Archive for the ‘DIY’ Category

DIY Woodworking Designs – Basic Woodworking Tips and Tricks – Cutting Plywood

Sunday, March 7th, 2010

Woodworking projects are fun and often addictive, however that does not mean that you can overlook the planning aspect of it. Whatever DIY Woodworking project you might take up, there are always a few tips and tricks that you can use to save time or make the construction more beautiful or even just make it sturdier. Here you can find more on how you should be cutting plywood, which is perhaps one of the most widely used woodworking material there is.


Cutting with a table saw: The first challenge that you are most probably going to face is getting a full ¾” Plywood on to the table. You will need an extension or a second table as support so that the plywood sheet can be adjusted properly. Because of the sheer size of most sheets of plywood, pushing them into blades can be difficult and this is the reason why the first cuts are usually rough ones. Once you have cut the sheet into smaller manageable parts, you will have an easier time cutting them. Also remember that when you are cutting with a table saw you should cut with the best face pointing up.


Cutting with a Circular Saw: Circular saws are cheap and affordable; however they are also notorious for a blowout which is why cutting a straight line is going to be a little harder than you expected. Most cuts made from circular saws have to be reworked later. However if you were to use a saw guide you could overcome this drawback.


Cutting with Sliding Table Saws: A sliding table saw is a standard table saw with a sliding table built into it. A sliding table is wide platform which runs along the blade of the saw. Using such a configuration makes cutting the plywood a lot more accurate and also requires a lot less effort from you.


Also remember that plywood tends to chip a lot when it is cross cut, also remember to use the right kind of blade no your saw; there are many kinds of blade configuration based on the number of teeth, width angle and rake. If you are hobbyist then a standard table or circular saw assisted with a shop made saw guide is an excellent low cost solution for cutting plywood. If you use a lot of sheet styled wood, then a vertical panel saw or a sliding table saw is the best way to go.


Woodworking is an Exciting and Engaging Hobby!

You can find over 14,000 Woodworking Plans for any Conceivable Woodworking Project Over Here.


Alternatively, You can read more on how to start into woodworking and also check out some great resources at my page on DIY Woodworking Projects.

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How to Pressure Wash a House – Use a Gas Pressure Washer, Clean and Save Water

Monday, March 1st, 2010

Rare thinking people like you, already know one of the secrets to painting a house like a professional painter, is making sure it is clean before hand, thus ensuring the paint will adhere to it for years to come. What you need to discover is the little known secrets, how to pressure wash a house, like a pro and use a gas pressure washer, clean and save water all at the same time.


Things You Will Need


1. Good Water Source that will provide your pressure washer with the amount of water it requires operating at its peak efficiency. Check your owners’ manual for the specific GPM your pressure washer requires. I mention this because in our area the folks on county water near the end of the line do not get enough water volume in the summer months to operate a 3000 psi washer that requires 3 GPM.


2. Take Your Time, using a power washer will, save you time and use a lot less water in the process than a garden hose. But, take your time and do not miss any spots, they will show up when everything gets dry.


3. The Right Pressure Washer For the Job, cleaning a house with an exterior made of stone and masonry requires enough water volume to suspend and wash away the dirt, I recommend you use at least 2000 PSI and 2.5 or higher GPM (gallons of water per minute) in order to effectively wash the dirt away from their porous surfaces. Exercise caution around the mortar joints, the high pressure water will remove loose mortar from the joints. Which is not entirely a bad thing; it will allow you to prefect your tuck pointing skills.


4. Cleaning Solution, quality pressure washers come equipped with a method to dispense cleaners by siphoning the cleanser from a self contained reservoir or additional container of your preferred cleaning product. The system is set up to mix the chemical at a 15:1 or so ratio for you, so you do not need to break out the measuring cup and do all that math.


5. Overhead Cleaning, working overhead is never easy, and cleaning overhead is no different. Be careful, water and dirt go everywhere and bounce off of everything, protect your eyes and the rest of your body. Wear safety glasses, hearing protection, long pants and sturdy shoes. Working off ladders is never a safe way to clean using a pressure washer. Standing with both feet firmly on the ground is the safest method, when you must reach high spots use scaffolding or a man lift with safety rails installed to prevent falling.


