My Home Improvement Tips

Sourcing Materials & Tools Of The Trade For Improving Your Home

MyHomeImprovementTips — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 11:00:00 GMT

We are always looking to come up with new ways to improve the homes in which we live. Whether this is by installing new extensions in the house or new rooms there is always something that you can do to make your home perfect.

Perfect is what you think it should be, not anyone else’s idea of perfect. That’s why there are many home improvement catalogs out there. They show pictures and prices of lots of different things that can be done with your home and new inspiring ideas.

Home improvement catalogs are perfect for every home owner wanting to make those little or large adjustments to their home. They are inexpensive and sold in almost every paper shop and supermarket. They are full of handy helpful hints, tips and advice to help you succeed in making your own dream home.

Home improvement could be as simple as re painting or decorating your hallway, or something as extravagant as adding a garage or extra bedroom or even an en suite bathroom to your home but you can be assured that a home improvement catalog will be full of ideas and stories of success.

These catalog are an ingenious way to get many peoples points across that home improvement and re decorating does not need to be expensive and inside these catalogs there are pages and pages of great ways to save money when doing up your home. Creating a great atmosphere does not have to mean spending a fortune, some candles and a sprinkling of potpourri always work a charm!

Home improvement catalogs also show local business men who come highly recommended. They are best to use because they have had reviews written about them and they are featured and have been used before so you know you are getting a good deal!

When choosing a home improvement catalog always choose the style that suits you, whether that be a home style make over or make your own shelves type of catalog. Each catalog is unique and has lots of advice so this is truly a great purchase for any home improvement maniac or beginner.

The Best Places For Tools Of The Trade

When doing any kind of home improvement it requires supplies! They can be purchased anywhere though, so you don’t have to worry about where you are going to get them. Supplies can be anything from tea light holders to a brand new bathroom suite. They should all be available at your local hardware, home decorating or crafts store. Depending on what home improvement supplies you purchase your cost will vary greatly. Obviously a new kitchen or bathroom is going to cost a lot more than a set of candles or a new carpet.

Home Improvement supplies are not only limited to buying in shops but you can also purchase them from the internet. Be careful when using the internet; make sure that the online shop that you are buying from has a lot of reputable feedback and has plenty references. Many people on the internet are not who they claim to be. Internet shops are always cheaper than buying from your local store but you usually have to pay for postage and packaging which can be expensive depending on the size, shape or weight of the item or items that you are buying.

Home improvement supplies are of course essential when it comes down to the actual job. Make sure when you are purchasing your supplies that they are what you want and not what the professional contractor is pushing you to buy. If he or she is pushing then it probably means there is a cheaper alternative, probably a few pages ahead of the one that you are looking at in their magazine.

Generally supplies are the main things when it comes to home improvements as you can’t improve anything without something else, now can you? Exactly! So, when purchasing your supplies, whether they are from an internet website or a local crafts shop all you need to do is make sure that they are what you want and you feel that they will be improving your home! There is no point spending money on things that are not to your taste and will make your house appear no different than it already is, the aim of the game is to improve!

What Exactly Do You Mean By The Phrase ‘Home Improvement’?

MyHomeImprovementTips — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 11:57:00 GMT

As the very phrase suggests, home improvement refers to the process of making change to your home to improve the way it looks. Home improvement tasks can be performed by:

• Professional contractors
• Professional tradesmen
• Handy men
• Self

However, tasks done by self are not called Do It Yourself work. Bob Villa is a well- known TV personality who has written home improvement books and TV shows. Such persons have glamorized the field of home improvement.

The phrase home improvement covers many different tasks and activities. It includes:

a. Wallpapering
b. Upgrading units
c. Laying new carpets
d. Transforming cellars and attics
e. Adding new extensions
f. Landscaping
g. Interior decoration
h. Getting new furniture
i. Combining rooms or dividing them

Home Improvement vs. Home Repair

Home repair refers to those activities which are aimed at rectifying faults and defects in the house. Repairing burst pipes or a leak in the roof or a faulty door knob fall under the definition of home repair.

As is obvious, you would not repair or fix anything unless it is broken. On the other hand, home improvement can be done even when there is nothing wrong with your house. You can repaint a room just because you are bored of the color and for no other reason.

Home improvement tasks are executed by employing professional contractors while experts are called to carry out home repair only when the damage is serious and widespread.

How To Improve Your Home?

The first thing to do is to prepare a plan. This plan should include:

• What changes do you want to be made?
• How much will it cost?
• How much time will it take?
• What is your budget?
• What are the promotional offers available?
• Can the material be bought online?

Working without a plan is a very dangerous approach. The following consequences can ensure if you work without a plan:

• Cost overruns. The cost of the home improvement may exceed your budget if you go on adding changes as the work proceeds
• Time overruns. You house may be under renovation for a long time if you are not clear about the changes to be made.
• Absence of home improvement. Unless you have a clear picture in mind, you may end up being dissatisfied with the changes made after the work is complete. You may realize later that the work done was not the work you had in mind in the first place.

Where To Search For Home Improvement Ideas?

Everybody wants to have an improved home. However, no one is sure what an improved home looks like. Thinking up home improvement ideas is not as easy as it sounds. Spread the word amongst your:

a. Friends
b. Family
c. Relatives
d. Neighbors and
e. Even your children

You never know where the revolutionary home improvement idea will come from.

Before you decide anything, have a trial run conducted in a single room or a smaller part of your house. If you like the way the improved portion looks like, then you can go ahead and renovate your whole house.

No Home Improvement Is Possible Without Equipment And Supplies

MyHomeImprovementTips — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 11:55:00 GMT

Change is the essence of life. This is evident from the fact that we like to change and improve the looks our house even if nothing is wrong with it. The human mind hates monotony and always seeks change.

Now change has no universal definition. The placement of a new showpiece on the wall may constitute change for some. On the other hand, nothing less than a comprehensive makeover of the house would suffice for others.

