Drywall Manufactured in China is Not Dry - Neither is it Safe

Respiratory issues, other health problems and frequent appliance failures are only a few of the problems claimed to be caused by "Chinese Drywall". Drywall is a flat board made from gypsum plaster. It is used to create interior walls for its economical cost, smooth appearance and fire-resistance. However, it seems that many Florida homeowners are having problems in homes where drywall manufactured in China has been installed.

The housing boom in the early-mid part of the decade has been noted as the beginning of this problem. Normally, drywall is bought from domestic producers, but the boom caused shortages, so some home builders, particularly in Florida, purchased drywall shipped in from China. Only a few years later, in 2009, there appears to be something rotten in the State of Florida.

Home owners have reported everything from sore throats to unexplained personality changes in their pets. Everything in between includes: respiratory problems, headaches and nosebleeds, pet ill health, nasty sulfur odors with no apparent source and a general feeling of malaise. Homeowners with young children or those who are expecting are refusing to return to the houses they bought, for fear it might damage their children's health.

Despite the Florida Department of Health's assurance that there is "no immediate health threat", homeowners remain unconvinced about the "un-immediate" health threats lurking in their homes. The experience of some homeowners, who felt 'miraculously' better when traveling away from their residences for an extended period of time, has convinced many that the problem lies within the homes and could constitute a threat to their continued health and safety.

One theory is that the drywall isn't gypsum at all, but a less appetizing mix of waste from power plant scrubbers. This would explain the high content of sulfur-based gases that are being emitted from some of the drywall examined, and for the rapid deterioration of electrical connections and household appliances. Some gases named as being present in tested board include hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide, carbon disulfide, and carbonyl sulfide. Fumes from hydrogen sulfide can cause severe respiratory distress and death.

Sulphur-based gases produce something else when they come into contact with moisture: sulfuric acid, which eats away at many materials like a beaver in an aspen grove. This can explain while many people have gone through three or more appliances in five years when the appliance itself should be lasting for ten or twenty. Air conditioners, TVs and other common household appliances are being affected as well as medical equipment. While not having a TV working can be an annoyance, not having one's dialysis machine or heart monitor functioning can be serious or even fatal.

The drywall problem, combined with other issues relating to toxic materials found in other items produced in China is leading to a demand for tighter regulations and inspections. Also, for provisions that address the needs of homeowners faced with homelessness because they dare not re-enter their homes due to health concerns. Some home builders are addressing this by relocating families while they conduct tests, but many homeowners are fighting with their home builders who say that there is no appreciable health risk.

The "Chinese drywall" problem is something we are likely to hear more about in the very near future. For now, it behooves those who are purchasing new homes to find out where their drywall comes from and avoid anything with a "Made in China" label.

Jerry Clifford has received the prestigious 100% Club award for his success as a real estate agent in the Minneapolis real estate area. He is certified as an ePRO and prides himself on attention to detail. If you need help in your search for Plymouth Minnesota real estate, visit JerryClifford.com.

Wood Counter Tops, A Consistent Choice for the Modern Kitchens

Wood countertops are becoming popular again in modern kitchens. We now know that wooden countertops, when properly cared for, are both long lasting and sanitary. The modern adhesives are strong enough to keep the wood staves bonded together even the butcher block is submerged into the water. The finishing oils (mineral oils) are safe in contact with food products and preserve the wood surfaces.

The solid wood, as a material of choice for counter tops, exhibits incontestable advantages such as:

Aesthetics

Imparting a warm, relaxing feeling, the wooden top is the natural complement of any solid wood or veneered cabinetry. The wooden tops will wonderfully go together with hardwood floorings, moldings, cornices and mantels, conferring a genuine sense of balance to your kitchen space.

Functionality

A hardwood top is very easy to cut to templates and even easier to install. Unlike the solid surface or laminate, wood tops have a minimum of chemical components, which make them extremely safe in contact with foods. Unlike the other countertop materials, any occurring scratch can be easily removed by sanding the area; the wood tops actually constitute the only known surface that can be renewed without employing special tools or requiring special skills. Hardwood surfaces can be used as kitchen island tops, inserted sink covers, sections of countertop, or as butcher block hidden under the countertop that can be pulled as drawer or cart. Your imagination will surely find plenty of other interesting, visually attractive applications.

Durability

If properly sealed and installed, a wooden top can literally last a lifetime. Unlike marble, granite or tile, the wooden tops have a great shock absorbing capacity that further assures considerable life span.

