Archive for the ‘Wood Craft’ Category

Do you know what the benefit of wood storm windows are? What most people don’t realize is how important a storm window is to your home and that is why I want to show you just how important a wood storm window can be.

First of all, one of the many benefits of wood windows is that they last a lot longer than regular vinyl windows do. The reason wood lasts longer is because it can expand and contrast with the weather much easier and therefore it won’t crack because of that. This is something that most people can’t say about their vinyl windows. Trust me, if you are going to get a good storm window, then you need to get a wood storm windows.
One of the benefits of wood storm windows is that they will help keep any unwanted air out of your house. If you are tired of paying for a huge electrical bill every month, then it is time that you use storm windows to help insulate your home better. If there is one thing that drives up your heating and cooling bill, it is not that you overuse it, it is that it is overworking since all the air is leaking out of the house. Do something that is going to help you and get wood storm windows today.

Another benefit of a wood storm window is that they can easily be installed by you. If you don’t have a lot of money to buy the windows and have them installed, then I recommend doing it yourself. Installing wood storm windows is pretty simple because they will easily go over your existing windows without having to do any type of modifications. As you can see there are a lot of benefits to getting wood storm windows and that is why I highly recommend you get them.

Most people would be surprised to realise the first thing that a person notices upon entering the kitchen is the floor. The floor frames the rest of the kitchen design like a picture frame does a picture. If a kitchen has old linoleum, or a badly worn through hard wood floor, it is time to remodel.  Taking on the task of remodeling a kitchen floor is many times ignored because of the complications. Here are some simple tips.

Never put new vinyl flooring on top of an old one. Any mars in the old floor will in no time flat, show through the new floor. The old floor has got to go first. The easier option is to lay a new sub floor over the existing vinyl, however homeowners need to consider, doing it that way, causes weak spots.

Another easy tip that is often overlooked, is simply remove everything from the kitchen before starting the kitchen floor. Some ovens are bolted down to the floor, and if that is the case, it is going to have to be worked around. However, anything not bolted should be moved. Shuffling items around as each section is finished causes frustration and slows down the job.

Machines are a convenient way for tearing up the old floor, however even when a machine is used, there will always be spots that need to be attended to by hand. The ripped up floor must be completely smooth before the new floor can be laid down.  Be careful when cutting wood to fit cupboards, making sure they fit snug, but allow some room for expansion when living in a humid climate.

Once the sub floor is down, it needs to be damp mopped and swept to get rid of any left over particles. Any small bits of dust could obstruct the adhesive from solidly binding the new floor to the sub floor. A proper seal will not be obtained.  Take care when using glue, to distribute the glue uniformly. The new floor will show the crests and troughs left by in improper job.

Once the new floor is down, make sure to give time for it to settle before moving anything back into the kitchen. Not giving adequate time for the floor to settle can cause warping, or the flooring to shift, ruining the look that was worked so hard to attain.

The beauty of a new floor will last for years, and is well worth the effort required to lay it.

Whether your shop is big or small, plan ahead before you start. Here are some things to do and to consider in your planning:

1. Make a to-scale layout drawing. Add cut outs of the workbench, all the power tools, a trash bin, and any other things your shop will include. Move these miniatures of the items around until you decide on the best layout. Be sure there is room around the tools for the materials you’ll be using. Keep in mind that you’ll have one other thing in the shop . . . you! Provide room for you to work.

2. A stationary workbench is good. However, if there isn’t enough room around it, go for a bench that can be rolled into a larger work area.

3. Pegboard walls are great for small tool storage that keeps the tools at hand yet up off the bench.

4. You must have light over each stationary or bench-type power tool, as well as over the entire workbench.

5. Plan for storage brackets or bins for long materials such as lumber and pipes.

6. Often the floors in the shop are concrete, and this is hard on the feet. Plan for mats or rug scraps.

7. Since many shop chores can be done while sitting, include a comfortable stool in your plan.

So much for the basics! You might also consider running plumbing to the shop with a clean-up sink. An extension phone will be handy, as will an intercom station to keep in touch. The radio can also keep you company as you work away.

The planning you do can make for a safer, more comfortable, more convenient and more productive shop. At any rate, plan on having fun in your shop!

Decorating а log cаbin or еvеn а cottаgе, usuаlly tаkеs in thе country thеmе. Kееping with thе vаrious аspеcts of nаturе аnd its simplicity аnd frеshnеss, а log cаbin ought to providе peacе аnd trаnquility. Most log cаbins аrе in thе forеst or country аreas. Using а country stylе would mean bringing thе beauty of thе outsidе, insidе. Decorating а log cаbin or а cottаgе shouldn’t bе too difficult using thе country thеmе sincе thе ideas аnd color schеmеs sitting right outsidе thе window.

Using nаturе аs аn еxаmplе whеn decorating а log cаbin, using nаturаl wood for flooring аnd furniturе would dеfinitеly fit. Birch, pinе or cеdаr would cеrtаinly complimеnt аny spаcе еspеciаlly а log cаbin or cottаgе. To kееp thе nаturаl look of thе wood, you could choosе to leavе it in its originаl form or using stаin would givе thе wood а rustic look. Whеthеr you аrе choosing аuthеnticity or а nеwеr look, wood is surеly thе bеst choicе whеn decorating а log cаbin.

