make a mortise with a sharp utility knife or a wood chisel. The surface should be as smooth as possible, but it doesn’t even have to be perfectly smooth since the hinge will cover it. If you enjoy making hope chests, cabinets or even jewelry boxes, you’ll need to make mortises quite often.

How To Apply Weather Stripping To a Garage Door

Many homeowners prepare for cold weather by insulating, caulking and apply weather stripping to their homes. But, one of the most forgotten places that needs to be weather stripped is the garage door. While hardly anyone heats their garage, sealing the cracks can still help in keeping lot’s of cold air out.

Weather stripping your garage door can help to protect everything that’s stored in your garage even if you don’t heat it. Many items can survive the winter out of the damp air, that wouldn’t last if they were sitting out in the elements.

And, if you have the convenience of a door from the home directly into the garage, weather stripping can help keep lot’s of cold air from entering your home each time you open the garage door. But, since garages aren’t normally heated, most people don’t think to insulate them.

Most garage doors will last for the entire life of your home if they’re taken care of and properly maintained. Weatherstripping will keep moisture from leaking to the inside of the door that will not only damage the door, but can affect the way your garage door opener works as well. Moisture gathering on the metal parts of the door opener can lead to rusty components that stick.

Many homes have rooms or small apartment like additions over their garages. Another great advantage to insulating your garage is that the cold air won’t leak into the above room or suck all of the heat out of it wasting energy.

A garage door that has been properly installed and maintained should have even space all the way around the door. However, the door normally doesn’t fit up against the frame and this small gap is where weather stripping needs to be applied.

Garage door weather stripping is made of rubber and is very flexible. As the door opens and closes, the rubber flexes and forms a tight seal around the door. Eventually, heat and cold damage the rubber and it can become hard and crack. Sometimes the rubber stripping gets torn from bumps with lawnmowers, bicycles or other items.

Most home improvement stores and hardware stores carry rubber weather stripping. It generally comes in either white or brown and is pre-attached to a plastic backing that can be nailed right to the door frame. Measure the existing weather stripping to make sure that you get the correct size for your garage door.

When removing the old stripping be very careful not to damage the frame. You can use a hammer to remove the nails, but a small pry bar usually works better since the area is small. After you’ve removed all of the old stripping, check the area to make sure that none of the nails have pulled through the stripping and are still in the frame.

It’s best if you start attaching the new weather stripping at the top of the door. Depending on what the backing is made of, you can usually cut the stripping with a utility knife or a sharp pair of utility scissors. Measure the length across the top and cut a piece of stripping to the correct size.

The weather stripping can be over lapped slightly at the corners so that there aren’t any leaks. Nail spacing is a personal preference, but the closer the nails the less chance there will be of leaks. You can also use an electric staple gun if you have one handy.

After you’ve attached the top section of the stripping, measure, cut and attach the side pieces. Applying the weather stripping with the garage door closed will give you a much more efficient seal. With the door closed, you’ll be able to see any gaps and adjust the stripping before attaching it.

Don’t forget to inspect the weather stripping around the door that enters your home from the garage. And, if you have a window installed on the side of your garage, weather strip it as well. Any amount of cold air that you can keep out of your garage will help keep your home warmer and reduce your utility bill!

Tips For Sparkling, Streak Free Glass and Windows

There’s a reason that maids and house cleaners often say, “I don’t do windows!”. Seems like no matter how much you clean them or what you clean them with, there’s always streaks left behind. Almost all commercial window cleaners claim to be “streak free”, but I’ve yet to find one that actually lives up to that claim!

One way to reduce the amount of streaks left behind is to never clean your windows while the sun is hitting them. The heat from the sun dries up the cleaning solution too quickly and it will cause all kinds of streaks! And, if you don’t have a choice but to clean them while the sun is hitting them, clean small areas at a time.

If you’ve ever had to run in and out of your house trying to figure out which side of the glass a streak or smudge was on, try this simple idea. Use different strokes for each side of the glass. When you clean one side, wipe the glass up and down, for the other side, wipe the glass from side to side.

To remove grease and soil from your windows, use two quarts of warm water with 1/4 cup of ammonia mixed in. This especially works well for windows in kitchens where grease from cooking travels through the air and settles on the glass.