Hygiene

For a quite few decades, the plastic and laminate surfaces, due to their non-porous structure were considered much safer than wood for applications such as chopping meat or slicing vegetables. The wood, because of its porosity was thought an ideal surface for harmful bacteria like Salmonella, Staphylococus or Escherichia coli to thrive. However, a study undertaken in 1993 by the microbiologists of Wisconsin Food Research Institute and another one carried out in 1998 at university of Florida discovered the strong antibacterial properties that wood surfaces exhibit, properties that no other cutting surface appears to possess.
According to these studies and to others that followed them, on wood surfaces, bacterial populations disappear quite fast, without external intervention, while on plastic surfaces they persist and actually multiply. Although these properties vary among wood species, the wooden cutting surfaces are increasingly accepted as the first choice of health-conscious individuals.

Price

Hardwood is usually priced higher than laminate but are far less expensive than stone, granite, solid surface, tile or steel.

The butcher block counter tops supplied by Lafor Wood Products come in beech wood, cherry, walnut, oak, whitebeam (hickory look), acacia (black locust) or hard maple with a large variety of dimensions and grades. Mineral oil is supplied for free along to the purchase and helps to finish and preserve the butcher blocks. Availability is immediate and they offer samples of butcher blocks free of charge. Details at www.lafor.ca

Adrian Laza. Lafor Wood Products, Phone: 604-522-7667 Email: infolafor@shaw.ca http://www/lafor.ca/

Lafor Wood Products, http://www.hardwoodcountertops.com 15+ years experince in manufacturing butcher blocks, wood kitchen islands and wood countertops.

The Keys to Successful Caulk and Chinking Joint Design For Log Homes and Cabins

Introduction

With its thick walls of solid wood, a log home is one of the best-insulated buildings in which you could choose to live. But the nature of a log home's construction also presents a unique challenge: the opportunity for air to pass through the gaps between the logs.

Fortunately, air infiltration is a challenge that's easily met, thanks to caulking, the general term for the seals that are introduced between logs. With the right caulking method, or "caulk joint" as it is generally termed, a log home can achieve thermal efficiencies to rival those of any building method.

Two key elements are essential to effective caulking. First, the caulk used must form a "wet" seal, one that adheres to the wood surfaces rather than just filling the gaps between them. And second, it needs to be elastic (a quality sometimes referred to as "memory"), either stretching or compressing as the shapes of the logs themselves subtly move through natural expansion or contraction.

Another way of thinking about a caulk's effectiveness is in terms of "adhesion" and "cohesion." Good adhesion means that the caulk sticks to the log well. Good adhesion means that it holds together well under stress. Obviously, a balance of both properties is necessary for a caulk to work properly.

With those elements met, four principles govern the most efficient caulk joint design: caulk depth, points of adhesion, a caulk "well," and the conditions under which the caulk is applied. Each principle is fairly simple to grasp, and understanding them all will help anyone buying, building, or restoring a log home make the right energy-efficient decisions.

Principle 1: Apply the Right Caulk Depth

In general, the depth of caulk in a joint is more important than the width of the caulk's application. Why? Put as simply as possible, the most critical factor is that the caulk have enough mass at any given point to absorb any movement in the logs. As a rule, whatever its width, the depth of a caulk joint does not need to be any more than 1/2 inch or any less than 1/4 inch. Also, a deeper joint is preferable to one that is too thin.

Principle 2: Provide Two Caulk Adhesion Points

Caulk works best when it adheres only to two elements, namely the two logs between which it is applied, so that the seal will hold if and when any movement occurs in the logs. Adhesion to three or more points, by contrast, would cause the caulk to be pulled in multiple directions, thus increasing the likelihood that the seal will break away from one or more of the points of adhesion. Placing a backing rod inside the well With this principle in mind, any backing materials included in a caulk joint should provide a surface to which the caulk does not adhere. Doing so allows the caulk to remain at its most elastic.

Principle 3: Create a Caulk Well

Superior caulks have enough elasticity to absorb 25 to 50 percent of the total movement in the joint they fill. To allow for that movement, caulk joints require "wells," spaces that allow the joint to absorb that movement. For a reliable seal, the caulk well should be two to four times larger than the movement that is anticipated for that joint, thus reflecting the 25 to 50 percent absorption properties of the caulk being used. Obviously, the greater the movement expected in a particular joint, the larger its caulk well should be. Log homeowners can also take comfort from the fact that high-quality caulks currently being sold are capable of absorbing far greater movement than that for which they are rated.