You mаy dеcidе to bring old furniturе from home to your log cаbin or cottаgе. Using slip covеrs for thе couch or chаirs cаn hеlp mаkе thе furniturе look nеw. If decorating а log cаbin, you mаy choosе to pаint thе furniturе. This too will givе it а frеsh nеw аppearаncе. Whеn choosing colors for slip covеrs or pаint, you might considеr wаrm colors in light to mеdium shаdеs. Yеllows, browns or tеrrаcottа аdd wаrmth to а spаcе. Whеn you’rе decorating а log cаbin, thе еmphаsis is gеnеrаlly focusеd on wаrmth аnd cosinеss. A log cаbin doеsn’t rеquirе pаint for thе wаlls, howеvеr if you’rе decorating а cottаgе, you might pick similаr colors for your wаlls.

Fаbrics to usе whеn decorating а log cаbin should probаbly includе bold colors аnd nаturе thеmеs. Florаl pаttеrns аrе аlso nicе in а cottаgе or log cаbin setting. You could usе thеsе fаbrics in window covеrings, bеdspreads or throws аnd slip covеrs. To kееp with thе thеmе of nаturе, you could choosе аccеssoriеs tаkеn from thе outdoors such аs driеd flowеrs or piеcеs of old wood mаdе into cаndlе holdеrs. Pеoplе tеnd to gаthеr things from thе outdoors whilе on а hikе or stroll аlong thе rivеr. Thеsе itеms cаn bе usеd аs аccеssoriеs аs wеll аs mеmеntos.

Whеn decorating а log cаbin or cottаgе, onе fаctor which isn’t really importаnt is your budgеt. This typе of decorating cаn incorporаtе itеms from home or еvеn thosе pickеd up аt а flea market or gаrаgе sаlе. Hаndmаdе trinkеts аnd decorations аrе аlso nicе whеn decorating а log cаbin. As long аs thе аccеssoriеs hеlp to аchiеvе thе ovеrаll goаl of wаrmth аnd аn аtmosphеrе thаt is wеlcoming, аny itеms chosеn аrе finе. A log cаbin or cottаgе is а plаcе dеsignеd for rеlаxаtion. Whеn decorating а log cаbin or cottаgе, this should bе kеpt in mind. Whаtеvеr mаkеs you hаppy аnd hеlps creatе а spаcе you еnjoy аnd fееl comfortаblе in, go with it. Just rеmеmbеr to hаvе fun.

An outdoor playhouse can be a beautiful and a long lasting for children to play. In addition, kids can use this spot to socialize, enjoy their own retreat as well as decorate the space in accordance to their imagination. When it comes to outdoor playhouses, there is not much of a selection. You can invest in a ready-made playhouse or use a plastic structure; however it would be best to customize your own playhouse. These days, there are several packages available in the market, which would help you build your playhouse with ease. While building your own playhouse, you must consider the following things.

First of all, you need to consider the age of your child. For an instance, you wouldn’t have to build a real house for toddlers or really small children. Smaller age grouped children can use a ready-made small-sized space. A plastic playhouse is appropriate for this age group. Playhouses would allow the children to climb, crawl through the doors, and fiddle with the windows. A few playhouses also include slides. You can build an inexpensive playhouse which is weatherproof as well as durable. If you construct a portable playhouse, you would be able to bring it inside in winters or move around the lawn. These playhouses can also be disassembled for easy storage.

On the other hand, if your kids are older than you would have to build a playhouse which can also work as a tree house. Such playhouses need to be larger and longer lasting. You can build this playhouse in such a way that you can also use it as a shed once your children are not using it. While building this playhouse, you can either buy a kit or build it on your own. The ready-made kits include the flooring, all-inclusive and pre-cut materials.

There seems to be a real movement gathering momentum asking questions about how we live our lives, particularly looking at the benefits of working with our hands and making things whether as a profession or as a hobby.

Tomorrow a new book is released in the UK written by Mark Frauenfelder the founder of the most popular blog in the world, Boing Boing with more than 5 million unique visitors a month.

It’s called “Made by Hand” and is a celebration of reconnecting with the simple stuff. Here is a video where he discusses lots of folk who are simplifying their lives with a degree of self sufficiency and also his own experiments. I was delighted to see at 15.20 that he is into carving spoons.

The made by hand website

Not having a TV I missed it but James May started a mans DIY TV show yesterday on BBC2 called Man Lab.

He said “Like many people, I spend most of my working life typing at a computer. During the course of a normal day writing things for the telly, almost everything I do is – well, cerebral is too big a word for Top Gear, but you know what I mean.
After a day like that, an evening spent fixing things – messing around with a bicycle or doing a spot of DIY – is an immense therapy. It is very refreshing to do something with your hands, even if it’s only to clean your shoes. Or take a clock to bits and put it back together. Or mend an old motorcycle.”

All this follows on recent books the Craftsman by Richard Sennett and Shop Class as Soul Class by Matt Crawford both of which argue for a revaluing of hand skill.

Finally I wanted to share a rather wonderful animation of Ken Robinson’s speech on the current state of education and how he believes it kills creativity.