If you live close to a road or highway, grease and oil from automobiles can even collect on your windows. For really thick built up grease and soil, combine two cups of rubbing alcohol, 1/2 cup of ammonia and a gallon of warm water. Shake it up to get it all mixed really well and pour some into a spray bottle.

If you have a fish aquarium, then you’ve probably had to deal with removing hard water deposits. I don’t like to use chemicals on my aquarium since you can’t ever be sure you’ve gotten them thoroughly rinsed off. Try 1/4 cup of vinegar mixed with two quarts of warm water.
For really stubborn deposits, use vinegar full strength on a sponge.

Cut glass is easy to clean if you just use a little baking soda and a damp sponge or cloth. Gently rub the glass and then rinse with some clean water and use a soft lint free cloth to polish it to a shine.

If none of these seem to perform in the way that you want them to, you can try a tablespoon of lemon juice mixed in one quart of water. Borax also makes a really good window cleaner, mix three cups of water and two tablespoons of the borax.

Glass is pretty expensive to replace and pretty easy to scratch! You can rub a little dab of regular toothpaste onto the scratch and then polish it with a soft rag. Mixing equal parts of white vinegar and dry mustard is also suppose to be really good at fixing scratches.

Several years ago, I had a friend that would not clean her windows with anything but newspapers. She said that she never had a problem with streaks when she used newspapers. But, you shouldn’t use them if you have someone in the home that is allergic to the inks and dyes in the paper.

Preventative Care To Maintain Your Septic System

Septic systems are brilliant inventions that eliminate waste and add nutrients to the soil at the same time! Microorganisms in the waste works inside the septic tank to break the waste down into a liquid form. When the septic tank gets full, the liquid overflows into the drainage pipes that lead to a leech bed or field. The liquid then seeps through the holes in the pipes and back into the soil adding nutrients!

Problems with septic systems occur because not everything that gets flushed down the toilet can be broken down into a liquid form. Problems can also arise when the septic tank is filled to quickly for the organisms to process the contents into a liquid form. Eventually, all of these solid waste products will fill the tank and you have a serious problem on your hands.

Once the septic tank has gotten to that point, you will probably have to replace it or have it pumped out by a professional septic service. It costs thousands of dollars to replace a septic system, but with a little preventative maintenance your septic tank will last for many years.

Having your septic tank pumped out every few years can prevent the mess and expense caused by a clogged system. It’s also a really good opportunity to have the septic maintenance personel to do a visual inspection of the septic tank to check for any physical damage. Have him look for any cracks, loose pipes or any other problems with the system.

You should never spend the whole day doing laundry! The water used during a couple of loads of laundry each day is easier for the system to handle than the amount of water that accumulates from washing clothes all day long. A septic tank that is full of water can’t process the waste properly and is one of the most common causes of a clogged system.

When you shop for detergents and automatic dishwasher soap, always choose liquid. Powdered detergents contain fillers that can quickly build up and clog up your whole system. And, never allow grease to enter the system. The grease will gather in the holes inside the pipes of the leech field and you may have to dig up your whole yard to find the clog.

Many products that are labeled as “flushable” should never be flushed down the toilet! Products such as diapers and femine care products will fill the system up very quickly. They may actually be made of materials that can be broken down into liquids, but it takes a long time for this to occur. In the meantime, they will sit in the system and eventually cause lot’s of problems.

When you’re doing your landscaping projects, you should never plant anything larger than flowers over the septic tank or the on top of the leech field. It may take awhile, but roots from trees and shrubs will grow large enough to do a lot of damage to the tank and pipes.

While there are many commercial products on the market that make claims of clearing your septic system, you really shouldn’t use them. Most of these types of products contain chemicals that are severely damaging to the soil. Many of the chemicals in these septic products are even reported to be carcinogenic.

Never park your car, a boat or any other vehicle on top of your leech bed. Even though the pipes are several feet under the ground, the weight can be very damaging to the pipes, especially if the ground is soft. It’s just best to not take any chances of having a busted pipe.

Properly maintaining a septic system is fairly simple. It basically comes down to just watching what gets flushed into the system and limiting the amount of water that goes into the system at one time.