Principle 4: Apply Caulk Under Optimum Conditions

Because logs expand or contract in response to temperature and humidity, the climate conditions at the time caulk joints are applied will affect the seal formed. On a very hot, humid day, for example, a joint will be at its smallest, since wood expands under such conditions; so caulk applied at such a time will later be subject to the maximum stretching. By contrast, a joint will be at its largest on the coldest, driest of days; so caulk applied then will later be subject to the maximum compression. With this principle in mind, it is wise to select a caulk with properties that best suit the range of local climate conditions, and to apply it at the most stable, least extreme point in the climate cycle. But smart log home builders will also apply caulk at optimum times; for example, sealing caulk joints on the cooler side of a home will work most effectively on a warmer day, while those on the side of a home that gets more direct and prolonged exposure to sunlight would best be sealed on a cooler day.

Conclusion

By aiming to apply all four principles described above, you'll maximize the effectiveness of your caulk joint seal. That may require you and your builder or contractor to implement sealing techniques that go beyond the most obvious and simple solutions. Keep these guidelines in mind, and you'll thus enjoy the maximum benefits of log homes' superior insulation and energy-saving capabilities.

Clyde Cremer holds a Master degree in Forestry from the Yale University School of Forestry and Environmental Studies in New Haven, CT. He has over 35 years of experience in the forestry industry is currently the president of American Log Homes Inc. in Pueblo, Colorado.

For answers to all things related to wood and trees contact Clyde at http://www.Westernloghomesupply.com or give him a call at 719-547-2135.

Utilize the Space in Your Home by Using Bedroom Closet Organizers

If you are somebody who would like to be more efficient, you can make a great start by utilizing any space that you may have in your closet. What better way than to become extremely organized, as well as having things placed neater and which is easier to access?

You could build a whole closet organizer system that will help to make full use out of the space, and you also have a chance to be as creative as you like. The beauty of it is that there are so many different things that you can do in order to organize your closet better, whilst getting full functionality out of it too.

Installing Bedroom Closet Organizers

Before rushing in and just doing it any old how, you need to do a bit of preparation that can help to give you a clearer idea of how things will turn out. The first step that you should take before anything else is to measure the space that you have to work with. By having an idea of the amount of space that you have, you can then be knowledgeable as to what you can actually fit in to the closet.

You need to consider what kind of storage is needed for the closet in order to get the most use out of it. For instance, you may need a shelf or a few shelves to put things on, or you may need somewhere to store your shoes etc. A small cupboard whether it is installed on the wall, or whether it is installed on the floor, can be a great way to keep things neat and tidy. Have a look at the things that need to be stored away and by doing this it can really help you to decide what you actually do need for your closet.

With your new found knowledge, this then makes the task in hand simpler when it comes to getting the organizers that you need for your closet. If you have an idea of what you need but you cannot decide when you are shopping for it what you should go for, there may be people in the store that can help you to make a decision upon what is best to go for.

It can be extremely daunting with the amount of selection that is available to choose from, so having a bit of advice can be extremely helpful. It can be so easy to go mad buying lots of things for your closet, but it is also possible to do it on a budget and still get something great to help you with the organization that you need.

It is a simple process installing the organizers for the closet, so the hard work lies in choosing which one to actually go for. As you can see from the points mentioned above, it can be extremely beneficial to have a closet organizer. It helps to keep things in an easy to find place, as well as helping you to be able to get as much functionality out of it as possible. It would be a shame getting the organizer if you are just going to throw anything into it and leave it there untouched for many years. So, if you do have a closet and you are not making the most out of it, why not consider using closet organizers and you can see the benefits for yourself.

Adam Peters enjoys writing about decor for http://www.home-decorating-reviews.com You can find more information and resources on storage for bedrooms with no space at his website.

Home Improvement Tips - Types of Countertops

It used to be that laminate was pretty much your only choice for kitchen countertops. Those days are thankfully long gone but now a homeowner is faced with a variety of choices and wide range of prices available for your kitchen renovation.

Some of the popular choices include:

Ceramic Tile

This remains as a popular and economical alternative that is heat and scratch resistant. It is high maintenance though since it needs to have it's grout sealed regularly to avoid staining.

Concrete

This is a incredibly versatile surface that can be textured and detailed with patterns unlike any other surface. However it is extremely porous and needs to be regularly sealed to avoid stains.