Unless you come up with ideas, you cannot redecorate your house. There are many sources of ideas available for your use. Some of them are:

a. Home improvement catalogs
b. Friends
c. Neighbors
d. Interior designers
e. Family members

Home improvement catalogs are very popular amongst home owners. These catalogs provide great ideas at very low cost. Further, the ideas are suggested by persons who themselves are in the business of improving homes. Do not forget to check at least one catalog before you proceed.

Further home improvement catalogs involve recommendations and reviews by local people. Since a person would not want to be known as a cheat in the community in which he or she lives, the chances of catalogs bringing up good ideas is very high.

You will have to purchase supplies and provide them to the labor so that the work can be completed. Acquisition of supplies involves:

• Searching for suppliers
• Determining the cost of materials
• Bargaining and haggling for discounts
• Finalizing the deal

Your search for supplies, tools and equipment should take you to the local hardware store.

Each process will require your personal touch. Of course, it is essential that you consider the requirements and expectations of all the persons living in your house. You cannot expect people to approve all your ideas.

It is your duty to communicate the improvement plan to all others and obtain their go ahead. You may find an even better idea from a member of your family.

If you are redecorating your drawing room, then the new furniture may form a significant part of your total budget. You should be prepared for this expenditure. This approach will help you avoid other unnecessary expenditure.

You will look plain silly if you are not prepared for spending lots of money for getting a brand new carpet or a brand new chandelier. However, you would look equally stupid if you go about amassing a small fortune for the purpose of repainting your house.

Merely purchasing lots of supplies will not suffice. You should have the knack of using the materials in a proper manner to get maximum benefits. Home improvement is all about ideas.

Do not share essential responsibilities with outsiders. It is your house and you stand to gain the most by improving it. Relying on others puts you at risk. Most home owners make the mistake of relying on the labor to decide on the changes to be made to the home.

It is pertinent to note that the improvement in the home comes about not just by physical changes but also by mental satisfaction. Unless you feel that the home has improved, no amount of structural changes will satisfy you.

Home improvement is not all about spending a lot of money. Even a small amount spent smartly can make you feel as if you are living in a brand new home. Hence, do not stick to conventional ideas only. Be bold in coming up with new ideas.

A Home Improvement Loan Decision Should Not Be Made In Haste

MyHomeImprovementTips — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 16:47:00 GMT

Taking out a loan is not a small decision. If the collateral security happens to be your house, then the decision has implications not just for you but the future of your entire family.

Hence, opt for home improvement loans secured by your house only if you are dead certain of your ability to repay the loan in full.

Most of the home improvement loan seekers go to a broker to get the best possible deal. The job of the broker is to get a lender who will lend the maximum money to the borrower at the easiest terms. Generally, loans that charge the lowest APR are considered as good deals.

Home improvement loans can be used to fund practically any and every improvement to the home. The lender will ensure you are not borrowing a large amount when a small amount would serve your purpose.

To secure his interest, the lender demands that you offer your house as the security for the loan. Only perfect credit scores qualify for unsecured loans.

When applying for a home improvement loan, be prepared for the scrutiny of your credit file. With 3 out of 5 persons suffering from debt of more than $10,000, lenders have become very cautious.

Do you have good credit?

All your transactions form a part of your credit file and the same is scrutinized to determine whether you can be relied to repay the loan on time. If you suffer from bad credit, you will have to pay a higher rate of interest.

It is not worth to risk your house for a beautiful new kitchen, bedroom or bathroom unless you are absolutely certain that you can afford the loan.

The Home improvement sector is an extremely competitive sector. Service providers are many and the competition has ensured that the prices remain low. Now is the best time to get that home improvement job done.

Companies are struggling to meet their targets and are offering great offers to the buyers to ensure they stay in business. While women are in no way inferior to men when it comes to doing home improvement jobs, this sector is dominated by men.

Home owners beware!

When employing a home improvement company, make sure you employ licensed and registered professionals only. The law places the burden on the buyer to ensure that he employs licensed workmen only and you face the risk of losing all benefits that accrued to you from insurances, warranties and guarantees.

There is no denying that home improvement business is a very lucrative one:

a. Labor charges run high
b. After hours labor charges have to be heard to be believed
c. Materials are often supplied by the home improvement contractor. He buys in bulk at cost and sells it to the home owner at a profit.

Be there at the right place and the right time, aggressively market yourself, please your clients to ensure word of mouth publicity, advertise in local papers and magazines and find yourself a rich man in no time at all.

Demand for home improvement companies will never go slack. Even in the worst of the times, people do not stop beautifying their house. The hours are long and the work is hard.

If you are ready to bend your back, you will find a big fat check in your account month after month. The question is "Are you up to it?"

Safe Energy, Money and Health with Draft Stoppers

MyHomeImprovementTips — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 08:59:00 GMT

Sick and tired of the leaky doors and windows of your home? Well, here is some respite for all you people out there. To make life easier for your, we offer you the draft stopper. Wonder what a draft stopper is?

The Draft Stopper is probably the most perfect solution to the leaky windows and doors that you have in your home. The Draft Stopper is made up of a durable, thick fabric construction along with a washable surface. The insulator in the Draft Stopper is heavy in weight so that it is placed firmly by the window or the door.

The Draft Stopper also has the ability to keep your home cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. The best part is that the Draft Stopper carries out this function and at the same time lowers your cooling and heating bills. To avail this facility, the twin draft stoppers are available in the market. The twin draft stopper has the ability to let the cold air stay out and let the warm air let in. This leads to conservation of heat, which leads to lowering of your heating bills.

The draft stopper carries the function of minimizing the leaking of air and thus helps a household save up a lot of energy as statistics show that about 40% of the energy is lost because of air leak. The Draft Stopper is available in many colors so that it matches your home décor and does not end up being a complete mismatch harming the beauty of your house. If you are facing a problem of a leaky door then a unique door Draft Stopper is also available in the market. This draft stopper offers you guys’ two amazing qualities and advantages.