How To Choose A Gas Fireplace

Gas fireplaces provide a lot of advantages over wood burning fireplaces. With wood you have to have a place for storage, you have to go out in the cold to get more wood and you have to worry about it going out in the middle of the night. And, if you purchase fresh wood, it needs to sit for around a year to get properly seasoned for burning.

You can purchase either propane or natural gas fireplaces that have logs that look just like wood. The logs will be housed inside a firebox and there’s usually a glass front on the stove. You can just turn a switch to start the fire and have instant heat.

Gas is a lot cleaner than wood, there’s no ashes or chips of wood to clean up. Gas is also much more energy efficient than wood. And, you never have to worry about not having heat is the electric goes off like you do with heat pumps or furnaces.

There are several basic types of gas fireplaces to choose from, free standing, factory built and inserts. Free standing fireplaces are the most effective of the three. Since they aren’t placed against a wall, the room receives heat from all sides of the fireplace.

Factory built fireplaces are usually installed when the home is being built or if major renovations are done. And, if you already have an existing fireplace that you want to convert to gas, inserts can be installed. They’re just placed inside the fireplace and no major construction is required inside the home.

If you do choose to install gas burining inserts, you will need to have your chimney relined. You will also need to make sure that you have a approved vent installed so that fumes don’t escape into the home. You can install gas fireplaces yourself, but it’s much safer to have a experienced professional do the job.

Before purchasing a gas fireplace, make sure that you check the government rating labels. Modern fireplaces are much more energy efficient than they once were, but some will still provide you with a much better savings on your gas bill than others.

There are several features to look for to make sure that you get the most energy efficient gas fireplace. Choose one that is direct vented, it will save energy and also be safer. A fireplace that is equipped with an automatic starter will use less gas than one that has a pilot light.

A fireplace that has a circulating fan will force the heat out into the room. It will help the fireplace keep a larger area nice and warm. Try to choose a stove that has a ceramic glass front instead of one that is made of tempered glass. Ceramic transmits heat much better and it’s also shatter resistant.

Fireplace units that are equipped with a secondary heat exchanger provide a lot more heat than units without them. And, one of the most important features for saving energy is a variable control. A fireplace that has a variable control gives you the option of regulating the amount of gas used by adjusting the temperature.

Some variable controls only allow you to adjust to around 70% while others will give you more control in adjusting it to 20%. And, if you’d like to heat more than just one room with the fireplace, make sure that it can be connected into the duct work.

Ventilation, Safety and Efficiency Tips For Using a Gas Fireplace

If you’ve decided that this is the year that you’re going to buy a gas fireplace, the first thing you will need to do is to decide how you want it to be vented. The venting system is very important because it’s what keeps gasses from escaping into your home.

The best choice for both safety and efficiency is a direct vent system. A direct vent uses two pipes, one pipe is used to bring air from the outside into the firebox. The other pipe is used as an exhaust to remove combustion to the outside instead of into the home.

This type of gas fireplace is much safer, the firebox will be sealed. And, it’s much more efficient because it doesn’t use the air in the room for combustion. This way none of the air that is already warm is going to get released outside.

A natural draft vent system requires a vertical chimney to draw combustion out of the fireplace through a flue. To prevent fluctuations from outside air pressure from reaching the burner, a draft hood is needed to isolate the burner.

Though rarely used, power venting is a great choice to use when you don’t have the option of installing a flue. It needs an electric fan to provide venting and doesn’t need a draft hood. Power venting doesn’t hardly use any of the rooms air at all making it very efficient.

You should never intall a fireplace that doesn’t have a vent. Without a vent to direct carbon monoxide and combustion to the outside, all of the gasses are released into the home. Avoid any type of vent free stove or fireplace, the fumes are deadly.

To help improve the efficiency of your fireplace always keep the glass clean. A clean glass will allow the maximum amount of heat to be released into the room. And, if you have a fireplace that has a pilot light, turn it off when you’re not using the fireplace.

Before using any fireplace, make sure that the area surrounding the fireplace is thoroughly clean. Not only can contaminants and debris easily catch fire, it can seriously damage the motor, fan and burner in the fireplace.

If your fireplace has a pilot light and it goes out, make sure to wait at least five minutes for any gas to evaporate before re-lighting it. Never clean the glass on your fireplace until it is completely cool, even shatter resistant glass might break if you try to clean it while it’s hot.

