That’s because the tiling tips here—bathroom and kitchen, mainly—are meant to be quickies that you can absorb in an instant. Some are intuitive; others not so intuitive (and one is an outright rant). In the ledge shown in this image, the tiler committed one major boo-boo. Instead of extending the horizontal window ledge tile all the way and having it cover up the edge of the vertical wall tile, the tiler has done the exact opposite....
Full of delicious smells and tastes, autumn is a wonderful time of year and one of the seasons most recognized by young children because of the changing colors of leaves. Autumn offers opportunities to learn across the curriculum, from understanding the science of how a pumpkin grows to counting the number of apples ripening in a tree. There are many ideas for fall festival games and activities you can use, whether you’re a parent organizing a school harvest festival or a teacher who wants to do something fun on or around October 31....
Clean air is one of life’s basic necessities. And while we often think the air inside our homes is among the cleanest there is, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that indoor air is about two to five times more polluted than the air outside. Many air purifiers promise to rectify this by filtering out the most common pollutants like dust, allergens, smoke, odors, volatile organic compounds, viruses, and bacteria, but they don’t all perform as well as they say....
Warm Colors Warm colors consist of orange, red, yellow, and combinations of these and similar colors. As the name indicates, they tend to make you think of warm things, such as sunlight and heat. Visually, warm colors look as though they come closer, or advance (as do dark colors), which is why they’re often used to make large rooms seem cozier. If you have a huge bedroom that you want to look more intimate, try painting it a warm color such as terra-cotta or brown to make it feel cozier....
There is no way to keep all of nature out of your garden. The best a gardener can do is to work within the balance of nature, and balance is a lot easier to maintain than it is to regain. IPM is a combination of knowing when and why a problem is likely to occur, taking steps to avoid the problem in the first place, keeping an eye out for changes, and using low-hazard, economical control methods when necessary....
There is some overlap and crossover in these tools, as some brad nailers can also be used with crown staples, and brad nailers that handle larger brads can do much of the same work as finish nailers. Traditionally, these automatic nailing tools have been powered by air compressors connected to the tool with hoses, but increasingly, nailing guns are electric- or even battery-powered. No matter what the power source, the operating principle is the same: Brad nailers work by means of an internal compression chamber that shoots a blast of air to drive the brad when the trigger is squeezed....
Wire Stripper vs. Self-Stripping Tool Another type of wire stripper is a self-stripping tool, or self-adjusting wire strippers, that removes wire insulation with a compound action. This means that three actions take place when you squeeze the handle: grip, strip, and remove. After you precisely place the wire in the head and squeeze the handle, the stripper grabs onto the wire, cuts the insulation, and completely removes it from the wire, all in one motion....
What Makes Bird Feeding Messy Birds are naturally messy eaters, and feeding birds for a long time can lead to dirty feeders and messy ground beneath those feeders. Unappetizing seeds will be kicked out and discarded, and birds drop hulls as they feed. Discarded seed can mold and rot, or it may sprout beneath the bird feeder, leading to undesirable weeds or damaging turf. A messy feeding area can attract pests and may result in fines or other sanctions in HOA communities....
A true Queen-Anne house is quite iconic, though this style overlaps with other architectural styles developed during the same time period. This can make distinguishing a Queen Anne home from other Victorian-style houses a bit more complex than you may think. Learn what sets this architectural style apart, along with where it originated and its key features. Key Characteristics of Queen Anne-Style Houses A Queen Anne-style home looks very much like a storybook house brought to reality....
Bluestone Pavers Color and Shape Bluestone pavers or slabs come in several sizes and shapes: they may be cut in uniform sizes such as squares, rectangles, or they might be cut for a more natural look with jagged edges and irregular shapes. What you use in your paving project is a matter of taste, although the irregular sizes lend themselves to more free-form designs such as walkways and stepping stones. Uniform pieces will be easier to work with, of course, since mapping out the area to cover will require less work....
Serving Trays Unless you are entertaining a household of 20-plus nightly, serving trays can go into storage like a plastic storage bin and be retrieved right before the party for cleaning. Serving trays are bulky and hard to fit into cabinets, so it makes sense to store them offsite if you have limited space. A great storage spot is in the dead space above the refrigerator. Linens Linen napkins, fancy placemats, and tablecloths can be moved to the linen closet....
Cost and Installation Wood flooring can run as little as $3 to $4 per square foot on the lower end and as much as $10 or even $20 for exotic high-end materials. In a kitchen, you want to make sure that you purchase a very dense, durable hardwood, and stay away from softwood floors, which may be more prone to water damage and staining issues. Before you start the installation process, check whether there is a warranty on the hardwood materials....
Factors Affecting Migration A number of factors determine when birds migrate from their breeding range to their wintering range in the fall. These include: Light: Light levels and the overall daily angle of the sun indicate a change in season. As the days grow shorter and light angles become shallower, birds know the time is right to begin migration. Temperature and climate: Cooler temperatures are another sign of the change of seasons....
This is a list of the most reputable reclaimed flooring suppliers who offer their product to retail customers and who will ship at least throughout the U.S. Reclaimed engineered wood flooring may sound like an oxymoron, but Aged Woods has just that: 3 mm of reclaimed antique wood laid over a nine-layer substrate of plywood. Like other prefinished floorings, this product receives seven coats of aluminum oxide finish. The beauty of reclaimed wood with the practicality of engineered flooring....
You can consult your owner’s manual for a clear explanation of the display. Your manual will also give you directions on how to put your Whirlpool Cabrio washer in diagnostic mode and how to reset it. If you can’t put your hands on your manual, you can get a new manual or simply follow this chart to see what the codes mean. Here are some items to check that may help you get the washer running again....
Also known as a white plumeria, West Indian Jasmine, or nosegay, this tree has thick, gray-green, succulent branches and long, leathery green leaves. The tree often forms into an umbrella shape. Though they can grow to be quite large, white frangipanis are slow growers. They can be kept in pots for easy moving and to keep them more compact. Common pests and diseases include the frangipani moth and caterpillar, scale, mealybugs, nematodes, and frangipani rust....
The actual cause of bitterness in cucumbers (which also occurs in other gourds, like zucchini,) is due to the compound cucurbitacin. It’s always present in cucumbers, but the levels change based on the vegetables’ growing process. The higher the level of cucurbitacin, the more bitter the cucumber will be. Unfortunately, you can’t tell if a cucumber is becoming bitter while it is still growing and you have time to do something about it....
While some leaks have universal causes in both front-loading and top-loading washers, these tips will help you identify the problem depending on the type of washer in your laundry room. Once you’ve pinpointed the source of the leak, you may be able to do the repairs yourself. Before You Begin Before you begin diagnosing your washing machine and making any repairs, it’s important to prevent electrical hazards and any floods or leaks from your plumbing....
A few studies posit the idea that home buyers might be willing to pay more for wood flooring. Some of the data associated with claims of greater resale value use speculative terms such as “would” and “believe that.” As yet, wood flooring’s assumed the higher resale value is based on speculation, not actual dollar amounts. Still, the people consulted in the studies who speculate about wood flooring’s value are seasoned professionals with many years of gut-level experience under their belts: realtors, builders, and designers....
If you’re planning to make a dedicated home workout space or prefer to exercise in your living room, do not overlook home gym flooring. Home gym floors mats are available in a variety of square footage and can be arranged in different shapes. Proper gym flooring not only protects your floors from heavy equipment and shock, but also gives your body an extra layer of cushioned support. Yes4All’s Interlocking Exercise Foam Mats promise to keep workout equipment sturdy, reduce noise and shock, and deliver plenty of user comfort....