Firstly, it seals both the sides of the door and hence you end up getting double draft stopping protection. Secondly, it has the ability to move in tandem with the door. Due to this ability, the draft stopper is already in place when you close the door. The draft stopper can be placed between your inner door and screen door or it can be just pushed up against the bottom of your door by just placing it on the floor. The draft stoppers are available in various different sizes depending upon your requirement, as only you have the idea about the width of the door or window in question. You can also choose the draft stopper as per your budget. The draft stopper also protects you against insects, odor and dust.

Most of the draft stoppers are vary economical and tough. If you were on a lookout for a good draft stopper, as a customer you would be at a gain if you buy a nice flexible draft stopper. A flexible and tough draft stopper will last long and give you the kind of results you are looking for. In addition, for all you people who own a house, full of attractive interior, cute looking draft stoppers are also available so that you do not have to compromise with the amazing look of your house.

Features of AVR-2808CI

MyHomeImprovementTips — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 08:53:00 GMT

Entertainment is important to renew lives in today’s hectic lifestyle. Home theater system is one of the great ways of bringing pleasure to life. It is now possible to enjoy high quality movies with superb surround sound. The perfect audio component AVR2808CI brings you the delight of watching some of your favorite films.

AVR-2808CI includes several exciting features. It has advanced AV setting and thus becomes the most renowned audio video receiver. It supports the latest surround formats that let you enjoy excellent home theater experience as the surround sound helps you to enjoy even the minute sound effects created by the sound engineer. You can therefore get the whistling sound of wind, pitter-patter sound of raindrops and much more.

You can enjoy the pleasure of ultimate film watching experience. You will be attracted by the real sound effect which will make you forget that you are sitting in your living room and watching a movie. Because of this sound effect it is natural for the viewer to get involved with the various characters present in the movie. You can enjoy great additional surround sound with 7.1 channel surround system. You can get this attachment along with the product.

AVR-2808CI offers smooth sound reproduction. It has Faroudja FLi2310 that has the power to deliver video scaling with very high resolution. The remote provided with the system can be used for volume control and source switching. The infrared remote control features touch panel, programmable and multi-brand compatibility. The electro-luminescent touch display is yet another brilliant feature. The HDMI is responsible for 1080p resolution. You can enjoy great sound, Ipod dock control or multizone speaker control. The receiver that is provided with this product is pretty efficient and helps the speakers to deliver superb quality of sound. The main benefit of AVR-2808CI is that it does not emit heat even if you increase the sound level or use it for longer time.

AVR-2808CI has built-in decoders that include Dolby pro logic, Dolby pro logic 2, Dolby pro logic 2x, Dolby digital plus, DTS-ES Matrix 6.1 and DTS-HD decoder. The sound effects in the product are Cinema EQ that supplies supreme performance. It has display dimmer, bass control and treble control. It supports great many features like digital signal format auto detection, on-screen display, composite video to S-video conversion, Auto set up or Room EQ, analog video up converting to HDMI and so on.

AVR-2808CI comprises of modernized audyssey audio processing. The serial IR ports offer you the advantage of ease of integration. AVR-2808CI supports digital graphic equalizer and has center frequencies ranging from 63Hz to 16000Hz. It comes with dual remotes that include EL backlit learning and standard pre-programmed types. It has 2-way remote capability. The latest chassis construction is responsible for providing clean audio and video signal. It includes some accessories like FM antenna, AM antenna and auto calibration microphone.

AVR-2808CI enables you to get splendid movie experience. In the past, home theater systems though provide quality movies, caused many inconveniences. They suffered from technological interventions. Thanks to AVR-2808CI, home theater which has taken the users to one level up. It is available at affordable prices and you can easily get it directly to your home through online shopping.

Safe and Dry with a Water Absorbent Sock

MyHomeImprovementTips — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 08:25:00 GMT

Over the past few years, hurricanes have been hitting us on a more regular basis than ever before in the history of mankind. Climatic changes are one of the reasons for this phenomenon. If you look at the year 2005, as many as 31 hurricanes were reported. A hurricane has such intensity that it literally runs through houses, bridges, structures etc.

As a home owner, you can do little to save it from the mighty power of a hurricane. Our home, after all is very close to our heart and hence many homeowners now are seeking different ways and ideas to keep their home and belongings safe and dry and minimize damage caused by nature’s fury.

There is a very famous saying, “Prevention is better than cure”. It is a fact that we cannot prevent a hurricane but we can definitely make an effort to save our homes from the ravages of a hurricane. Homeowners can collect different products that can prevent things like busting of water pipes, water leaks, flooded basements and garages etc. To avoid the basement and garage from flooding, it is very important that the homeowner makes arrangement to procure products that can absorb water.

The Hurricane Sock is one of the most widely used products for socking purposes during and after a hurricane. It has the ability and capacity to absorb as much as one gallon of water. And it is very useful at entry points such as windows and doors etc.

Apart from being used during a hurricane, a Hurricane Sock is best used as moisture absorbent in garage, basement etc. The Hurricane Sock is useful in collecting excess water and helps fight pesky window. This tubular nylon is filled with an ultra absorbent polypropylene. The Hurricane Sock carries out its functions in an uncompromising and economical manner. The water absorbent sock is so efficient that it quickly dries up.

The typical Hurricane Sock measures four feet long and three inches wide and is gray in color. The Hurricane Sock is available in different sizes. The Hurricane Sock is also available in different price range and quantities. As a buyer, you might want to buy four Hurricane Socks instead of one because you will end up saving a lot of money if you buy them in a bunch. For example, a set of four Hurricane Socks will cost you around $20.99. On the other hand a set of ten Hurricane Socks will only cost you $30.99.

The Hurricane Sock is widely used in Florida which is one of the areas prone to hurricanes. Although it is almost impossible to save ourselves from natural disasters, use of products like a Hurricane Sock goes a long way in minimizing the damage.

Better Protection with an Absorb Mat

MyHomeImprovementTips — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 08:22:00 GMT

Our home is one of the most valuable and precious assets for us. Keeping our house in a good shape and protecting it from various hazards should be our prime objective and responsibility.