Engineered Stone

This product is made of a quartz composite with colored pebbles or different materials giving its wide range of colors. Texture is usually even and the colors can be reproduced over larger areas. It as extremely durable product that can resist heat and stain.

Granite

Granite is a natural stone. It comes from different regions of the world and can vary widely in color and pattern. It needs to be seamed and requires period sealing to avoid stains. It cannot tolerate high heat from hot pans.

Laminate

Laminate comes in a variety of colors but is not designed to be long lasting. Although it is somewhat stain resistant it will scratch easily. It will also burn easily from hot pans.

Marble

This is another natural stone that is porous and stains easily. It must be sealed every two to five years. They are also easily scratched and cannot take high heat from hot pans.

Slate

This is a third natural stone that is less porous and doesn't require sealing but can be easily scratched

Stainless Steel

This is a very popular product because of the sleek modern look it conveys. It is very durable and resists staining. Often times the surface is brushed to hide any scratches.

Wood

Various types of hardwoods can be used for countertops. It does require regular sealing to avoid drying out and is susceptible to burns from hot pans.

These are some of the pros and cons of the more popular types of countertops. Choose your countertop carefully depending on your usage and needs.

Bob Current writes on a variety of subjects including home improvement tips. You can get a free copy of his report about Choosing The Best Contractor for your project at http://www.homeimprovementtips.info and at http://www.concretecountertops.bcurrent.info/concretecountertops

Pebble Floor Tiles - No Skills Required Installation

Are you planning on remodeling your house and don't know what to do? Have you thought about Pebble floor tiles? These small decorative tiles are a great choice for remodeling your house.

Pebble floor tiles are small decorative tiles which are made of natural stones that at hand picked and sorted. The pebble tiles usually are imported from Bali in Indonesia. Pebble Tile Flooring is an easy and fast way to remodel your flooring though out your house inside and out. These pebble tiles provide a unique and special look.

The pebble tile flooring comes in 12" by 12" tiles. Each tile is made up of up to 60 individual stones connected to a mesh backing. Whether you are looking for that exotic look or a more modern look, the multitude of color choices and styles pebble tile offers is amazing. There are several benefits to using this tiling over ceramics.

The installation of pebble tiles is simple.

With these types of tile there will be no need for an expensive tile saw, just a pair of scissors are needed to cut the mesh backing. This mesh backing allows you to easily trim the tile to the shape and site you need for your install.
The provide a natural look and feel to suite any room or patio weather your looking for an exotic or modern style.
No real special skills required for installation. Anyone can install pebble tile flooring. There are instruction videos and manuals as fast as a click away.
No need to worry about broken tiles in the tile box. I don't know about you, but I've bought ceramic tiles before and I always end up finding one or two broken tiles somewhere in the box. It's like the manufactures hide them there.
Lighter weight than standard ceramic tiles.
More forgiving incase you make a mistake. You probably won't even notice it in the finished product.

When you choose the right pebble tile flooring for your next remodel you'll be glad you did. It's the easiest most cost effective tiling choice you could make. You'll be tiling like a pro even on your first job.

Bruce Beasley Offers more free information on Pebble floor Tiles at his website. http://www.PebbleTile.info.

Are Bathroom in Basement Remodels For You?

Are you thinking about expanding your home, but out of space on your main floors? If that's the case, it might be time to do something about your unfinished basement area. A small office, a guest room, a personal gym, or even an entertainment room might do the trick, but if you want to spend time down there, there's something else you'll need. A basement bathroom will keep you from having to run up and down stairs all the time, and it'll also add value to your home. End lines at the bathroom door by performing a bathroom in basement remodel.

There are a few things to keep in mind before you get that renovation started, however. You'll need a project plan with your intended schedule, budget, cost estimates, and work you want done. Keep this updated throughout the process of building your basement bathroom in order to get the best and most predictable results. Start by looking for ideas on your basement bathroom remodel. Home improvement stores, online articles and sites, and magazines are all a good place to start when you decide what you want your finished basement to look like. Think about color, lighting, space set up, and more. The better your plan is, the more likely you are to end up with a bathroom you love.

You'll also need to think about ceiling height, available space, moisture in the basement, basement temperature, and stability of the basement itself. Windows and lighting will be important if you don't want your bathroom in basement remodel to end up like a cave. You'll also have to consider ventilation to keep air moving in the house. An enclosed bathroom with no air movement could end up seeming musty and unpleasant. Remember to decide early on if you want a full or a half bath.

