Fantastic Landscape Lighting

Posted on March 15, 2010 by The Home and Garden Guru

People spend tons of time on their yard and garden to make them look appealing and nice. With all of this work that is put into your yard and garden, isn’t it time to show it off? Landscape lighting is the easiest way to accomplish this. Landscape lights are cheap, effective, and very easy to install yourself without paying tons of money to someone to do it for you.

Before you run out to your local hardware store to buy landscape lights, it is important to ask yourself a few question.

  1. Are you wanting to show off flowers or trees?
  2. How large of an area do you want to light up?
  3. Do you want to accentuate the house, or just the garden?
  4. Do you have walkways or paths that you want lit up?

Answering these simple questions will help you to determine and decide what types of light fixtures to buy. For example, if you are wanting to show off trees or shrubbery, you will want to use flood light fixtures instead of standalone flower fixtures. On the flip side, if you are trying to light up a walkway, you don’t want to use flood lights as they will blind you when walking down the walkway as well as the fact that the lights won’t light up the pathway effectively.

If you are clueless as to what kind of lights to buy or how to set them up, do yourself a solid favor and buy a landscape lighting kit. These kits come complete with all of the hardware and instructions to help you to do-it-yourself landscape lighting. Kits can cost anywhere from $35-$100 dollars and come in low voltage wired lights or solar styled fixtures. The kits also come with a transformer with a day and night timer to make your lights turn on or off automatically.

We hope that his article has peaked your interest in landscape lighting, and we hope you take adavantage of this fun cheap technology to show off your hard work!

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Rim Locks Provide Poor Security

Posted on March 14, 2010 by The Home and Garden Guru

Rim locks are not a very secure type of lock. In fact, they are usually considered to be auxiliary locks that need to be used alongside another type of lock. There are several different types of rim locks, with some being slightly more secure than others–such as the deadbolt rim lock. Even so, they are usually not considered to provide sufficient protection for your home when used alone.

A rim lock differs from other types of locks in that they are attached to the inside of your door with a few screws.  On the outside, a hole is usually drilled in the door and a rim with a keyhole is placed in the hole. The door is opened from inside the house by turning a latch or a small knob, and from the outside it must be opened with a key. Just due to the way they are made, they are very easy to break into. All you have to do is slip something thin and firm into where the door latches and apply a little pressure, in order for the latch to open up and the door to swing open. That is why burglars target homes with poor locks such as this–there is very little resistance offered when they try to break in through the door. An interesting fact, also, is that the majority of burglars do indeed enter into a home by the door, rather than the window.

Rim locks can also be considered decorative as well, as there are many different styles of ornamental rim locks available online and in décor and design boutiques. Most of these ornamental styled locks are patterned after rim locks made in the earlier centuries, with many being made from material that was used during those days such as brass or iron.

A decorative brass rim lock really can add a certain mystique or appeal to your door You are not limited to only using them on your outer doors either, but you can also use them for your inner doors as well. Small brass door knobs look great on wooden bedroom doors, especially if the overall décor is older style.

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A Roller Door’s Purpose Can Be For Security Or Decoration

Posted on March 13, 2010 by The Home and Garden Guru

A roller door can have the main purpose of being used for security or it can be the decorative addition to a home or building. They are sometimes also used to shade decks and patios. They are often controlled by a roller door opener or manually. When the opening and closing mechanisms are manual they are often controlled by a chain, rope or handle at the bottom of the door which when pushed will roll the door up and down with ease. Sliding roller doors will open and close with ease also allowing entry and exit from the home or garage.

A roller shutter door is made of horizontal slats that are hinged together and designed to open and close by rolling it up and it tucks away until closed again. Security if one of the main reasons a roller door is used on warehouse and garage openings. They are designed to keep things safe and dry on the inside while keeping burglars and the elements of weather on the outside. Standard roller doors open and close vertically unless a horizontal open and close is preferred. If the hardware is not properly maintained the ease of opening and closing these doors will fade quickly which will cause them to lose their usefulness.