Along with our living room, bedrooms, kitchen, we also need to take care of places like our backyard, garden area and garage. Generally we see that people fail to take care of their garage even though a garage is one of the most important parts of the house. There is nothing worse than a sight wherein oil greets you from on the garage floor as you enter. Absorb garage mats are the perfect solution for such problems. They help you keep the floor neat, tidy and stainless.

As the garage is usually the place where you may repair try and repair the car by yourself. The garage therefore ends up being prone to oil spills and oil stains on a regular basis with the absorb mat created from a truly amazing material which has the ability and capacity to absorb and hold gallons of liquids including oil. The garage floor mat comes with a three year guarantee too which states that the mat will not leak, crack or tear within the guarantee period. Manufacturers also guarantee that the mat will lie still and flat on the floor without any buckling or curling..

Many people try to save the garage floor from dirty stains by using doormats, cardboard, towels and even plastic bags. Though these are cheaper and prevent the floor from getting dirty with oil, dirt and other chemical spills to a certain extent, these solutions are nowhere as effective as the garage absorb mat.

The best quality absorb mat is that which does not allow any liquid to penetrate through it and holds liquids such as oil and other chemicals and later seep them into the ground thereby recycling them. The environment is most benefited because of the ability of a absorb mat to do that.

Abzorb Mats are available in different sizes as per the requirement of the consumers. The smallest size of a garage absorb mat is 3’x3’ which works very well for maintenance of motorcycle and repairs of smaller sized cars. As the size is small, the mat fits easily under lawn equipment stored in the garage.

A garage absorb mat is also available in another size 3’*5’. This sized mat is one of the most commonly used mats. The reason for higher demand of this mat is because the engine area of most vehicles is accommodated by this mat.

In the beginning, when the garage absorb mat was introduced into the market, only industrial related businessman were able to afford it because of the high price. As the absorb mat has gained more mileage and popularity over the years, more and more companies have started manufacturing these mats and hence competition has been a key factor for the considerable fall in prices of the absorb mats. Today, a garage absorb mat is very much affordable for those who can afford to have a garage.

Common DIY and Home Improvement Worries

MyHomeImprovementTips — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 13:46:00 GMT

Many people who have home improvement questions ask friends or family or even neighbors but what do you do when they are not around? You can’t very well ask someone who is not there. So who do you turn to in your time of need?

Well, when you have a question there are lot of different options when a real person isn’t around. First, you can read up about home improvement in a book or magazine, secondly you can flick through a catalogue and hope they have answers to your questions or you can jump on your computer and go to the good old reliable internet. There is a world waiting at your fingertips and no doubt that the internet has all the answers to your questions.

Books, magazines and catalogues are only updated and published weekly or monthly, so you can be sitting there with this week’s edition of the “home improvement” magazine and it doesn’t have the answer to your questions and it is another week or month until the next one comes out. But that option of course is not good to you, you have half started a job and can’t remember how to finish it, you obviously can't just leave it incomplete for weeks on end!

The best option is the internet. It’s full of information on anything and everything so you are absolutely sure to find an answer to any question you have! Home improvement questions are asked by thousands of people each day and they always log off the internet leaving very happy and of course knowing the answer to their question. The internet has vast amounts of information on any topic or subjects in the world so a question based on home improvement is sure enough to find at least one hundred answers.

Home improvement questions are asked by everyone, not everyone knows the answers to everything. Sneaking onto the internet seeking answers is those men who think they can do the job then get half way into it and realize that he doesn’t know how to do the job and is scared to ask the wife what to do.

So when a family member isn’t around or your neighbors have popped out for the day, just log on and access millions of pieces of information all at the click of a button. The information is fast, free but not often very reliable; but well at least you are getting your question answered.

Budgeting For DIY and Other Home Improvements

MyHomeImprovementTips — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 13:41:00 GMT

Home improvement costs can be quite steep but by following a few simple steps you can help to cut the costs and save your self a fortune. Budgeting is very important when it comes to home improvements as many people find themselves constantly spending money even though the project is just almost done.

Always try and spend as much as you can on materials though but don’t be silly with the money, materials follow the law that if it is expensive it is good. Although it may not be worth what you are about to pay for it and you can probably find it cheaper elsewhere but if it means that then its going to be better than the cheaper item sitting next to it!

Budgeting is crucial, always budget for more than you are willing to spend that way if something comes up like an extra cost somewhere or something was more work than was thought out then you are prepared for it. If you don’t budget then you will keep on spending and keep on forgetting where all the money is going. It is always the little things that bite you in the backside, little things like wallpaper expenditure and tiling are usually always forgetting about so make sure you are not part of the norm.

Home improvement costs are easily cut down by making sure you only buy what you need, there is no point purchasing something that you’re never going to use. That would just be silly and wasting money! Costs are a very if not the most important factor in any home improvement project basically because you need money to get the job done, you cant get anything for free these days but you can minimize on the cost of things by a great deal by budgeting!

At the end of the day you don’t have to go for the most expensive bath suite of the nicest plushest carpet, all you have to do is make sure that your home is what you want and is comfortable for you and you family to enjoy it, sometimes money is power but not always and home improvement is in the not always category! That of course is the main part of any home improvement project.

Home Improvement Assistance

MyHomeImprovementTips — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 16:40:00 GMT

Help can be found easily when it comes to home improvements. You can hire a local handy man to come and help you or you can pull in some favors from friends and family members, either way it is very easy for help to come and guide you through your project.

It doesn’t just need to be family or friends that help you can also hire some professionals, of course you are more likely to pay them a heck of a lot more than you would some friends and neighbors. Either way you look at it, help is always available and of course in this day and age it is available twenty four hours a day, seven days a week and three hundred and sixty five days a year!