If you're thinking about doing the work yourself, you'll need to know a few things. Most people need basic carpentry and wiring skills to put up walls and get light fixtures working. You'll also have to have a good amount of plumbing experience if you plan on installing the toilet, sink, and tub or shower on your own. However, you don't have to do everything on your own. Calling a professional in for part or all of the work on your bathroom in basement remodel is a smart idea if you're not one yourself.

It may be a good idea to call a professional plumber for the piping, if you don't have the experience and knowledge to do it yourself. In some cases, you may also need to have a pro oversee or sign off on work that you've done yourself. That way, you'll be legal and up to local code. If you know how to frame, wire, and hang drywall (choose moisture resistant board for basements), but aren't sure about plumbing, calling a pro might be the best method you can use. It'll certainly save you some frustration and effort in the long run. Your bathroom in basement remodel can be a real success. All you have to do is have a good plan.

Thomas Johnsen is the Author and Leading Expert on Bathrooms in Basements and the creator of the publication Bathroom in Basement 101. Visit the site now to find the easy-to-understand step-by-step guides on basement bathroom construction available online today.

Tips on How to Finish a Basement Wall

The walls are something you should take account of when you finish a basement. Finishing a basement is very important if you want your basement not only to look good. The walls in the basement are very important because they provide the structure for your basement and carry the weight of your home above it.

Tip 1: Make sure your walls are dry enough to work with.

Check how much moisture content your wall has. If it has too much moisture, there are probably leaks either on the walls itself or on the floor.

Tip 2: Install drywall.

Installing drywall to your concrete walls does not take a genius. It is also more time efficient as compared to applying plaster instead. Drywall is also made out of gypsum that helps prevent the spread of fire. When attaching your drywall, make sure that nothing is protruding on its surface (ex. nails).

Tip 3: Add furring strips

Furring strips will prevent water from leaking in your basement and will provide a more leveled wall to work with. A leveled working surface is very important when you finish a basement.

Tip 4: Insulation and Vapor Barriers

Attaching both of them, will aid in possible heat-related problems in your basement .Insulation is important or less heat loss. It is needed to help maintain a suitable room temperature especially during the cold months.

Tip 5: Design your walls.

The design of your walls is really up to you. You can paint over the surface of the drywall or create a textured finish with the use of wooden boards and other similar materials.
To finish a basement wall is one of the few things you should remember if you want to be able to enjoy your basement longer.

Want to learn how to decorate your basement wall a little more creatively? Discover practical basement remodeling ideas online and turn cheap basement ideas into dream basements at a budget.

Fire Ant Bites - First Aid in Case You Are Bitten

Fire ants, although they are such annoying creatures for us humans, they are a real wonder of biological engineering. Fire ants come in different shapes and sizes, the largest of these creatures can come up to be as big as a fifth of an inch, which it is very impressive for a microscopic insect. They can be very easily distinguished because of their brown head and their slightly darker body.

The fire ants have a very simple way to feed, but a much more complicated way to deposit and digest the food. Fire ants bite, cut and chew the skin with they very powerful mandibles (in comparison to their own size), in order to suck up all the nutritive liquids. Interesting is that, fire ants have two stomachs: the fist one has the purpose to deposit and digest the food for themselves, and the second one to share the food with other members of the colony, in order for them to fed properly.

Fire ants have a very annoying bite. The bites from fire ants can cause a burning or stinging sensation on the nearby zone of the skin where the bite occurred (because they cause this kind of sensations, they are called "fire ants"). After that the skin will raise and fill up with a fluid. It is very important that you will not scratch the injured area, in order for that to heal, because you can easily infect yourself or some leave permanent scars on your skin.

These are very little insects, and it is quite impossible to see them on your skin and clothing, with a naked eye. Although they are so little, their actual effects of their bites can be seen and mostly felt very quickly, in less than 10 seconds. Don't be surprised if you will be bitten another time in a short amount of time. Fire ants will bite many times, even if all the venom they have had was consumed before on you or other people.

The best method to kill these creatures is to use on the harmed area a lye - water solution (approximately 20% lye and 80% water). Firstly you will need to make a circle with this solution, in order to trap the insect, and then turn all the solution that you have left on the wound to kill it. Attention! Be very careful when you deal with this solution, because this is a caustic solution.