These doors are designed with high quality parts which mainly consist of tracks and ball bearing units. The doors are customized to meet the needs of the user. They are lightweight and often made of upvs and pvc with patio screening. There are different types of materials used to meet different types of security needs. An added security measure is that they can be painted to match the color of the building so they blend in. Use of a roller door is safe, secure, handy, easy to use and takes up very little space.

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Caring For Your Garage Floor

Posted on March 13, 2010 by The Home and Garden Guru

Do you know where many accidents occur around the house?  One place that most people don’t think of is the garage, but there are actually a fairly high percentage of injuries which occur in this area.  Why is that?  Most of these accidents are slips and falls due to the slickness of a concrete floor with a little oil and rain water mixed.  The big problem is, concrete is very unforgiving and when you fall there is usually going to be some damage.  If you hit your head there can be major problems.  The way to alleviating this unsafe area is by treating your garage floor with a sealer which also has anti-slip properties.

The most popular method of treating a concrete floor is with an epoxy garage floor coating that can be applied in part of one weekend.  This epoxy is easy to apply and cures to a hard finish that is durable and will last for years.  Also, by adding a friction material after rolling out the liquid you can give yourself very good footing for those times when you drive into the garage with rain water on your car and it drips off.  The epoxy will also shed any oil or other petroleum spills and this makes future clean up much easier.

The procedure is really quite simple.  You start by cleaning the floor with a good detergent and then a degreaser to get up all the stained oil.  After the degreaser works for a few minutes you wash it off and see if the water tends to bead anywhere.  If there is beading then this indicates there is still some oil left and you need to degrease that area again.  If the water does not bead, then apply a weak muriatic acid solution to etch the surface and rinse it off.  Let the floor dry, it works well to use a space heater for quicker drying.

Next, mix the resin and hardener and roll it out with a nap roller just like as if your were painting.   Do a section of about 6 feet square at a time.  After rolling, spread the anti-slip material by casting it like you were feeding chickens.  At this time you can also add color flecks for a more pleasing look.

Let it cure for 18 hours before walking on and 3 days before driving and you have a tough, durable floor that is safer and easier to maintain.  A garage floor coating can make your garage much safer so look into this safety addition today.

Be sure to check out this post for more cool garage ideas.

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Cheap Wall Art Ideas

Posted on March 12, 2010 by The Home and Garden Guru

If you have bare walls in your home that you come face-to-face with every time you walk in the front door after a hard day at work, then why not make the decision to go this weekend and purchase some cheap wall art?  It will liven up your apartment or house and in all likelihood your spirits as well.

It doesn’t have to cost a lot of money and it certainly doesn’t have to take a lot of your time either. Head over to a big retailer like Wal-Mart or Target, but wait until you see ads in the Sunday paper for clearance sales. You can find wonderful framed prints of classic pieces of art for less than $10 if you wait until the right time. Two or three pieces spread out around a few rooms can really transform your living area.

Another great way to find cheap pieces of art (it’s a lot of fun too) is by cruising the garage sales in your area as well. As the old saying goes-arrive early and bring cash! Remember that the person putting on a garage sale is probably more concerned with not carrying any of the items in the driveway back into the house after the sale is over than they are about getting the very best price for every last item. You usually find that you have a lot of leverage if you buy several items if you can, and you might just find your search for good quality wall art concluding within half an hour if you hit the right garage sale.

Another place to look for wall decorations of various kinds would be estate sales. The people running these sales will have similar motivations to their garage sale counterparts, though oftentimes it’s hard to get items  that are especially inexpensive. This is not to say that you can’t get good value for money if you were to pay $50-$100 for a piece of artwork that you really liked. And after all, a good value that costs a little more might still be worth the splurge.

Whatever you do, don’t think that you don’t have options as far as decorating your walls. Even if you don’t have much money, a little creativity and looking in the right places can go a long way.