You should have your fireplace inspected by a professional at least once a year. The best time to have this done is right before cool weather arrives. If you have it done in the spring, something could go wrong with it while it’s sitting all summer.

To keep your family extra safe, always install a carbon monoxide detector in the same room where you install the fireplace. If you have more than one fireplace in your home, install a detector in each of the rooms. A detector located in a hallway might not alert you to fumes if the fireplace is behind a closed door!

If you’re using a new fireplace for the first time, carefully read all of the manufacturers instructions. Most companies will have a toll free number and if you have any questions that aren’t answered in the manual either call the company or a heating contractor.

If you smell any odors or gas while using the fireplace, turn it off and have it checked out. Keep all of the air vents cleared of snow, ice or any other debris such as leaves. And, clean the fireplace fan regularly.

A fireplace can add so much to the beauty and warmth of your home, but if not properly maintained your home could go up in flames. Protect your home and your family by doing regular inspections and keeping your fireplace clean.

Cheap and Free Ways to Decorate Your Home

Redecorating your home can sometimes be a challenge, especially if you’re on a tight budget. We’d all like to have rooms that are worthy of a magazine layout. But, unlike professional interior decorators we don’t have tons of accessories and money at our disposal. Most of us also haven’t got a degree in the art of decorating.

There are some simple designer tips that you can follow to give your home a more professionally decorated look. And, these tips don’t even require a large decorating budget! With these simple decorating steps you can use many items that you already have.

Most people always hang family pictures and art work too high. They will look much better is they’re hung at eye level. You’re eye level might be too high or too low depending on your height. Designers recommend that art work and photos be hung at the height of an average person. Pictures are much easier to view at this level and they also blend in with your furnishings better.

Every room should have a focal point! A focal point can be anything that you want to use to attract attention. It could be a painting, a family portrait, a fireplace or a piece of furniture. Once you’ve chosen a focal point, decorate with accessories that will accentuate it.

Balancing out all of your accessories can also make your room look much more stylish. Instead of having groups of items in even numbers, go for groupings of odd numbers of accessories. For instance, if you have a set of vases, group three or five together instead of four or six. Most sets of anything come in an even number of pieces, but if you only use part of the set it will make a big difference in the look.

Wallpaper can change the entire look of a room, but it can be fairly expensive. If you’re on a low budget, consider using a wallpaper border instead. There’s so many beautiful borders to choose from that you can find one to match any decor. And, they’re pretty inexpensive. You’ll be amazed at how much the look of the room will change by just adding a simple border.

You can never go wrong by decorating with neutral colors. Using neutral colors will allow you to use an almost unlimited number of other colors as a contrast. It’s also a great idea if you have to relocate a lot for your job or other reasons. Since, neutral colors will match almost any decor, you won’t have to start your decor from scratch every time you move.

Another really big expense in decorating is curtains and drapery. If you have any experience at all with sewing, you can easily make curtains from sets of sheets. If you don’t feel confident enough in your sewing abilities to make actual curtains, cut the sheets in strips, use the iron in hemming tape and drape them over your curtain rods.

Sheets are also great to use for recovering throw pillows. If there’s not a huge difference in price, opt for a set of king sized sheets so that you’ll have plenty of material. Make your curtains, cover your pillows and then use any leftover material to make some small table cloths or runners for your coffee table and end tables.

If you love the look of dried flowers but hate the prices, collect flowers dried by mother nature! Some of the prettiest flower arrangements I’ve had have been dried flowers, bulbs and other items I’ve collected on a fall hike.

If you live in an area where you have access to a field or wooded hillside, you can find all kinds of beautiful dried plants in the fall. I’ve never treated mine with anything, but if you want you can either buy a spray sealant or even use hair spray to help keep them from falling apart.

Simple Ideas For Adding Storage Space To Your Kitchen

There never seems to be enough storage space in the home. No matter how many closets, cabinets or drawers you have, you could always use a extra space. There’s nothing more aggravating than having to dig through stuff to find something or worse yet, not being able to find what you need.

With all the small appliances that you need in a kitchen, it’s one place that could really use extra storage. Unless you’re lucky enough to have a huge kitchen, you’re probably always looking for ideas to make your small kitchen seem larger.