Also, it would be very wise to douse the wound under hot boiling water for a short period of time in order to kill all the insects. Unfortunately, if we are talking about a full colony, the queen will most probably not die.

Another very good method in order to get rid of these insects is to soap and wash the zone, but in some cases, it will not kill the queen.

Also, it is wise to use proper insecticide on the mound, but you must be very careful in order that the insecticide will reach the queen. If you cannot reach the queen, this action is mostly useless. The good news is that all the other insects will eventually die after this toxic attack in 24 hours.

You can also use some insecticide baits in your house or garden. The bait will be carried back by the fire ants to the queen, and they will eventually feed from the bait or just get in contact with it and die, in the end. This is a very good solution for your problem, if the time factor doesn't count for you so much.

First Aid in case of a Fire Ant Bite

If you are outside your house and you are near a mound, it will be smart to get away from it.

Immediately remove the infested clothes that you have on the moment of the fire ant bite.

Clean the zone by rubbing alcohol or using soap and water on the affected skin part.

In order to reduce the obvious pain and inflammation use ice packs.

Apply creams or lotions based on hydrocortisone topical ointment or calamine.

Try a bleach or even baking soda with water in order to reduce the pain or inflammation.

Use Benadryl to reduce the itchiness sensation and the inflammation.

Call immediately 911 or contact a specialized doctor when you encounter sensations such as hives, swellings, chest pains or even shock and coma.

Now you need Fire Ants Treatment to take the 'fire' out of fire ant bites. More information about First Aid here will definitely help you.

How to Choose the Correct Loft Hatch For Your Needs

Standard Size or Custom Fit

The very first consideration you need to bare in mind is whether you'll need a custom fit loft hatch to fit your exact requirements or whether you can size your loft hatch based on a standard size measurement. Of course this very much depends on what you intend to use the loft for. If you plan to store large items in your loft it stands to reason that you'll need to install a loft hatch that can accommodate the largest item you plan to house in there. The type of ladder you use will also have an impact on the size of your loft hatch. If you favour a concertina fold-down loft ladder then you will obviously need a loft hatch that allows for the ladder to pass through at its longest and widest point. Loft ladders and loft hatches are often sold in packages which pairs loft ladders with the appropriate hatch.

Materials

Loft hatches are available in a variety of materials. The most popular material has always been wood because it's light, cheap and can be adjusted if it doesn't fit exactly. Wood is still the most popular choice of material for custom made loft hatches, for obvious reasons, with PVC the second most popular selection. Custom fit PVC loft hatches are catching up quick however, due to the quick lead times for delivery and their low prices. The situation in the standard size loft hatches market is very similar. Wood previously dominated but now metal loft hatches are catching up in the commercial arena due to their fire resistant qualities, and PVC is increasing in popularity in the domestic market. The benefit of wood, however, is that it can be refinished and repainted time and time again which makes it a much more flexible option. Your redecoration options could be limited with a PVC loft hatch because although they are available in a variety of colours, once you buy it that colour it has to stay that colour.

Location

The location of your loft entrance will have a big bearing on the type of loft hatch you need. If the entrance is located near a wall then you'll have to make sure that the loft door doesn't swing down and mark the wall. You'll also have to make sure that the presence of the wall doesn't interfere with the loft ladder, either by creating an awkward angle or by not allowing an internal ladder to extend out fully.

If your loft entrance is located above a stairwell this will have significant implications to the type of loft hatch you choose. In this situation there are limited ladder configurations available to you, so you'd be forced to choose from a small selection of loft hatches that suit this scenario.

For a loft hatch located in a very cramped space you may wish to consider a hatch that opens inwards rather than outwards. Inwards opening loft hatches are easier to open but more difficult to closer than outwards opening alternatives but they also pose fewer problems when trying to maneuver in a small area.

Loft Hatches
Loft Hatch

Calculating Your Basement Finish Cost

When you already know what you should consider to estimate your basement finish cost, the next step is to get the price for your particular project. There are a couple of easy ways to get a good estimate before you commit to your project.

Online Estimators

You can do nearly anything in the internet these days. That includes getting price estimates specifically for basement finishing. Many online estimators are part of contractor websites. Some of these websites however offer the service for free so you don't have to worry about being billed for using their estimator tool. You do have to make sure though that the estimator that you use takes into consideration the region or state where you live. Prices may vary depending on the state.

