Every DIY-er out there should have at least a couple books guiding them through the process, especially if they are beginners. A quick search on Amazon reveals the bestsellers in the home improvement category. Do you have any of these? Use them regularly? Let us know.!
P.S. You can click the book and go right to it’s Amazon page to purchase, if desired!
In part 1 of this new series we take you behind the scenes of a granite supplier. Dan Johnson at Terrazzo and Marble Supply in Illinois answer our questions about how cracks and imperfections in the stone get fixed. Enjoy!
Sadly, this year has seemed like one full of natural disasters: the Japan earthquake/tsunami, tornadoes all across the South, wildfires now burning in the southwest…every day brings us more bad news. As well as taking human life, these disasters often take our material lives as well. And while not nearly as important, can mean financial ruin for families for the rest of their lives.
Here are the more common ways that nature can harm your home, and how you can increase your home’s chances (and therefore yours as well) of surviving a worst-case-scenario:
1. Lightning Strike
Lightning strikes can start serious fires in and around your home. Poor wiring is especially dangerous and makes your home culpable. For protection, have a lightning rod installed, especially if you live on a hill or have a tall home. Also make sure wiring is up-to-date and safe – this part of often forgotten when talking about fire safety in the home.
2. Critters in the Attic
Bats, wasps, rats, etc. can burrow into the empty spaces of your attic and/or basement and create a mess that you don’t discover for years down the round if you are not vigilant. This can lead to stenches that don’t go away, as well as wiring and architectural damage. Bats can squeeze into holes as small as a fingertip, and wasps/bees even smaller. Once a month or so simply take a stroll around your house and check for holes, cracks, and anything else a critter could crawl into. Patch up as needed, and you should be safe!
3. Drought/Excessive Rain
We are applying this one mostly to your lawn. You may not think your lawn is all that important, but if it dies or succumbs to disease, you could be looking at spending thousands on ripping the whole thing up and replacing. Keep an eye on dry brown patches, and water as needed in drought conditions. Have neighbors keep an eye on it while you’re out of town. There is not much you can do about excessive rain other than take care of mowing and wedding regularly and watching it as close as you can.
4. Landslide
If you live on a hilly area, extended periods of rain and moisture can spell disaster. Decks are easy to go in mini-landslides, and if you’re not careful, whole chunks of the house. The number one preventative measure for this disaster is having a good foundation. That simple part can save thousands in dollars and stress. If you know you have a shaky foundation, take extra care in making sure you have good and clean gutters that clearly direct water away from your home.
5. Mold
Summer humidity is a breeding ground for dangerous mold spores. Mold can grow in as little as 72 hours. It may be more expensive, but make sure to run your air conditioner when it’s humid will help. Keeping it set at 77 or below (even when on vacation) will keep things healthy. Dehumidifiers are another safe bet, especially in the most moisture-prone areas of your home.
6. Tree Damage
This is one of the more common home damages during the summer time. Tornadoes and high winds can wreak havoc on yards and homes. The best way to take action against tree damage is to have a tree specialist come out and inspect what you have in your yard. They will spot things like rot and unbalanced trees that would be more likely to be uprooted in a storm. They can also trim limbs and branches to the recommended minimum of being 8-10 feet away from your home.
View the full article/gallery at This Old House right here.
Redoing your kitchen can cost a small fortune. Between shiny new appliances, flashy cupboards and fresh countertops, you’re looking at well over five digits of cost. Here are some tips from DIY Network to help you save a few bucks during the process. Every bit helps!
Cabinets – Instead of completely replacing your cabinets, try simply repainting or refinishing them. Adding a new sheen is often all that you need to make them look like new again. Another option is to buy cheaper cabinets and do the finishing yourself. If you do decide to go all out with expensive new cabinets, you can at least save money by only getting as many as you really need. Your first instinct is likely to fill all the empty space in your kitchen with extra storage, but it may not be needed!
Design – Don’t necessarily feel the need to use to a ton of fancy color schemes in your appliances and tiles. Anything colored is generally more expensive. Some ways to add life include a small bookshelf, fresh flowers and bowls of fruit. There are small things you can do to infuse brightness into your kitchen without spending the fortune.
DIY! – Go ahead and do some of the manual labor yourself, like demolition, painting, appliance removal, etc. Get creative, and only pay for the things that you really need professional help for like electrical and plumbing.
Shop at home – You don’t necessarily need to buy all new decorations. Go through your house and find some of the more cluttered spaces to pull decorations from. Also try going through what you have in storage. You might be surprised at what you find – we often store things away because they don’t match old styles. A new style, however, means you might be able to use some of those long-forgotten decorations.
Go salvaging – There’s a good chance you have a salvage shop within driving distance of where you live. They are all the rage these days. You can get nice pieces like doors, cabinets, handles, etc. at every discounted prices. You can then paint and refinish them, and nobody will even know they aren’t brand new. This also allows you to go for the vintage look that is popular as well!
These are just a few tips — read the full article here to get even more ideas!
What have you done in your kitchen to save some extra cash?