Help can be in the form of people or of course you can turn to technology! You can either use television, computers or even state of the art tools to get your work done. They are all great ways to help you in your quest for home improvement. Many people are looking for the best way to do up their home and everyone gives different ideas to everyone else. You can only choose the help that suits you though, don’t invite any one along that is going to jeopardize the timeframe or the work that is going to be completed. Also when watching a DVD about home improvement don’t change your mind half way through the project that you want it done another way instead of the way you had originally planned as this will make your hired help not in the best of moods!

Help is of course like I said very easy to find and of course you can get cheap labor slapping your mates on the back asking them for a favor so why not try that approach rather than contracting some very expensive professionals to get the work done for you! It is always cheaper in the long run to employ some friends and neighbors instead of contractors as you have to pay for their over priced labor charges and material charges. At the end of they day if you can't be bothered with all the hassle of hiring some help then just go for it alone, you may find out that it would probably be quicker than putting up with everyone else’s demands and you will also get exactly what you want done without splashing out some extra cash!

DIY Flooring Home Improvements – Throw Rugs and Area Rugs

MyHomeImprovementTips — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 16:38:00 GMT

Throw rugs, along with area rugs, run the gamut from cheap nylon ovals to nearly room sized Persian rugs costing thousands of dollars. Which is right for you depends, of course, on your budget and the particular space you want to cover.

Flatweave throw rugs are often used in Japanese homes where they provide both a practical function and considerable elegance. Their sturdy construction makes them durable, where they keep high-traffic areas protected from wear. Their highly colorful and individual designs add the perfect esthetic touch.

But even the lowly 'throw away' throw rug can perform a useful service, and still look decent in the process. Machine-made from inexpensive materials, they can rest in a foyer where they keep winter snows and spring mud from migrating to the living room carpet.

After six months, they can be replaced at low cost and give the area a new look. No need to exert a lot of effort to care for since they're easily washed or cheap enough to just discard.

Area rugs made of durable Olefin can be the perfect addition to a tiled sunroom.

Resting in a section of the house that leads to the patio, they'll see plenty of traffic. But thanks to the sturdy synthetic surface they'll last for years. A multi-colored geometric design can liven up the room and blend in well with a soft umber-colored ceramic tile.

The kitchen is an obvious candidate for a couple of good throw rugs, too.

Obviously, you'll want to select something that resists food stains unless you plan to replace the rugs often. Many can be thrown into the washer, though, then hung to dry. For that to work, latex and rubber backings should be avoided.

Also, if the kitchen floor is covered with vinyl, keep in mind that certain latex or rubber backings can stain the floor yellow. Those made with jute or a cloth backing will not create that problem. If you place underneath it a layer of material to keep the throw rug from sliding, make sure it too isn't made from latex.

Bathrooms often get covered with throw rugs, often of varying types.

Stepping out of the shower onto bare floor leads to cold feet and leaves a mess to clean up. If the flooring is wood, the water can introduce bigger problems. Mold and mildew are major potential attackers of wood floors. Keeping even well coated wooden floors dry is one key to their long life.

A quality hooked rug can provide an individual design and work perfectly in front of the bathroom sink. It receives only minimal water, so it will hold up well. Backed with a non-slip material, they can be both durable and beautiful.

Choose a material and construction method that's appropriate for the application you have in mind. With a little investigation you can find the perfect throw or area rug that will protect your flooring and add beauty to your room.

DIY Flooring Home Improvements – Hardwood Floors

MyHomeImprovementTips — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 10:39:00 GMT

Hardwood floors are popular for good reasons. They're durable, attractive and easy to care for.

Hardwood floors can last a hundred years or more with proper care. Many modern manufacturers feel comfortable giving a 50-year warranty on the hardwood flooring they sell. Their confidence is justified. Look at homes from the turn of the 20th century that have been well-maintained and you might well see the original flooring.

One of the major reasons for this is that the term hardwood floor exactly describes what the material is: hard wood, very hard wood. Brazilian Teak, Walnut, Mahogany, Cherry and many other flooring materials are made from trees with extremely strong and dense fibers. They stand up well to walking, vacuuming where the rotation brushes are often left on and many other forms of daily punishment.

But durability is only one good reason that hardwood floors are so popular, and perhaps not the most significant reason. Hardwood floors are beautiful. Those same trees that offer such long-lasting material are not just attractive while growing. They form the base of flooring material that is esthetically pleasing to nearly everyone.

They appeal to the senses of sight and touch. Whether it's the dark, soothing brown of a fine Mahogany or the lighter look of Maple, they show color and finish that will dress up any home. The grain lends a flair to any floor design while evoking hints of nature that invites walking on. They may have the rich, sensual look of a deep red Cherry or convey a happy mood from a light Ash.

Hardwood floors are also easy to care for.

Certainly scratches, wear on veneer and other problems can occur with even the hardest of hardwood floors. But no other material allows for sanding, refinishing, crack repair and other fix-it methods like hardwood flooring.

Even everyday care is simplicity itself. Often a little swipe with a cloth dustmop is enough. Spills are easy to remove, thanks to the fine wax or polyurethane finishes applied to hardwood floors. Stains are rare on a properly finished hardwood floor, but when they occur they can often be bleached out, sanded out or covered over with a fresh coat of wood stain.

Hardwood floors are not without their potential downsides, of course. They are more expensive up front than many other options. They are subject to expansion and contraction that can reveal poor installation or even lead to cracking. They can readily look shabby if not properly maintained.

But on balance, those who want a long-lasting, beautiful flooring will often opt for hardwood flooring for one very good reason. It's simply outstanding.

DIY Flooring Home Improvements – Concrete Concepts

MyHomeImprovementTips — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 10:35:00 GMT

Concrete flooring is a traditional option in basements. It may have been an extension of the original foundation, or poured because it provides an ultra-durable surface for a basement laundry room, kids playroom or other use. But concrete flooring has come out of hiding, and not only because it wears like, well, concrete.

Concrete floors can be finished with an extremely smooth, polished surface. Since they stand up to just about anything, they're great for areas that track in snow, mud, sand and other outdoor materials. But they can also be highly attractive.