Price Comparisons

Online estimators are a convenient tool to use but they may not always be close to accurate. A better way to get your basement finish cost would be to go straight to online contractor websites. You can easily find one in your region using a search engine. You can open a few contractor sites so you can compare the services they offer. You can then send a request for a quote with your specifications on your request. If you want a free quote, make sure you check first if a contractor gives quotes for free.

Ask for Recommendations

Nothing can beat asking other people for recommendations. You might have been to a friend's home with a good basement in which case you can simply ask for a price estimate and the name of the contractor. If you do not know anyone who has recently remodeled their basement, you can opt to ask online. There are many forums and message boards where you can ask about basement costs.

Do Part of the Work

You will find it easier to arrive at a basement finish cost estimate if you only had to ask for the price of contractor service. You can get a fairly stable estimate if you just want the cost of labor. You can do this by canvassing the prices of materials yourself. You can inform a potential contractor that you have already set the design and materials and that you need a price for labor only. This is the best way to get the best possible price estimate.

Successful basement remodeling ideas start with a good budget. Begin yours by setting the right basement finish cost. Find out how to do it.

Log Home Preservation Methods - Borate Wood Preservatives

Log Home BorateTreatments - the options and how and when to use!

One of the most important ways to protect your investment, your home, is to use a wood preservative on your logs. There are only two times that you can effectively use these products on your logs. When the home is built, before it is stained, or after cob blasting a finish off of your logs, before you re-stain. The wood preservative must be applied to raw wood, so it can soak in and dry underneath the stain.

All wood faces the possibility of rot and insect infestation, even in dry climates. Fungi and insects actually consume the cells of dead wood, often causing severe structural damage that often requires log replacement-a costly repair. We use Penetreat to help protect your home from costly damage of rot and insect infestation. Penetreat is a borate based wood preservative. Borates are well known across the world for their protective qualities. Penetreat provides a protective "shell" coating which helps defend your home against dry, wet, and brown rot, as well as termites, house borers, powder post beetles, and carpenter ants, (to name a few).

Borate is not toxic to people and animals. It will not harm you or your pets. Borates do not affect the natural color or strength of wood. They are completely odorless, and are not corrosive to metal fasteners, nails or screws. When a "Penetreat" home is properly sealed against moisture, the borates can provide many years of effective protective.

Impel Rods are a highly concentrated solid form, water diffusible borate rod. They are ideal for both preventative treatments of high risk areas and remedial treatments in areas with existing decay. Because Impel Rods stop decay when properly used, there is no need to replace decay damaged, yet structurally sound logs! Decay prone and rot hot spot areas at greatest risk include: base logs, corner construction, exposed rafters or overhangs, and below windows, doors, and dormers.

Impel Rods depend on moisture to work. When moisture contents of wood reach levels suitable for decay attack, i.e. (around 25 percent) Impel Rods slowly dissolve and begin to diffuse throughout the moisture saturated wood. The preservative will migrate into the areas of highest moisture, which are at the highest risk from fungal decay. The diffused Impel Rod will adequately and effectively prevent the wood from rotting and decaying because it will not allow the fungus that causes rot to grow. When moisture levels drop below 25 percent, the preservative becomes dormant and provides a reserve, ready to reactivate should decay conducive conditions reoccur. We feel that Impel Rods are an essential part of the protection of your log home, and include them as part of our prevention and restoration system.

We hope this article has been helpful and look forward to giving you much more information in future articles to help you preserve your log home dream!

Jamie Fonder

Top-Coat Log Home Restoration LLC

http://topcoatloghomerestoration.com/

Home Renovation - Make Your New Renovation Match Your Old House

A large percentage of people who renovate their homes do so to update, add value or prepare their home for sale. All too often though, home owners plan a renovation with no thought of making the new work blend with their older home.

This can result in the new work looking like an ugly wart stuck onto the original home. This often even effects the resale value of the home.

This is because when people shop for an older home they are looking because they like the style and look of the older homes and bad renovations will turn them away.

This means that you should consider the era your home was built in to make sure that renovations and upgrades flow naturally together in your older home. This is most noticeable on new exterior walls of additions, windows, doors and door hardware, light fixtures and things like heating vents, trim and flooring.

That doesn't mean that you need to forgo any new conveniences or not make improvements to increase energy efficiency or convenience. It just means that you need to carefully consider the style of your home before you act.

Look around neighborhoods that are the same age as your home to get ideas about how other people have successfully blended upgrades in their homes.