We’re continuing our weekly series on what to think about when choosing your next granite countertop fabricator. We interviewed Bert Jeslke of Elegant Stone in Wisconsin. Watch and enjoy!
What are the undercoating and pads on the sides and bottom of the sink for?
The undercoating and pads are the “soundproofing” of the sink. The pads reduce the “pinging” of the sink. And the undercoating helps prevent condensation on the bottom side of the sink.
What is the gauge of your sinks and how does the gauge affect the quality?
The gauge is the thickness of the stainless steel. It is important to remember that the lower the gauge, the thicker the stainless steel. Our thickest, sturdiest bowls are 16 gauge, a high quality bowl is 18 gauge and a standard bowl is 20 gauge. When looking at stainless steel sinks, remember a 20 gauge sink will bend at the seams when you press your thumb against it. An 18 gauge will not give. Beware, not all sinks out there are what they say they are. Always do the “thumb test” when looking at sinks.
What is the Chromium/ Nickel content?
Chromium (Cr) is an alloying element that is used in stainless steel to deter corrosion. (Luster & durability) Nickel (Ni) is an alloying element used in stainless steels to enhance ductility and corrosion resistance (hardness & strength). The chromium nickel content is the percentage of chrome and nickel in the stainless steel. At Eclipse our stainless steel is 18/10 chromium nickel content which means it contains 18% chromium and 10% nickel. This is the same chromium/nickel content of all premium and fabricator grade sinks. Some companies may have an 18 gauge sink with a 18/8 chromium nickel content. You can spot the difference as a gray dull appearance versus the silver hue of our sinks.
What kind of finish do your stainless steel sinks have?
Our sinks have a brushed finish also called a hairline or matte finish. This is preferred by most fabricators because scratches do not stand out as much as they would on a polished or mirrored finish.
What accessories are available?
We offer protective grates for every stainless steel model sink except for the following models:
You can purchase grates through your local fabricator or directly from Eclipse using this website.
We have recently released a new report, and want to share it with you! We have posted quite a few videos and tips on choosing the right fabricator for your next stone counter top. We put all our best tips together in one place, and we want to give it to you for FREE in exchange for your email address.
Counter tops are a big investment, and you want to make sure as a consumer that you are as educated as you possibly can be. Let this checklist guide you in that process! Sign up on the right hand side of this website, or over on our Facebook page, and you’ll receive the report via your email. Thank you, and enjoy!
One of the easiest (and most cost-effective) ways to spice up your kitchen (or any room in your house, for that matter), is to do a quick paint job. It can change the feel of your room and make it shine like new in almost an instant.
There are LOTS of questions that come with a new paint job, however.
Luckily, the good folks over at Better Homes and Gardens have created a handy guide over on their website to help you answer ALL of these questions and more! Here are some screenshots that link back to the guide if you click them…go explore and tell us what painting tips you appreciate the most!
Continued from last week…
I told the home owner it was not her cleaning company’s fault that the sink could not be brought back to its’ original luster. I explained that top quality sinks were constructed of 304 grade steel which is the strongest steel that can be pressed into a sink. Steel needs to have 11% chromium to be classified stainless steel. I told the customer she likely had a stainless steel tool in the house would not rust but it was not shiny. To make stainless shine you need to have higher chromium content and need to have added nickel; 18% chromium and 8% to 10% nickel is optimum.
Many less expensive sinks were originally produced for plastic laminate tops like Formica. These sinks were designed for limited life span often as little as three to five years. These sinks were never intended to last a generation like granite, marble, quartz and solid surface tops. They are often made of softer steel and lower chromium and nickel content.
I pointed out the pads on the bottom of the sink and the fact that there were no identification or certification marks. These applied pads are made or rubber. Many manufacturers use the multiple pads to compensate for thinner and lower quality steel. Quality sinks have a minimum of sound pads. The more pads on a sink usually the cheaper the sink.
Quality sinks are certified to meet US Plumbing standards, – ASME A119.19.3 – by a nationally recognized certification agency such as UPC or CSA. Her sink had no certification stamp so it was likely not certified.
The customer stood up from staring at the bottom of her sink and said, “So sell me one of your sinks and I will change it.”
I shrugged and said, “The bad news is that it is unlikely that you will be able to replace your sink. Replacing under mount sinks can often involve removing the entire top. Even if you can get to the sink or remove the top every stainless steel sink manufacturer makes their sinks to their own unique dimension. Finding a sink to fit into another manufacturers sink opening is nearly impossible. The only thing you can do is replace the sink with a sink by the same manufacturer so you will shortly have the same problem.”
When I left the customer was grumbling under her breath. My acquaintance called me about a week later. She said when she went to clean the customers house her customer told my acquaintance that she was on a mission to tell all her friend not to use the countertop fabricator who did her top because he gave her such a bad sink.
The End
Let us know if YOU have had a bad sink experience like this poor woman!
Here is a fun graphic for your Friday that details all the kitchen tools and utensils you could ever need! What are your favorites? What are you missing?