6. Caring For Your Plants and Landscaping, subjecting your plants to direct high pressure water and cleaning solutions and the dirt that is washed off a house will harm your plans and other landscape elements. Covering them with a drop cloth prier to cleaning, and rinsing them off after wards using a low pressure garden hose works well, just remember do not leave the drop cloth on the plants for a long period of time, a few minutes is OK, just not all day.


How to Wash a House


1. Get Started, start cleaning on the side of the house that is not in direct sunlight. Direct sunlight will cause streaking.


2. Setting – Up the Garden Hose, begin by hooking up the garden hose to the water faucet on the out side of the house, first check the hose for, cuts or kinks, the gasket and strainer assembly insuring they are both installed correctly and in good working condition. After that task is completed turn the water on to flush out any debris that may be present inside the hose before hooking it up to the pressure washer.


3. Setting up the Pressure Washer, attach the garden hose to the low pressure side of the pump; it is the only place on the machine a water hose can be connected. Once that hose is firmly connected attach the high pressure hose to the opposite side of the pump. Turn the water faucet on full force, and squeeze the trigger on the handle attached to the end of the high pressure hose to allow the water to flow for a couple minutes, this will remove all the air from the hoses and pump assembly.


4. Start Your Engine, with the hoses attached and water turned on to full force supplying the washer with all the water it needs to operate efficiently, it is time to start the engine. Before starting the engine however, we need to, if we have not already, check the engine oil and fuel. There is nothing worse than just getting into the swing of things and the machine just quit running for no apparent reason. Which brings us to another point of interest, on engines equipped with oil sensors that shut it down when the engine oil is at an unsafe level; the machine must be level for these systems to operate properly. Now you are ready to follow the engine manufactures starting instructions for your specific model.


5. How to Clean a House Using a Pressure Washer,


  • Start washing at the ground level and work your way to the roof to eliminate streaks.
  • When using a soap attachment, start by applying the cleaner to the house at the ground level.
  • Apply the cleaner to the house in small areas at a time, not allowing it to dry then rinse it off with clean water to eliminate streaking.
  • Avoid spraying high pressure spray onto glass surfaces or weather seals around doors and windows.
  • Avoid spraying high pressure water in electrical boxes, light fixtures or receptacles.
  • Avoid directing the pressurized water spray under or through the seams of vinyl siding.
  • Remembering to wash from the ground up, and rinse from the top / roof down will insure streak free professional results every time.


Clean like a Pro, save time, save water using a machine that uses less than half the water a garden hose would when used alone, and have the vest looking house in the neighborhood.

This is what I have: a blog with helpful tips on Pressure Washers.


Jump over to my blog Pressure Wash a House


Much Success,
Mike
http://springcleaning-pressurewashers.blogspot.com/


Mike enjoys sharing helpful resources. In doing so he has created relationships with certain experts and in recommending their products may receive compensation.

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Affordable Home Redecorating Ideas

Friday, February 26th, 2010

Making a few changes around the home can be very expensive, especially if you pay retail every time, most home decor stores are not exactly known for offering affordable prices. Here are a few ideas to save money when you start your next project.


Repainting the walls isn’t difficult and transforms a room almost immediately into something fresh and exciting. You don’t always need to go to your local paint store straight away, did you know that all colored paint is basically white with a tint added by the paint shop? Instead, why not try to buy white base from a discount store or auction, then simply pay for tinting after you’ve chosen the color you want to use.


Buying new furniture for your home doesn’t always have to be new, there are some great second hand bargains to be had, with furniture that has hardly been used, or that is from a different era and could become an antique one day. If the structure is sound, why not simply pay to have sofas etc recovered, wood re-varnished, or maybe new feet installed.


The majority of redecorating projects can be discounted quite considerably if we’re smart about where we buy the materials or furnishings, and if we take time to think the project through before simply rushing into the first store we drive by.