Modern techniques can turn that plain gray floor into something that looks like marble, slate or highly polished ceramic. Acids designed to react with the lime in concrete can etch the surface. They blend in to produce a veined look or a geometric design that can simulate marble or tile. Dyes mixed with or paints applied later can turn that surface into any color or any painted design that the homeowner wants.

The metallic salts used prepares the top layer, then acid in a chemical stain reacts with the lime deposits in the concrete. That creates a color or surface effect that can cover a wide range of choices. But, take care, the effects are permanent. Re-doing it would require removing a considerable portion of the surface, which is usually prohibitively expensive.

Even adding the cost of that finishing job, the total price can be much lower than other options. Hardwood floors are durable and beautiful, but they can run $6-$10 per square foot or more. Concrete, even finished, can easily be less than half that. And, when the job is done there are no tell-tale seams.

Surface effects or custom painted floors are durable and super easy to clean. Dirt mops up easily. With the exception of certain acids, it's very difficult to stain them. Automotive oil will, of course. But that's rarely a problem where concrete is used in the home outside the garage. Even that can be prevented with the proper surface treatment.

Concrete floors can even be a healthier alternative to carpets, throw rugs and the like. Dust cleans up easily and doesn't stay trapped in the surface. That reduces dust mites. Other allergens such as pollen, pet dander and even smoke residue can be easily eliminated. Concrete can even be wiped with a mild disinfectant such as bleach or an anti-fungal liquid to reduce the chances even further.

Keep in mind, though, that even treated concrete surfaces can crack. Since they're colored or contain surface effects, the crack may not show as prominently. But they can still provide a home for moisture and hence mildew. As always, it's still important to keep the concrete surface dry. A short-term exposure from snow, mopping and so forth is unimportant. But water that stays down for days or weeks can lead to problems.

Also, staining isn't completely predictable. Because of variations in lime content, temperature and other factors, the results can differ slightly from what was envisioned.

But these minor issues aside, concrete flooring can be one of the best options available for certain applications.

DIY Flooring Home Improvements - Floor Heating Systems

MyHomeImprovementTips — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 11:33:00 GMT

One of the more recently popular technologies in flooring is a floor heating system. But the idea goes back thousands of years. The Romans are well-known for having a system to warm floors under marble. Modern systems have the same goal, but perform differently.

Floor heating systems today generally come in one of two types: electric and radiant or tube.

Electric floor heating systems use a layer of material embedded with wire mesh or other conducting material. Electricity passes through the mesh and that heat is slowly conducted up to the surface where it keeps your feet and, to a degree, the room warm.

At first blush it doesn't sound very safe, especially in areas like the bathroom or kitchen where liquid on the floor is a common occurrence. In fact, electric floor heating systems are as safe, or safer, than an electric blanket. The mesh is well insulated and the floor material itself - whether wood, ceramic, vinyl or other - adds an even larger safety factor.

Electric floor heating systems cost a few hundred dollars to install in the average bathroom, but they typically operate on a few cents per day worth of electricity. Depending on the size and model, they can add considerable heating ability to the bathroom. Kitchens tend to be more open and they'll do well on the floor and provide some area heating.

Radiant floor heating systems have the same goal - to warm the floor and room. But they operate very differently. Whether they circulate air or water (both are technically fluids), they radiate warmth through a series of tubes. Those tubes can be installed either above floor or below floor.

Above floor systems are not literally above the floor. You don't walk on the heating system. Rather, they are installed above the sub-floor such as the plywood over a concrete floor but below the actual walking surface.

Below floor systems reside below or, more usually, in the sub-floor. Embedded in a series of panels or grooves, the tubes snake throughout the entire area a few inches apart. Sometimes the tubes are laid at the same time as the wet concrete. Reflective material is usually installed underneath the tubes, to direct the heat upwards.

In all systems, the effect is to take advantage of two things: (1) heat rises, (2) cold through the feet tends to make the whole body feel colder.

Heat from the mesh or tubes heats the surrounding material. Also, as warm air rises, it has to start at the floor. So, the floor is kept warm, which is a universally pleasant feeling on the feet. Nobody likes stepping out onto a cold bathroom or kitchen floor. It continues upward where, depending on the system, it warms the room from a few degrees to any temperature desired. Many radiant heating systems will keep an entire large area very comfortable without any supplemental heating from another home heating system.

Among the advantages of both are the absence of any air flow from the outdoors that has to be heated, as is the case with many forced air systems. They're also unseen. There are no heat registers or vents. That gives the room a very clean look and makes possible heating in the kitchen where it can be difficult to locate vents.

Which is best depends on local factors of cost, quality of installation and so forth. Radiant heating can be quieter, since electric systems can sometimes generate a low hum. But fluid moving through a radiant system can be heard, too, if the system isn't of good quality.

Shop around and you'll quickly find a dealer that can offer just the floor heating system you want.

Types of Hardwood Flooring with DIY Home Improvements

MyHomeImprovementTips — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 09:08:00 GMT

Hardwood floors are among the most beautiful and durable of flooring materials. But there are so many kinds it can be difficult to choose one.

The first criterion is whether to elect to get pre-finished or unfinished hardwood.

In days past, unfinished was definitely the way to go. It was easier to select a type of hardwood, install it and stain or finish it with stain or lacquer to optimize appearance and wear.

It was also generally less expensive to get unfinished hardwood flooring, even adding in the cost of staining or lacquering. The price difference was so great that getting unfinished hardwood, then exerting a little effort was a bargain on balance. No more. Unfinished is still often less expensive, but the difference is smaller than in the past.

Pre-finished hardwood has many advantages, too. When re-flooring an existing space, or flooring a new room addition, there's no smell or mess. Hammer in some planks and you're done. Ok, it's not quite that easy. But it's decidedly easier than sanding, staining and varnishing. It's definitely gentler on the lungs and eyes.

Which to choose comes down to weighing costs against budget, and the amount of free time and skill or desire you have for this type of project.

But, you still have to select the specific hardwood desired. What's available? Today, the choices of hardwood are legion. They come from around the world - Brazil, China, Australia, the U.S. and elsewhere.

