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Recently Written
- Tint Your Plaster For Touch Ups on Primed Walls & Trim
- Do Not Use Pens, Felt Pens or Chalk Lines!
- Hard To Find Reproduction Antique Hardware
- WCB Coverage – It’s a Must…Sometimes Even as a Homeowner
- Cutting a Hole In The Ceiling? How To Keep Drywall Dust Contained!
- The Secret To Buying Name Brand Power Tools Dirt Cheap!
- Roof Shingles All Over The Yard?
- WALLTITE ECO™ – The Purple Spray Foam Insulation
- Standard Wall Framing for Drywall
- Stuck For Design Ideas – Check Out “TRENDS”
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Tint Your Plaster For Touch Ups on Primed Walls & Trim
If you are patching or filling holes, scratches or dents on primed white walls or trim it is a good idea to mix a little colour (paint tint) into the filler you are using. If you don’t, it is very easy to miss some of these spots when you are sanding and spot priming afterward.
Why is this important? Any areas that you have filled must be spot primed before you apply a finish coat of paint, if you do not prime these spots, they will show up as flat, dull spots on your finished walls and trim (even on low sheen finishes like eggshell). by adding colour to your filler you will be able to see all the spots you filled, sand them and spot prime them all – this applies to mouldings and any built-in woodwork as well.
Most lumber yards carry small tubes of paint tint that you can use. You won’t need much so just get a small tube. You can also buy coloured fillers at some stores but is much more expensive. If you are in a bind and cannot get the paint store, a very small amount of a deep coloured latex paint will work – paint tint is better though.
Hard To Find Reproduction Antique Hardware
Do you love the look of antique hardware, lighting, wall plates and other accents used in older homes? Do you own an older home and have trouble finding hardware to match your existing hardware?
Well, look no further, Visit the House of Antique Hardware. Even if you aren’t buying, you’ll love the selection products on this website. They carry everything you could dream of using in an older home (or a new one) and I found the prices reasonable when compared to typical hardware used in many new homes.
Cutting a Hole In The Ceiling? How To Keep Drywall Dust Contained!
If you have to cut a hole in a standard 8′ high ceiling for a skylight, pot lights or anything else, there is an easy way to keep all the drywall dust from covering everything in the room – or rooms if you have a slight draft in the room (and when you cut open in attic space you will get air movement). Instead of trying to cover everything in the room as I have seen many contractors and homeowners do, it is much easier to contain dust within the area you are working.
This can be done in less than five minutes and cleanup afterwards only takes a few minutes. All you need is a small roll of thin plastic 10′ wide and a few feet longer than the perimeter of the work area (see diagram below) , a package of regular sized push pins and a tarp (plastic or cloth) that is larger than the area you will be working in (see diagram below).
Roof Shingles All Over The Yard?
If you are having your existing roof replaced and tearing off the old shingles make sure you have a clause in your contract with the roofing company that specifies exactly how roof debris will be torn off and disposed of.
Under no circumstances should a roofer throw shingles directly onto your lawn or driveway without protection. As you can see in the image of nails below, roofing nails have a large head that allows them to stand up easily and this is dangerous. If a roofing contractor throws shingles directly onto your lawn, you will always worry about nails left in the grass – and there would 100’s, if not 1000’s!
The last thing you want after your new roof is completed, is to worry that you, your children, or others visiting you could step on roofing nails hidden in the grass!
WALLTITE ECO™ – The Purple Spray Foam Insulation
If you follow Holmes on Homes, you will have seen this product used many times. It offers many advantages over standard batt insulation.
WALLTITE ECO™, made by BASF, is a medium-density polyurethane insulation/air barrier system designed to improve the energy efficiency of any type of building. Its industry-leading performance results in substantial energy savings by maximizing the effectiveness of the building envelope, thus reducing energy costs.
WALLTITE ECO’s formulation includes recycled plastic, renewable content and a zero ozone-depleting blowing agent, qualifying it as the first closed-cell spray polyurethane insulation to obtain the EcoLogoM, North America’s most widely recognized multi-attribute environmental certification.
Check out the Video below by Mike Holmes for a good overview of WALLTITE ECO
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NEW! Holmes Magazine
If there is one guy who's opinion you can trust for construction and renovation advice it is Mike Holmes from Holmes on Homes. Now you can get his advice delivered right to your door with the launch of his new magazine!
If you've been wondering where you can subscribe to his new magazine? Look no further, you can get a subscription right now for only $18.95 Cdn and save up to 52% off the newsstand price (6 issues). I got mine and am looking forward to the first issue. Visit HolmesMagazine.com to get yours today!
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58 Garage Plans - One Low Price!
If you are an serious handyman or do it yourselfer and are planning to build a garage or barn, You'll love these plans and designs for 58 garages! I stumbled on this package when looking for ideas and cheap plans. I was very impressed with what I got for the price. Check out 58GaragePlans.com for yourself, even though these plans are smaller and less detailed than regular blueprints, you won't regret buying this package - there is lots of ideas, construction details and plans for only $29.00!