Often, getting more storage space under the kitchen cabinets is just a simple matter of organization. You’d be amazed at how much extra space you’ll find just by keeping your cabinets in order. Another great way to add extra storage underneath the kitchen sink is with stackable shelves.

Sinks generally don’t have shelves under them and by adding just one stackable shelf on each side can help keep stuff more organized and within reach. Plastic stacking shelves are fairly inexpensive and many times you can purchase them separately.

Adding a pot rack is a decorative way to add storage! Pot racks come in various sizes and styles and can be hung almost anywhere. Not only will it look nice, it will get some of your pots and pans out of the way and give you extra storage in the cabinets.

Besides all of the appliances we have sitting on our counters, we usually have knick knacks. While everyone loves a nicely decorated kitchen, when counter space is limited they can be in the way. Adding  some nice wooden shelves for canisters and other items can clear up counter space.

You can even add small shelves above windows to hold items like a collection of plates, tea kettles. baskets or anything else. Many people even add shelves all along the top of the wall to hold their favorite decorative items.

Baskets are another item that can add storage and be decorative at the same time! You can use them to hold dish rags, fruit, large spoons and ladels or anything you need to get out of the way. I have several of the half baskets hanging on the wall and use one for mail. I have even seen baskets hanging from large hooks underneath kitchen wall cabinets!

Something just as simple as adding cup hooks underneath your cabinets can empty all of the cabinet space that your coffee cups use. And, the more empty space you can get, the more storage you’ll have for other items.

Finding ways of using wasted space in your kitchen is one of the best ways to add extra storage. While your stove and refrigerator have to sit against a wall, you can add a corner shelf and take advantage of unused space. Corner shelves come in many different designs and colors and you should easily be able to find one that will add to your kitchens theme.

Many places even offer them unfinished so that you can paint them the way you want. The storage space underneath makes a great place to store large pots, pans, bowls or any other cooking items. The shelves are great for canisters, cook books, cookie jars and many other items that are taking up valuable counter space.

You can also add one of the standing shelves that sits over the back of  the kitchen sink. They’re not very wide, but it’s extra storage for any smaller items that you might have. And, they can also add to your decor.

The vinyl coated racks for cooker lids, aluminum foil and other items can utilize space on your cabinet doors. I even purchased several of the small plastic containers that have suctions cups and are made for showers. I removed the suction cups, inserted screws into the holes and hung them on the inside of my sink doors. I use them for storing packages of seasoning like taco mix, gravies and powdered drink mixes.

How To Protect Your Roses During the Winter

Roses have always been one of the most popular flowers for avid gardners. There are so many varieties and colors to choose from, that everyone can find at least one rose bush they just have to add to their flower garden.

If you love roses then you’ve probably spent a lot of time taking care of your roses so that they will be healthy and look their best. And, you don’t have to let the harsh winter weather destroy an entire summer’s work.

If you’re lucky enough to have mild winters, you may not need to take any steps at all to protect your roses. Hardy varieties of roses are available that can survive colder temperatures and this should be taken into consideration at the time you purchase rose bushes.

Even the hardy rose bushes might need some protection depending on the area where you live. The type that you have will determine how much or how little you’ll need to do to make sure that they will provide another summer of color for your garden.

For roses to survive through the winter months, they need to be forced into a dormant state. You can help push this process along by dead heading, cutting any more roses from the plants and allowing rose hip to develop. Fertilization should also be stopped no later than the middle or end of October.

Once you’ve had the season’s first hard frost, you can then cover your rose bushes. You want to wait and cover them after all the leaves have fallen off of the bush. Dead leaves and stems trapped around a covered bush will promote insects, mold and other plant infestations.

Insects will look for places to hide from the weather and any leaves at the base of your rose bush is the perfect place! A rose bush that was healthy and insect free when you covered it, might emerge badly damaged or dead when you uncover it.

When there isn’t any leaves left, rake the ground around the rose bush to remove any debris. You can even remove any dead leaves that are lingering on the plant yourself instead of waiting for them to fall off.

Many gardeners prune their rose bushes before covering them for the winter. Use your own judgement when it comes to pruning, it can actually stimulate plant growth and you don’t want them trying to grow during the winter months.