Bamboo is one of the more interesting options. Not technically a wood, it's still woody and very hard, when correctly processed. It has a delicate yellow-brown color that is perfect for certain decorating schemes. It's also on the lower end of per square foot hardwood flooring prices typically around $5 per sq ft.

On the opposite end of the cost scale is Brazilian Walnut. Running up to $13 per sq ft, this rich-looking hardwood comes in a range of color shades. It may be a lighter brown, resembling the shell of the nut that everyone is familiar with. Or, it may run to darker shades. Though more expensive, it provides an extremely hard surface, which is great for long wear but can make for a more difficult installation.

Mahogany resides in the mid-range of the cost scale, but there's nothing middling about the look. This is ultra-beautiful hardwood flooring. Reddish-brown, it has a rich, dark grain and will stand up to heavy use for decades.

Red Oak is a favorite with many do-it-yourselfers. It comes in a variety of widths and is available at the lower end of the price scale. Yet it yields an extremely strong and durable surface. Finished properly, it will create a floor that is as beautiful as any.

On the lighter side, both in price and color, several varieties of Ash can cost as little as $3 per square foot. Less hard than other woods, it gives a great knotty look. Rustic Ash is one variation and for rooms where an extremely natural look is desired, this is a good choice.

Several woods, of these types and others, are available in distressed, pre-used and other forms. That gives yet another dimension along which to judge a wood. If you want that old, lived-in look, but still need a wood that will stand up for years and years, this may be the way to go.

DIY - Flooring - Basic Carpet Care and Repair

MyHomeImprovementTips — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 08:45:00 GMT

Spills happen. Carpets get stained. Even everyday use will soon enough create a carpet that needs to be cleaned. Is there anyway to do that without spending your days caring for carpet? Fortunately, yes.

An 'emergency kit' of club soda, vinegar, ammonia and some needed application tools is a good idea. Everyone sometimes runs out of commercial carpet cleaners just at the wrong moment. Using sponges and rags soaked in those can help remove tomato juice, and lessen the impact of dog urine or other common carpet stains.

For example, just apply club soda to a rag and soak up as much of a tomato stain as possible right away. Just as with clothes, the longer they sit, the deeper and more lasting they become. Cold water is, paradoxically, usually better than warm. Warm water is good for dirt, which it helps dissolve. Cold water slows the spilled chemical from reacting more quickly with the carpet fibers.

Once most of the spill is soaked up, a good brushing with white vinegar and a bit of laundry detergent will get most of the rest. Scrub the remaining stain, then place a dry towel over damp carpet and press it in with your feet. Carpets that stay wet too long get mildewed.

Small burns are another common problem. Even the most heat or fire resistant carpet material can be burned from a dropped cigarette or an ember from a wood stove or fireplace. In rare instances, clipping a fiber or two from a pile rug can completely eliminate the problem. In most cases, the damage is a larger spot. More extensive repairs are needed.

Whenever installing new carpet, be sure to save any extra for just such repairs. Take it out of the closet or storage shed and lay it on top of the regular carpet from time to time. Otherwise, it will be a completely different shade when used as repair material.

If you don't have any spare, it will be necessary to sacrifice a small section in an unseen area, such as the back corner of a closet or from under a piece of furniture that is never moved.

Cut out the burned area with a utility knife or Xacto blade. You'll need to remove a little of the good carpet around the burned area to ensure that it doesn't unravel. Insert the blade well into the backing between the fibers and make your cuts as straight as possible.

Using that piece as a guide, prepare a piece of replacement carpet. Err on the side of making the replacement a hair larger than the section removed. Excess can be trimmed away. A piece that's too small will be useless.

Now you have two options: whether to glue the replacement piece to the sides of the existing carpet or to the sub-floor. The latter will give you a stronger repair, one less likely to shift or come up later. But anything glued to the sub-floor will mean a more difficult job when it comes to replacing the entire carpet. Also, there is a possibility that the plywood sub-floor can be damaged when yanking up the old carpet piece.

Which technique to use depends on the location of the burn and how likely you are to have to replace the carpet in the future.

DIY - Flooring – All About Tiles

MyHomeImprovementTips — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 08:43:00 GMT

Whether the location is your bathroom, the kitchen, the sunroom or any other area of the home, tiles can be a great flooring option. They're durable and attractive. They can last a lifetime or more and still provide beauty to an important part of the room. For the do-it-yourselfer, tiles offer many advantages.

Tiles are versatile.

As a shape, 'tile' doesn't refer only to ceramic. They can be made of vinyl, slate, brick or even wood. That variety makes them the most versatile type of flooring. They can be used with equal effectiveness in the basement, the kid's playroom or the foyer. That makes selection a lot of fun, since there are so many types and designs to choose from.

Perhaps you need an ultra-durable flooring material to cover the entranceway to the home. Ceramic works great. Snow, mud and other outdoor matter present no problem. You may be looking to dress up the bathroom, to give a rich, relaxing look that is also functional. Easy. Vinyl, finished hardwood, ceramic or even slate will do the job.

Tiles are easy to install.

With only a little instruction, anyone can lay tile straight and level. With just a little care, it's hard to go wrong laying tile. One might think that getting them all to move along the same line could be tricky. But simple techniques make this easy.

By the same token, it might appear at first blush that getting grout into the space between them could be hard to do well. What about smearing? What about bubbles and cracks? It turns out that, thanks to the excellent materials, laying grout cleanly that lasts forever is a lot easier than it looks.

Tiles are durable.

Once they're down, even inexpensive vinyl tile will last for years and years. Some ceramic tiles hundreds of years old are still doing the job in old homes and buildings. Durability arises both from the hardness of the material and the modularity of the design. Tiles can be replaced. Even if one cracks due to weather, faulty manufacturing or just randomly, it's not that difficult to remove it and lay down a replacement.

Tiles are easy to care for.