Many thousands of people have a new hobby, visiting the weekend markets and garage sales looking for bargains in good condition that can be quickly turned into a feature piece in their home. With resourcefulness it is possible to redecorate an entire home and furnish it for a fraction of the normal retail price.


Don’t forget to check out craft markets where you can often find part time furniture makers exhibiting their wares for much less than the same item would fetch at retail. Perhaps you could even get them to sign the item, and given time this could become very valuable.


You’ll be surprised how good the finished look will be, and your friends and neighbors will never believe you when you tell them how much the project cost. Of course you could tell them how you did it so cheap, or you could keep that little secret and become the envy of your friends when they think you really have it together.

Andy is a keen decorator, and the founder of an LED desk light website where he offers reviews of LED rope light.

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How to Build Solar Panels – Can You Really Build Your Own DIY Solar Panels? Maybe is Not That Easy

Friday, February 5th, 2010

Learning how to build solar panels is not easy, but it certainly is possible. If you do not have a lot of electric knowledge or skill it will not be easy at first, but as you move forward you will feel more comfortable with the process.

DIY solar panels can help you save a lot of money off of your monthly electric bill and they just take a while to build. Learning how to build solar panels is difficult for people who have no experience and the actual building process is no that easy. But with the right step by step set of instructions, you should be able to put together your DIY solar system successfully.

Solar panels can generally be built for less than $100 as long as you know where to get good deals on the parts you will need. You also need several different tools such as players, screwdrivers and a DC meter. These tools are fairly basic and can be bought at generally any hardware store.

Keep in mind that you are working with electricity. Make sure that your instructions are sufficiently detailed and reliable, and more importantly, make sure you understand them as well as the process from the beginning. You cannot build a solar panel based off of any article you find on the internet, or you will struggle greatly.

This is not to discourage you from building your own solar powered panel, but rather to make sure that you are ready to build it. Learning how to build solar panels is not simple, but not impossible as long as you have a good set of instructions and the willingness and abilities to follow through.

Points to consider before you start building a solar energy panel:

Materials: Make sure you have absolutely all the materials and tools you will need. Don’t start thinking you will get the rest of the stuff you need as you go. Get everything now.

Planning: Plan ahead of time how many panels you will need and where you will place each one. Many times you will only need a few panels or even one to start making some savings.

Safety: Take all precautions necessary to avoid dangerous exposure to electrical components. Make sure you have a safe place where you will place your batteries away from children. Make sure they will be secured.

Training: Watch a full video on how the panels are built from scratch from start to finish, even before you start. And try to plan your project for a sunny day, so you can do your testing correctly as you go.

If you do not prepare properly and do not fully understand how to build solar panels you will waste a good deal of time and money. Preparation and information are key to building a solar panel that can help save you money.

You will not be able to learn how to build solar panels based off of some free articles or videos you saw on the internet, because the process is much more complex, especially if you have no experience working with electrical equipment.

Do not take this project lightly, get ready first and make sure you have everything you need and you should be able to build a solar system and save yourself money off of your electric bill.

Creating a ‘SOLAR-PANEL’ System or a Wind Generator could be a very satisfying and rewarding project; however, it is very important that you use a sound and reliable step by step set of instructions designed specifically for this purpose. SUPPORT along the process is a must.

If you really wish to succeed at building a Renewable Energy System, you must visit DIY Solar Panels. To go to the Website CLICK HERE: Make Solar Panels.

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Tips to Use Home Staging on the Exterior of Your Home

Thursday, February 4th, 2010

While many believe that home staging is something you do on the inside of your house, it can also be used in other areas as well.

Curb appeal is the way to describe how your house appears to potential buyers from the outside, which is always the first impression your home makes. Increasing your curb appeal may be the only chance you get to convince potential buyers to consider purchasing your home.

Let’s take a look at a few other ways to create the necessary curb appeal you need in order to entice buyers take a second look at your home.

Attempting to sell your home with an unpleasant or neglected outside image will cause many problems. Buyers who see that the exterior of a home has not been taken care of will assume that the interior is just as bad.