However, if there are really long limbs on the bush, it might make it more difficult to cover them properly. If you do decide to prune some of the limbs, don’t do a thorough job. Just cut away only what is necessary to allow for good coverage of the plant.

It’s a really good idea to tie all of the bushes canes together with twine or other strong string. This will help prevent the winter winds from breaking the limbs. It will also help keep them covered since the limbs won’t be swarming around as bad ripping the covering.

If you really don’t want to prune the bush or it’s a really large bush, you can build a frame for the covering. Metal poles inserted into the ground can even be used to keep the covering up off of the plant and protect it.

Before you cover your rose bushes there is one last step you should do. Get some good soil that is completely dry and pile it around the bottom of the bush. You want the soil to extend to about a foot up onto the bush. This layer of soil will reduce the damage caused by frozen roots.

Heavy sheets of plastic are most commonly used to cover any type of outdoor plant including roses. I have seen some people use thick pieces of cloth. But, using cloth can do a lot of damage. Unlike plastic that will repel water, cloth will absorb it and when the wet cloth freezes it will freeze right to the plant.

Many types of roses can actually live through being frozen. It’s the cycle of freezing and thawing over and over that can be vicious on your beautiful roses. If you have really cold winters, you may want to consider keeping your roses in containers so that you can take them inside a garage or storage shed until spring.

How To Remove Stains From Your Dryer Drum

Seems like no matter how careful you are to check all of the pockets before laundering clothes, sometimes things just get overlooked. If you have small children, then you’ve probably found some really weird things in your washer or dryer at one time or another!

Some things that get left in pockets can ruin a whole load of clothes, it can also melt to the inside of your dryer and transfer to other loads that you do. And, some stuff seems almost impossible to remove once it’s melted on to a hot, metal dryer drum!

I try to check all of the pockets before I wash anything. But, sometimes I just get in a big hurry and although I check pockets, I guess I just don’t check them real good. It’s not so bad now, but when my kids were younger I was always finding something besides clothes in the washer or dryer.

Crayons:

If the inside of your dryer is rainbow colored from crayons, don’t despair you can get it off the drum. There are several ways to clean the colorful waxy residue off. One method is to use WD-40 or a similar spray lubricant.

Spray the lubricant on a damp rag, don’t spray it directly on the drum, it is flammable! Wipe the melted crayon with the rag to remove the crayon, you may have to repeat the process with more lubricant added to the rag. Once you’ve gotten the crayon off, clean the interior with a clean damp cloth to remove as much of the lubricant residue as you can.

As an added precaution, you can throw some dry rags into the dryer and run it for a few minutes. Then check them to make sure there’s no color remaining. If you have a gas dryer, leave the door open and let it set overnight before running the dryer to make sure the lubricant can evaporate.

Gum:

Next to crayons, gum is probably the worst gooey mess you can get in a dryer. Gum can be removed in the same way that you remove crayons. A product called Goo-Gone is also an excellent way to get rid of gum. And, just like magic erasers can get lot’s of things off the walls, it will remove the last traces of gum and crayon left in the dryer.

Another great way to remove gum or crayons is with an ordinary dryer sheet. Turn the dryer on for about ten minutes to get the stain warm, then use a damp dryer sheet to rub the stain off the area. Spray fabric refresher will usually work as well.

Ink:

If you’ve overlooked an ink pen and it’s all over your dryer drum, try some hairspray! While working at a clothing store years ago, I learned a trade secret! Hairspray will literally dissolve most types of ink. Spray enough hair spray on a dry rag to wet a area of the rag and rub the ink until it comes off.

You don’t want to spray the hair spray into the holes in the drum. But, you can soak a rag with it and lay it on the spot for a few minutes to dissolve it. An all purpose spray cleaner will also remove ink sometimes depending on the type of ink it is.

Dye:

Everyone has probably had something fade in their dryer at one time. A brand new pair of jeans, a black shirt or something that has left a shade of dye on the drum. One of the best ways to remove dye is to clean it with a damp cloth and diluted bleach solution.

Make sure that you rinse it thoroughly with a clean damp cloth to remove any left over bleach. Those amazing magic erasers will also remove dye from your drum. You can also use nail polish remover or a damp dryer sheet.