A quick wet mop and dirt and food disappear. Most stains will wipe up with a sponge. Dust and dog hair can be easily whisked away with a broom or a vacuum cleaner. Grout takes a little more effort, but if it's treated properly a little grout cleaner can keep it sparkling, too.

Most of all, tile is beautiful.

Because tiles are available in materials like slate, polished porcelain types and others, there is a tile that will appeal to all tastes. Whether one prefers the rich dark look of slate, the cheery look and feel of red brick, or the subtle sheen of a soft pink ceramic, there's a tile material that will please the eye.

Look into all the options available with tile and you'll quickly find something that suits your needs.

DIY - Flooring – 5 Types of Carpet

MyHomeImprovementTips — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 08:41:00 GMT

Carpet is a hugely popular option for flooring. For good reason: it's easy to care for, versatile, easily replaced and durable. It's also available in a thousand attractive styles and colors.

Woven

Weaving has been a highly developed art for a thousand years. Modern woven carpet is produced on looms that have advanced considerably over those prior centuries, but the basics have remained.

Weaving threads over one another creates a strong surface. Treating them with modern chemicals makes them stain-resistant to spills, dirt and other common problems. Using different colored threads and weaving them into different patterns creates designs that can appeal to a wide variety of tastes.

Tufted

Tufted carpets are produced, as the name suggests, by a tufting machine. In this technique, a backing cloth provides a strong base into which yarn is stitched, then cut. The result is a 'tuft' of carpet, just as you might think of a tuft of hair sticking up.

This method of carpet construction uses single-colored yarn, which is then dyed into colors and printed with patterns of varying types. The result can be a cut pile that is attractive and inexpensive, thanks to the efficient use of materials.

Flatweave

A flatweave is created by alternating warp and weft threads. Weft are the threads running crosswise or horizontally, warp are those running lengthwise or vertically. The result is a very durable surface that can be highly distinctive.

Threads of varying color, thickness and material can be used in some advanced applications to produce colorful, individual designs. Often used in oriental rugmaking, flatweaves offer beauty and long-life.

Hooked Rug

Not every rug or carpet design needs to be quite so elaborate, however, to be durable and beautiful. Hooked rug construction is a relatively simple technique similar to crocheting. Strips of material are pulled through a mesh.

Given the variety of colors and designs possible in the basic strips, the resulting rug can be highly individual and attractive. Generally used for lower traffic areas, they make for outstanding bathroom or office applications.

Pile

Pile rugs became very common in the 1970s and they continue to be popular today. Often of a uniform color, it's possible to produce a cut and loop or knotted pile with a very thick, rich surface. Ultra-comfortable, they can also last a very long time while being modest cost.

One type called a Frieze is suitable for high traffic areas. Its short fibers of durable material tend to curl, making for a strong, crush-resistant surface. Another variety consists of fibers twisted together that are heat treated. The result is a very soft texture that stands up well.

When looking for a carpet, whether for the living room or office or just to cover the entrance, look into several options. Some materials and designs work better in one application than another. Choose well and you'll have beautiful, long-lasting flooring that meets your budget goals.

Home Improvements with Standard DVD Recorders and HDTV

MyHomeImprovementTips — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 11:51:00 GMT

While the price of HDTV prices on sets are decreasing, HD players are still fairly new to many market places, boasting prices ranging from $500-$1,800. At the lower figure, that's more than what a top flight DVD recorder would cost. The higher figure is 10 times the price of a quality DVD player, plenty to consider for your home improvement plans and budget.

At those prices, many consumers will wait the two years or more for the initial bugs to get worked out and prices to reach more common levels. If you're one of those, you can still get a great picture on your HDTV from a quality DVD recorder/player.

DVD recorders all record in 480i, for backwards compatibility with older discs and TVs. That means they all record at the level of resolution of standard TV, with 480 lines of resolution, interlaced. Then the signal is converted from digital to analog, if the TV display is an analog type.

'Interlacing' is a technique in which the image is formed by 'painting' the screen in two passes, even lines in one pass, odd the next. Progressive scan recorder/players - which all good ones are these days - 'de-interlace' the picture before sending it to the display, if the TV can display a progressive picture. Traditionally, interlacing is performed by the TV circuitry.

When connected to a HDTV the recorder/player-TV system has additional conversion to do. By definition, HDTV offers more than 480i resolution. 480p is an interim standard, sometimes called EDTV (Enhanced Definition Television). HDTV native resolutions vary. Some are 720p, some 1080i, some newer ones even offer 1080p.

Whenever the source is one resolution, say 480p, and the display is another, more conversion has to take place. The system converts the 480 signal into either 720p or 1080i for display. How well that conversion, called upscaling or upconverting, is done plays a large role in the ultimate picture quality, no matter the contrast ratio and other specs.

Quality DVD recorders do a good job of producing a great picture even with all the conversion going on behind the scenes. Here are some units that offer that, plus some really useful additional features.

The Panasonic DMR-EH75 offers a DVD recorder that can use a single layer DVD-R or DVD-RAM disc to hold up to 8 hours of video.

It also houses an 80GB hard drive to record, time shift and play back material. That material can be from DVD (for non-copyright blocked sources) or directly from broadcasts. Depending on recording/playback quality, the hard drive can hold up to 142 hours of programming.

It provides a HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) interface for getting the maximum quality image out to the TV set. Price is currently in the $440 range for a unit that will display an excellent quality image on a good HDTV set.

For the really space-hungry crowd, Toshiba offers their RD-XS52 recorder, with 160GB hard drive that will hold up to 200 hours of video. Panasonic had larger units, from 120GB up to 400GB with an Ethernet connector. They may still be available from some merchants.

As with most Toshiba products, the quality is great and the price is stellar at around $350. But, for those less interested in recording than in the best possible playback, there's the new HD-A1. Retailing for around $500, it offers full high definition output at 1080i. See what fits into your budget and home improvements.

A topic we are working on for future posts is receivers for your home theater. One of the products we are reviewing now is the avr-2808ci. If you have other receivers you would like reviews on please let us know.