You should always attend to all of the details that you would notice if it were you purchasing a new home. Areas such as the lawn, flower beds, trees, windows, and items that are taking up space and causing clutter need to be dressed up and organized.

There are various areas of your house can create an unfavorable impression for potential buyers. An old and peeling layer of paint can cause buyers to believe that the house has not been taken care of. An inappropriate or wild color scheme can also cause buyers to skip right over your house.

One of the best things you can do to increase the curb appeal of your house and make it appeal to buyers is simply applying a fresh coat of a neutral colored paint.

The little things that you never think or worry about when living in a house are also part of the curb appeal you can add to your house. Items such as hardware and mailboxes can change the look of your house. Even these seemingly small details become a very noticeable problem if these items do not blend well with the overall appearance of the rest of your house.

The landscape of your house should always be kept clean and simple and you should be sure to include items that will make the buyer take notice of your yard. If you have placed items in your yard that distract from the view of your house, you will want to be sure to remove them.

Home staging should also be done not only to enhance the appearance you are creating for the day, but the evening hours as well. To impress those buyers who choose to drive by after dark, you should install lighting that will illuminate the appearance of your house from the street. This gives the potential buyer the comfort of knowing that your house will be both beautiful and safe at all times.

TJ Lashley is a frequent contributor who especially enjoys writing on family, home, and topics about popular products. Be sure to stop by TJ’s latest website at http://www.garagedooropenerhub.com which is designed to provide information on clicker garage door opener choices and other choices and types today’s popular garage door openers.

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3 DIY Solar Projects to Reduce Your Electric Bills Today

Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010

Home solar power systems have become a great renewable energy alternative. Unlike fossil fuels, such as coal or oil, solar power is freely available and can provide sufficient electricity to people wherever the sun shines. So as long as the sun is shining, your home solar power system will be producing electricity for you and saving you money for many years.

If you have researched solar power in the past and decided to pass on installing solar because of the cost, then you should check into solar again. You will be surprised on what you will find this time. Federal government and many state and local agencies offer significant tax breaks to install solar power systems in your home. These incentives alone will reduce your initial investment and make the system more affordable.

Doing the project yourself with a solar home kit will cost you far less money than professionally installed systems. You can convert any type of home or business into one that creates electricity from solar energy.

For many do-it-yourself-ers, the world of solar energy is untapped because most people are unaware of what things are possible with solar energy. Let’s discuss three of these Solar Projects that a person who likes to do it yourself might consider tackling:

1. Solar Panels

Solar panels are a very popular project for people that like to do it themselves. Not only are they one of the most efficient ways to save on electricity, but also solar power is a reliable form of renewable energy that does not emit harmful by-product likes traditional energy production.

Solar cells, also referred to as photovoltaic cells (photo=light, voltaic=of or producing electricity), are grouped and connected together in a single frame called a panel. These panels are a great way to collect sunlight and convert it to energy that can be used for electricity.

Thanks to technology it is much easier to build your own solar panel. In addition there are several guides available to help you with this process. Be sure to do your research and choose a reputable DIY guide that clearly illustrates how to build your own solar panel.

2. Solar Water Heaters

Every household enjoys hot water but did you know that approximately 30% of all home energy costs are being spent on heating water? Whether you are doing dishes, washing clothes, taking a bath, or just washing your hands, when you turn on the water you expect hot water to be available. A lot of energy is required for a water heater to supply a household with hot water, which makes your monthly bill costly.

A solution to reduce your expenses related to keeping your water hot would be to install a Solar Water Heater. No special tools are needed and with a basic understanding of wiring and plumbing connections, you can do this project yourself.

A quality DIY manual that gives you each step by step process of how to build and install this system is needed.

3. Solar Air Heaters

Do you notice the cost to heat your home rising every winter? Since the sun provides heat all year round, let us explore how you can take advantage of it during the cold days of winter.

Using solar thermal technology, a solar air heater produces heat from the sun so your heating system does not have to operate as often during the day. Supplementing your existing heating system with solar air heating will dramatically reduce your heating costs by as much as 30%.