You have to be careful when using any type of cleaning fluid inside your dryer drum. Some household cleaners contain flammable chemicals. While you need to be more careful with gas dryers, even electric dryers can catch fire if the fluids get down into the vent holes. Make sure that you don’t let anything drain down into the holes and you rinse the areas thoroughly with clean water.

Tips For Choosing The Best Firewood

The type of firewood that you use in your fireplace or wood burning stove can have a big effect on it’s performance. Knowing which woods to choose can help keep your home warmer and even help keep your family safer from fires.

The best type of wood is of course, high quality, well seasoned wood. Wood that is properly seasoned will burn much cleaner and much more efficiently. All wood contains some water, wood that has just been cut can be as much as 45% water, while well seasoned wood is usually only about 25% water.

Seasoned wood will provide much more heat than freshly cut wood and it will be easier to get your fire started as well. If you cut or purchase your fireplace wood from six months to a year ahead of time, the wind and sun will have time to properly season it.

Water from the roots of a tree travels to the branches and leaves through a series of tiny microscopic tubes. Even once a tree has been dead for years, these tiny tubes can still contain moisture. Cutting  your wood in small lengths ahead of time can promote the evaporation of the water inside the tubes.

There are a few guidelines to follow when purchasing wood to make sure that you’re getting seasoned wood. Check the ends of the planks to see if they have became dark. The wood should be light and make a clunk when you hit two pieces together. Another really good sign that the wood is seasoned is visible splits and cracks in the plank.

Since green or fresh wood is so high in water content it won’t provide as much heat. The majority of the initial heat is actually used to dry the wood out so that it can burn properly! But, while this water is evaporating and going into your chimney so is creosote!

Creosote is an acidic water that clings to the sides of your fireplace and chimney. This buildup can quickly cause fires, aside from giving out less heat, cresote deposits are the main reason you should never burn fresh wood in a fireplace or stove.

If at all possible, firewood should be purchased in the spring and then stored properly to allow it to become seasoned. Wood should always be stored up off of the ground. Sitting on the ground will cause the wood to retain moisture and it will quickly start to rot and become unfit for burning.

The best place to store fire wood is in a wood shed. A structure that has a roof but doesn’t have any walls is ideal. This helps to protect the wood from the wind and snow, but allows good air circulation so that the wood can dry out properly.

If you don’t have a wood shed, place your wood pile in a good sunny area of your yard. You will need to work harder to care for the wood if you don’t have a roof to protect it. It should be covered with plastic or tarps to keep the rain and snow off of it, but don’t forget to uncover it when the it stops raining or snowing. The covering will hold in moisture and ruin the quality of the wood.

You can purchase several cement blocks to stack the wood on and keep it off of the ground. But, any type of foundation that will allow air to circulate under the wood will work fine. Fire wood that is properly stored and cared for can last as much as three or four years!

If you have no choice but to burn fresh wood, have your chimney checked regularly. Pine makes a good choice for kindling, but you shouldn’t burn too much of it. Softwoods are alright to use to, but they burn more easily and can quickly cause a large fire before you realize it.

Sometimes you can pick up wood scraps at construction sites and a lot of the time you can find great kindling pieces for free. However, you should never burn any wood in your fireplace that has been treated or painted. Toxic chemicals such as arsenic, will be released into your home if the wood is treated or painted.

How To Choose The Right Drill For Your Projects

Having the right tools can make do it yourself projects so much easier. But, with some hand tools there’s so many different types to choose from it’s hard to know which one you really need and which one you’ll get the most use out of.

If you’ve done any do it yourself projects at all, chances are that you’ve needed a drill for a lot of them. There are various types of drills available and knowing a little about them can save you money in purchasing features you don’t need. But, it can also help guarantee that you’ll have the right tool you need.

There is basically three types of drills, a regular drill, a hammer drill and screw guns. You can now find many drills that are cordless, which is a great feature to have. It gives you lot’s more mobility when you working on a project.

Regular or standard drills are mainly for use on wood or metal. They’re usually fairly small and easy to handle and generally have 500 watt motors. While a small drill is great for small jobs, the low wattage power supplied by these drills won’t work well for heavy duty work.

They’re very durable and offer much more power than cordless drills. With a standard electric drill you can also use attachments to mix paint or mortar. And, you can find various types of drill bits to drill into almost any type of material.