When you choose a contractor make sure that he has done renovation work with your age of home and understands your goals. Fortunately there are several companies that offer period style hardware designs in new materials.

A good project should make it hard to recognize where the older house ends and the new work begins.

Bob Current writes about a variety of subjects including tips on home renovation. Get his free report about tips for Choosing The Best Contractor for your renovation at http://www.homeimprovementtips.info

Mortar Repair - 4 Common Crack Problems on Your Home

It's a sunny morning and you're up early. You decide to grab your coffee and take a quick stroll around your homes' exterior to look for signs of wear. You find nothing and are pleased until you turn the last corner of your home and stop abruptly in disbelief!

There before you in the beautiful brick masonry of your home is a huge crack! How did it get there? What do you do? You wonder. Whom do you call?

Well take a deep breath and relax. You're not alone. Millions of homeowners have experienced this gut wrenching feeling as well. So don't grab the For Sale sign just yet! Read these handy tips to understand what may be happening to your home.

1.) Settlement Cracks - These common cracks usually manifest as a 'stair step crack' or a crack that steps up as it moves horizontally across the wall. Found at or close to the corners of the home, wing walls and quoin corners they are common and easily repaired. Just watch and expect additional movement if the settlement has not stopped.

Solution: Contact your local masonry crack repair pro to have these cracks repaired to keep water, bugs and reptiles from entering the home.

2.) Thermal Expansion Cracks - A vertical or stair step crack usually located in the upper portions of the masonry can be caused by thermal expansion. Bricks walls expand when heated by the sun and if expansion joints are not present, can cause cracks. These cracks appear anywhere within the surface of the sunny wall or in close proximity to abutting walls

Solution: Contact your local masonry repair pro and/or a structural engineer for an evaluation. Some cracks are simple for a repair pro to evaluate and others may require an engineers analysis and testing to determine the cause and recommend the type of repair needed.

3.) Steel Expansion Cracks - Another common crack occurs at the upper corners of doorways, garage doors, windows or any opening. The usual culprit is the steel that supports the masonry above these openings. This is due to the daily and seasonal differential movement between the steel and the brick materials which expand at different rates.

Solution: Contact your local masonry repair pro to have these cracks repaired or caulked. Caulking will move with the materials and help minimize future cracking.

4.) Bulging or Bowed Wall Cracks - Cracks can appear throughout an entire wall or the wall is bulged, bowed in or out or has sunken. This is a serious issue and is usually the symptom of age related failure or structural failure due to improper reinforcement of the masonry.

Solution: Contact a structural engineer immediately for an evaluation and recommended repairs.

It is a good idea to check your home annually for signs of cracking or structural damage in the bricks on your home.

Michael Olding is tradesman and consultant in the field of restorations and repairs and currently operates a restoration and repair business in Cincinnati, Ohio. He is also a Master in the field of masonry construction, restorations and repairs.

In addition he is a writer and speaker as well as a marketing, training and business consultant for the contracting industry. If you interested in his services he may be contacted by visiting http://www.cincihomepro.com

Kitchen Islands Vs Kitchen Island Carts

It's a battle for extra storage. Every kitchen needs it, whether you have a large or small kitchen there's always a need for more space to store food or neat little appliances that are supposed to make your life easier. For the act of actually cooking many times you need more counter space and more places for handy tools that you use. If your walls are full the next obvious choice is the middle of the floor. So should you install a permanent kitchen island or get a portable kitchen island cart?

Both have their benefits and drawbacks. Let's look at a few:

1. Portability. The cart is much more flexible and movable than a permanent island. This gives you the ability to use that space for something else when you aren't cooking, yet have it back at a moments notice.

2. Available storage space. Most islands are pretty good size so you tend to have more storage available with the bigger island than with a cart. A cart has less storage, too, because to remain movable you don't want it to get too heavy.

3. Workspace. Kitchen islands tend to have a lot more usable counterspace than a cart.

4. Electricity. If you want to have outlets to plug in your appliances, or even install big units like dishwashers and ovens into your island then a cart just won't work. The cart has no outlets because it moves.

5. Looks pretty. Both can be aesthetically pleasing. The island looks more like a part of the kitchen, while the cart tends to look like an afterthought, but both can be made to look appropriate for the space they're in.

6. Available seating. If the island is big enough you can actually sit around it and eat. Most carts are too small for this feature.

To read more about the battle between kitchen island carts and kitchen islands please visit our website. We also have information on painting kitchen cabinets if you're doing a remodeling project.