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Advantages to Selecting Conservatory Blinds

Posted on March 10, 2010 by The Home and Garden Guru

If you want to finish off your new conservatory properly, then you need to consider the benefits of fitting conservatory blinds.  The best way to do that it to consider the perceived advantages of erecting blinds in your conservatory and see if they apply to your home.  In this article we will look at  four reasons homeowners do decide to have conservatory blinds fitted.

1.    For health reasons.

Given the amount of sunlight that enters into a conservatory, either through the windows or the ceiling, many homeowners consider it important t be able to stop the UV rays from entering into the conservatory when it suits them.  The best way of doing this is to erect quality blinds that will assist in reflecting these harmful rays.

2.    For heat retention.

Even if you have installed uPVC glazing into your conservatory, quality conservatory blinds will further increase the heat retention capacity of your conservatory.  This will have the effect of reducing your heating bills even more.

3.    To protect the furniture and other furnishings.

If furniture is left unprotected in a conservatory, it does not take too log for it to become dried out and jaded.  Powerful heat from the sun can damage furniture, floor coverings and almost any item left unguarded.  Conservatory binds allow you to block the sun from entering the conservatory when it is not in use and this can add many years to the life of your furniture.

4.    To add an ambiance to your conservatory.

Apart from all of the good and proper reasons why you should have blinds in your conservatory, there is no doubt that an attractive set of conservatory blinds add to the ambiance of the room and allow you to create a mood in the room, by partially or wholly closing some or all of the blinds.

5.    To add to your privacy.

If you live in a private setting then you will never be affected by having neighbours or passers-by being able to look into your conservatory.  Having a blind that you can lower to allow you privacy is of great benefit if you are overlooked by another property owner.

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What Is A Fitted Kitchen?

Posted on March 9, 2010 by The Home and Garden Guru

I have to confess that up until a few months ago I did not know the answer to the question posed in this title because I had never heard the term fitted kitchen before.  Once the term was explained to me it made perfect sense but until then I wasn’t sure what my friend was talking about.  Fitted kitchen is a British term which means a kitchen that is designed as a unit instead of being an eclectic grouping of appliances, storage units, and plumbing.

Up until about the 1950’s kitchens were built with one thought in mind, cooking food.  They were not a design statement and they were never considered somewhere guests would visit.  Usually at a dinner party the food would miraculously appear out of the kitchen door and then the dirty dishes would vanish the same way.  After the war, when the suburban expansion started, there were many new houses built and the kitchen became a selling point.  Suddenly it really mattered how a kitchen looked as well as how functional it was.

A fitted kitchen is just one that has been constructed and outfitted with a main theme.  The appliances all match in color and make.  The worktops are all of the same or complimentary materials and all of the storage is done inside cabinets and cupboards with faces and door to match.  It looks like everything fits together which is where the name derives from.

It goes without saying now that if you are going to do any renovating or remodeling you will choose a fitted kitchen design over a more traditional one based on individual pieces.  This has particularly become true as the kitchen has moved into being the focal point of entertaining.  It is now quite common for the preparation phase of the meal be as important to the socializing as the eating is.  With this is mind, your kitchen needs to be accommodating to guests as well as cooking.

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Get Organized with A Potting Bench

Posted on March 9, 2010 by The Home and Garden Guru

If you are an unorganized  gardener, or one with too many tools and no place to put them, you should consider buying a potting bench. When the weather starts warming up and I am drawn outdoors, I find myself wanting to get out into my yard and garden. Springtime is when I begin thinking of what my garden plans for the new season will be. I like to try and incorporate something new into my garden each year.

I always use my wooden bench for starting seeds and re-potting plants that have outgrown their pots over the winter season, or beginning to start new plants from seed. If you haven’t invested in some type of potting bench before reading this article, you will find that it is a purchase worth its weight in gold, as they say. There will be no more messes with potting soil, fertilizers, and used pots everywhere. The best thing of all, no more misplacing your tools.