Another problem with standard drills is the chuck size. You should always check the size before purchasing a drill. Some chucks only accept small drill bits, which makes it impossible to use for larger holes or screws.

Hammer drills, just like the name implies uses a hammering action to drill a hole. This type of drill is excellent for drilling into stone, brick or any type of masonry material. But, this type is known to wear out quickly, it can vibrate so hard that you can barely hold it and they often won’t penetrate into harder surfaces.

However, if you need a hammer type drill, consider getting a pneumatic hammer drill. They produce a lot less vibration and usually work their way into any surface. There is a huge difference in the price though, which you need to take into consideration as well.

Screw guns or electric screwdrivers are specifically made to insert screws. Some electric screwdrivers have special drill bits that can be used to drill small holes as well. But, they’re usually not very powerful and not very dependable for bigger jobs.

If you want a heavy duty drill, a drill press is the way to go. Drill presses can be mounted to your work bench, the floor or you can purchase a stand to mount it to. A drill press gives you many advantages over other types of drills.

Less effort is needed to drill into surfaces and holes can be drilled much more accurately and quicker. Being attached to a work bench, you can easily use a vice to hold the piece you’re drilling in place securely while you work on it. And, many have a selection of speeds that can be used to drill.

Cordless drills are very convenient, you just plug them in to let them charge when not in use and then take them anywhere that you need to drill. However, unlike electric drills they don’t provide continuous use. If you need to use the drill a lot, you’ll have to purchase separate battery packs to keep the drill running.

There has been a lot of advancement in cordless drills since they first came out and some actually perform almost to the standards of a regular drill. They battery packs that were originally only 7 volts have been upgraded to around 18 volts to perform for longer periods of time between re-charging the battery.

Distressed Furniture Gives You The Look of Antique Without the Price

The distressed look is in! Many homeowners search flea markets, yard sales and thrift stores to find furniture pieces that need refinished! This weathered, time worn look is becoming exceedingly popular in home decorating!

You don’t have to scour used furniture sales to find great looking distressed pieces of furniture. You can easily give your existing furniture pieces that same aged look yourself. Following the same steps that the pro’s use, you can refinish your furniture so that it looks like it needs to be refinished!

The first step is to sand the piece. You don’t need to sand it down to bare wood, you just want to remove all of the shine from the surface. Neither the primer or the paint will adhere well to a shiny surface, you want the entire piece to have a dull surface.

Now comes the fun part, roughing up the surface! Distressed means that the furniture has been well used, it should have some dents and dings. You can use a hammer, chain or any other object do some physical damage to the furniture! How much or how little damage you do is up to you!

Once you’ve added the aged beaten look to the piece, apply a thin coating of a quality white primer to the surface. Allow the primer to completely dry, then use sand paper to just lightly sand any areas that are to rough.

The color of the top coat of paint you choose for the piece should compliment your rooms decor. But, that’s entirely up to you, some people like to have contrasting colors. Just make sure you get a quality paint. Apply two coats of the paint making sure that it’s allowed to thoroughly dry between coats.

To get that wonderful crackle finish, you can apply crackle glaze to the entire piece or just apply it on the areas you want to crackle. Crackle makes it appear as if the paint is peeling off of the surface, just like it would if the piece was really old.

Following the steps above will give you a white base that will be visible through the crackled areas. If you’d rather have a different color showing through the top coat, simply choose a different color primer.

After you’ve allowed all of the coats to thoroughly dry, you can apply a glaze coat. This is a totally optional step, but it will make all the details in the piece more visible. Pro’s recommend that you use either a dark gray or brown glazing so that it will highlight the areas that you roughed up.

Glaze should be applied to the piece with a paint brush. Once applied use a rag to wipe off any excess glaze. Wipe the entire surface in the same direction applying even pressure for the best results.

It’s not necessary, but you really should apply a sealant to the piece. While you purposely set out to make the piece look old and distressed, you’ve put a lot of work into creating that look. A sealant will help to protect the piece from unwanted distress!

A water based polyurethane is really good for this purpose. You should apply at least two thin coats and lightly sand the piece after each coat dries completely. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on the label for the best results.

Now, you’re ready to admire your work! You’ll be amazed at how old this technique can make even the newest piece of furniture look. It’s a great way to have the look of antique furniture without the price tag!

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