Color is one of the most transformative tools in your design arsenal. It can completely change the feeling of a space. When it comes to paint, keep in mind that the amount of natural light a room receives, the direction it comes from, and even how it plays off your furnishings all affect how wall colors appear. South-facing rooms tend to get warm, sun-drenched light, so you may want a cooler tone to balance out the warmth....
Overview for Pickling an Oak Bench Pickling, bleaching, whitewash—they’re all variations on the theme of treating light-colored woods, usually pine, oak, or ash, to make them appear even lighter, almost ethereal. This “limed” look stems from the 16th-century European practice of infusing wood with a paste of caustic lime to ward off insect infestation. Even then, a pickled wood finish was appreciated for its decorative value. Today you can just use leftover primer to create a simple pickling solution, or try one of the commercial pickling formulas out there....
Whatever your reason for needing a custom-sized mirror, it will be much less expensive to cut it yourself than to have it professionally done. All you need are the right materials. Materials for cutting a mirror The most important thing you’ll need, besides the mirror itself, is a glass-cutting tool. Glass cutters are small and inexpensive, typically costing less than $10. They feature a small rolling cutter at the tip for scoring the glass, a notched section for gripping stray glass pieces, and a balled tip for deepening the score mark....
What Does an Electrician Do? Although wiring might seem like a black-and-white proposition—either the light goes on or it doesn’t—it’s actually a vast interdependent network. Circuits that are otherwise safe but poorly designed can damage appliance motors and electronic gear because they deliver the wrong amperage. Lights on even partially overloaded circuits can flicker when an appliance is in use, or the breaker may trip or the fuse might blow, shutting down the circuit entirely....
How to Fix Light Wood Abrasions Light abrasions are often the result of materials rubbing on the finished surface of the wood. This is actually a collection of light scratches in the outermost finish layer, which is usually lacquer or polyurethane. How to Fix Large Wood Abrasions When working with larger abrasions, it might be necessary to blend the repair into the rest of the wood. These abrasions may be slightly deeper than a lighter abrasion, but not so deep that they dig into the wood....
Does Cork Make Good Flooring? Cork is also a lot easier to install than traditional wood flooring. Manufacturers now offer products in engineered panels that snap together without glue or nails. These floating-floor systems sit well over plywood, concrete, or even the existing flooring. As This Old House technical editor Mark Powers shows here, in one afternoon you can turn a kitchen or playroom floor into a comfortable mat where your toes can roam free without fear of the big chill....
Installing a vintage lockset Tools
Steps for patching a hardwood floor: Materials 2 1/4-inch hardwood flooring Wood glue Flooring nails Tools
Jenn planted a variety of plants, including dwarf fountain grass, lady’s mantle, stonecrop, coneflower (echinacea), Blue Hill Salvia, Rose Marvel Salvia, and windflower. These can all be found at nurseries and home centers. The other tools and materials Jenn used to plant the foundation plantings, including the wheelbarrow, shovels, and mulch, can all be found at The Home Depot. Expert assistance with this project was provided by Nawada Landscape Design....
What do you cover plants with in the winter? You can cover your plants in burlap to allow moisture in but keep the harsh elements, like wind, out. Other options include adding 3-4 inches of leaves or a layer of mulch around your plant’s base; this will help moderate the soil’s temperature. If you have many plants to protect, consider buying an anti-desiccant spray (a wax that keeps the plant from losing its moisture)....
The good news is that it’s not difficult to restore stainless-steel surfaces to their former glory, especially if you have the right materials and products. Here’s how to get scratches out of stainless steel. Assess the Damage and Gather the Materials Are you dealing with light, minor scuffs or deeper, visible scratches? Depending on the condition your stainless steel is in, your approach will be different. What You Need for Small Scratches For less significant nicks and dings, all you need is a non-abrasive, stainless-steel scratch remover compound, which will work to fill in the fine lines and smooth out the surface....
Because sound is made up of energy (vibrations), if you absorb or block those vibrations, the sound will decrease. You can wear noise-canceling headphones all day, but that gets old—and you do want to be able to hear some things. If you have a dedicated room where you work, here are some soundproofing options that should help quell the noise. Soundproofing Doors If you have a hollow-core door, you could replace it with a solid door....
Steps: Use a chainsaw to cut off the smaller, lower branches. Feed the severed branches through a wood chipper. Tie a rope around larger branches, cut the branches free, then slowly lower them to the ground. Use a chainsaw to chop down the tree trunk, one section at a time.
Building a simple partition wall—a stud wall that divides an interior space without bearing any load—is a perfect introduction to the basics of home construction. This project employs the same principles and components that are used in the construction of any frame house: 2x lumber spaced and nailed correctly, then set plumb. Think of it as Framing Carpentry 101. Even though all this work ends up buried behind drywall, shortcuts lead to trouble....