If you have been gardening for some time you will might find that you have accumulated many tools and garden supplies  over the years and have them scattered in many different places. It is great to be able to store everything in one spot and not have to go into your garage or several other places to find what you need. For me, a potting bench is something I could not do without. I start some of my bedding plants from seed and put them under glass until they are ready to be transplanted into the garden.

These benches come with many different features such as top and bottom shelves, pull out drawers, drop bins, and some come with wheels. They come both finished and unfinished. They also come made in various types of woods, the most popular being cedar. Cedar is one of the best woods for outdoors since it stands up to harsh weather conditions. You might find them in red cedar or white cedar. You will also find them made of metal as well as as specially formed plastic material. Regardless of the type of bench you choose, you will find that a bench will make the life of the avid gardener much better.

Posted by Elizabeth at  Yard and Garden Rescue. com

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Hiring Bin Rental Vancouver Services To Help Clean Up Your Home

Posted on March 8, 2010 by The Home and Garden Guru

There are several instances where you simply have too much junk sitting around your home (either in the attic, or in the garage, or even the backyard) and you’re really starting to run out of room. One option for you is to hire a junk removal company, but the bad part is that these companies charge you for labor. While it’s great if you are not able to carry heavy items back and forth, there are plenty of able-bodied people who need their junk removed and are looking to save a few dollars. If you’re a Canadian living in the beautiful city of Vancouver, BC this is where Vancouver bin rental services will really help you out.

By renting a mini bin instead of hiring laborers to haul your junk away, you can save a lot of money because you don’t pay labor costs — it is completely up to you to load the junk into the bin. The way it works is that you rent a bin which sits in your driveway, and you call the bin rental company when you’re done with it. They are then responsible for hauling away your junk and taking it to the landfill, or in many instances donating or recycling any items that still have some value. Bin rental services are also great for contractors who do a lot of construction or demolition projects as these usually result in piles of waste and debris building up on site.

The charges for these companies vary — some companies will charge depending on the length of time you rent the bin for, and how big the bin you’re renting is. A more client-friendly pricing structure is by charging you a flat rate for the bin and simply billing you depending on the weight of the junk you actually used. More clients prefer this option since it ensures that they are paying only for what they used. If you’re looking for bin rental services in Vancouver, do try calling ScrapAway Bin Rental Vancouver (5798 Victoria Drive, Vancouver, BC V5P 3W7, Canada) at (778) 786-7216. They are one of the more reputable bin rental companies available with outstanding customer service, not to mention have the best pricing available in the city.

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Different Styles of Cabinets

Posted on March 8, 2010 by The Home and Garden Guru

If you have figurines that you enjoy collecting you might want to show them off in one of several styles of curio cabinets you can purchase. The cabinets are designed specifically to display your treasured items. They generally come with a glass front to help keep dust from accumulating on your collectibles. The styles of the cabinet are available in different types of wood such as pine, maple or cherry. You can find the pieces in coordinating furniture sets that are available for dining rooms and living rooms. Choosing to purchase a dining set with the matching display cabinet creates a designer look to your dining room.
You can also choose to purchase sets available for the living room or family room. Often you can find wooden cabinets designed to be an audio cabinet. This will help enhance the look of your living or family room area. When the pieces of furniture all match with the same design your room looks professionally decorated. Some of the cabinets designed for audio can also come with video areas. You can find styles of the cabinets available with doors that allow you to conceal the audio or video components when not in use.
The type of curio cabinets available today can be found at most furniture stores. You can even find corner units to use in an area where there isn’t a lot of space. The pieces are also available in different wood stain colors as well as in a natural finish. If you choose a natural finish piece you can stain or paint it to match whatever your particular room’s décor is. The small cabinets that have the clear glass shelves and front are a nice way to show off your figurine collection. Of course you can use it to display any treasured items you have that look nice in the unit.

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