Many people have developed DIY guides that show various distinctive ways of building solar heaters, and although their materials and methods are different, the results are the same: a successful and fully-functional solar heater.

Adding solar energy alternatives into your home design is not a difficult process at all using DIY guides. Each of these projects can be completed separately. Give it a try. Chances are you might even find that you have fun!

As mentioned above, the most important thing you need is a detailed guide that shows you step by step how to get the required parts and put them together to build your solar project. A well organized guide will help you reduce the amount of time you spend building it and the totally money spent on your project.

For more free information on using solar power to reduce your electric bills, visit http://www.buildgreenenergy.info/

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How to Hang a Window Box

Tuesday, November 10th, 2009

Hanging a window box to your home is often a difficult task, especially if it is to be directly mounted to the exterior wall. There are several questions you must ask yourself when embarking upon this quest: How much weight needs to be supported? What type of material is the box? What kind of surface is the window box mounting to? What kind of brackets or other supports are available? These are just some of the many questions that need to be answered in order to successfully hang your window box.

Wood and PVC window boxes are generally heavy duty and meant to be able to hold a lot of dirt and support a lot more weight than vinyl. Vinyl is generally not recommended for direct mounting to the house due to the thinness of the material, its susceptibility to cracking, and its lack of structural support. These light duty boxes usually sit atop specialized metal L-brackets that can be directly screwed into the exterior wall.

A heavy duty window box is often mounted one of two ways:

(1) brackets are installed to the home and then the box is secured separately to the brackets or (2) the window box is bolted directly to the home through the back face of the box.

If brackets are used, they are generally functional, although sometimes faux brackets are available that lend no mounting support at all. To mount brackets you will need to begin by measuring the height of the box and offsetting the brackets by that distance beneath the window sill. Next, you will need to measure equal horizontal spacing from the center of the window sill to each side for bracket placement. If the box is longer than 48″, three or more brackets are generally recommended. To hang a window box on siding or stucco, you will want to find the studs and anchor the brackets at those points for the most support. The stud is best found inside the house and under the window with a stud finder. Screw the bracket through the siding with four 4″ thick gauge screws, two at the top and two at the bottom.

To hang a window box on brick, you will need to repeat what was done for stucco. However, unlike stucco, you will need a special “hammer drill” to drill into hard brick. Begin by pre-drilling a 1/4″ hole and then place a 1/4″ drywall anchor in the hole. Screw through the bracket and into the anchor and the bracket will be securely fixed to the wall.

Once the brackets are secure to the wall the window box can then be placed on top and be centered with respect to the window. Finally, drill through the bottom face of the box and directly into the support brackets until secured. It is generally recommended that your window box overhang the width of your window by 1-3″ on each side for aesthetics and to avoid looking disproportional.

If you wish to mount to the home without the use of functional brackets, the steps are very similar. Begin by pre-drilling a hole every 18″ in the back face of the box, preferably near the vertical center. Hold the box up to the window in the appropriate position and mark on the house with a pencil through the pre-drilled holes. Remove the box and then drill 5/8″ holes where you have marked. Place a 5/8″ lead anchor shield into the hole. Hold the box up over the lag shields and screw 3/8″ lag bolts with washers into the anchors until secured. This is the most heavy duty way to install a window box and circumvents bracket failure due to rotting over time. It is not recommended, however to install wooden window boxes this way, because the back of a wooden window box is usually the first part to rot out. This method works well with PVC window boxes made from solid material since they never rot.

Well, now you’re ready to hang a window box. If you haven’t already bought one, now you’ll have all the confidence you need to add value and curb appeal to your home for years to come. Hanging a window box is a fun and empowering task that will allow you to enjoy your window flower boxes that much more.

Matt Buquoi has over 5 years experience of home improvement and hanging window boxes. He is the ownerFlower Window Boxes, where they offer the largest selection of affordable custom, no rot window boxes.

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The Best Tips For Building a Baby Crib

Monday, November 9th, 2009

A baby spends more than 1600 hours sleeping in the first year of life alone. Most of this time is spent in the baby crib. Building a crib may seem like a daunting task but the rewards are huge. The result is an heirloom quality baby crib that will be cherished and passed down through generations.

Start with a good baby crib building plan. There are many free baby crib plans in addition to those you can purchase. When looking for a good crib plan be sure that it includes diagrams of the finished piece as well as specific important steps. Exploded views of the steps help the woodworker to better visualize and understand each step.

Choose a crib plan that suits your own woodworking skills. If you are new to woodworking choose a baby crib building plan that is less complicated. Some plans create a standard baby crib while others are for more complicated convertible cribs. Some plans offer extensive cutout designs while others use standard slats or solid wood for the headboard and footboard areas.

Always consider current safety standards when choosing baby crib plans. These standards are updated often so be sure to verify them against your plan of choice before you begin. Remember that you can easily make any modification necessary at the start.

Once you decide on the baby crib plan you next must decide on the material to use. Always try to use the highest-grade wood you can afford. If the piece will be stained you should make sure that the wood is the best quality while if you will paint the piece you can use slightly less quality wood.

Follow the directions closely. If you have any questions or problems along the way there are resources to help you. Many woodworking web sites have user forums where people post questions that are answered by any and all who care to. This can give you lots of insight to a specific situation you have encountered. Also, check your baby crib plans. Often they have a toll-free number to call with questions or for specific help.

Set up a woodworking schedule to follow. Allow ample time to build the crib. Take into account the time you will have to work on the crib and consider where you will be building it. Be sure that you set up a workshop area in your garage or basement where you can leave everything set up without having to put things away after each work session. This will save you countless hours on the project. Keep a clean sheet handy to cover your work in-between sessions. Prepare a place to work when it comes time to stain or paint the crib and allow enough time for the crib to cure once completed. Plan to have the crib completed at least a month before the crib will be needed.

Finally, be sure to sign and date your piece. This will make the process complete and will ensure that many years from now people will know who made the crib and when it was made.

Article written by Randi Reese, she offers a wide selection of unique baby cribs, including the popular Davinci crib.

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Bathroom Wall Tile Design

Sunday, November 8th, 2009

When fitting the bathroom tiles, there are many aspects that need to be taken care. The foremost is to select the tiles and the materials that they are made of. Since, there will be dampness in the bathroom it is always advisable to fit tiles which are made of non-porous materials. Ceramic tiles are usually used for the wall tiles and the design depends upon your choice. Ideally the wall tile should match the color of the wall and the floor tiles. Some people also use contrasting tile colors for their bathroom wall tile design and the floor tile design.

There are many designs that can be considered. If you think that your bathroom wall tile design should have a light texture you can fix blue and white floral tile murals. You can also use backsplash tile accents, phoenix bird decorative tile or even pomegranate tree and peacocks. I was checking out a tile catalogue and found many exciting tile designs and at reasonable prices. There were Armenian flowers, circular fish design tile, trees of life tile, cobalt blue peacock and many other exciting designs. The tiles are all priced at $18 a piece. The ascent tiles are costly but they make amazing bathroom wall tile designs when they are placed in-between the ceramic tiles on the bathroom wall. The size of the accent tile design is 15*15 cm and they are available in wooden framed and unframed style.

You can either fit a single tile in between the plain ceramic tiles or you can create a row or design of the designer tiles in-between the ceramic tiles. It all depends upon your choice but if you are interested you can take the help of a designer to finalize the design for you. Before you start installing the tiles you should have your bathroom wall tile design handy so that you can share it with your tile installer. It is important for you to check the quality of the tile before you fit them. Apart from selecting the non-porous tile variety you should ensure that the tiles do not fade and are able to withstand high temperatures.

Generally the tiles are expertly glazed and fired at 1850 F to give the classy finishing. It is always recommended to order a couple of sample tiles initially to check out whether they actually go well with the wall design. Once you are satisfied with the bathroom wall tile design pattern you can go ahead and order the exact number of tiles required.It is important that you hire an expert installer for the installation job or get the proper information to installing tile if you plan on doing it yourself.

To find a few tile design ideas and more information on installing tile so you know the bathroom wall tile design you pick turns out how you want Click Here

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