A deck is an extension of your home’s living space and where you will spend much of your time during the summer months. Consequently, it needs to be treated and cared for as much as your home’s inside rooms.

Most important to the care of your deck is regularly sealing it. This is particularly true if you want your deck to maintain the natural color of the wood.

Sealing a deck is critical in order to preserve the life and look of the wood. The sealant preserves the beauty of the natural wood by protecting it from both water and sun damage.

When to Apply the Deck Sealant

In order to preserve the natural wood look for many years, I typically apply the sealant every year. Also, I usually apply it in late summer/early fall as I live in New England. I do this because of the concern of snow lying on the deck for long periods of time during the winter months. My concern is in the acidity of the water in the snow. By putting on a sealant just prior to snow season, I can provide peak protection against the prolonged damaging effects of the acid contained in the water. In hotter climates, where there is less snow, I would suggest applying the deck sealer in late spring.

Clean the deck prior to Sealing

First, remove all of the deck furniture off of the deck.

Prior to sealing it is then best to power wash the deck and let it thoroughly dry. You may need to use a stiff bristly brush to get off any material that is not being removed by the power washer. Pine pitch frequently requires the services of this tool. There are also a variety of products offered by sealant manufactures that can also assist in the deck sealant preparation.

After power washing it may take 24-48 hours, or even longer, for the deck to thoroughly dry, pending weather conditions. Make sure the deck is completely dry prior to applying the sealant. Otherwise the sealant may not be appropriately absorbed into the wood’s surface.

Once the deck is dry, and you are about ready to begin sealing, use a leaf blower to remove any debris that may have fallen onto the deck’s surface since you power washed it. If you do not have a leaf blower, than simply sweep the deck.

Sealing the deck

First, the deck sealer should not be applied if the temperature is below 50 degrees Fahrenheit and if rain is forecasted in the next 24 hours. Otherwise the sealant may not absorb properly, nor dry properly.

Using a brush apply the sealant around all the deck edges and posts. Once the edging is complete, use a sprayer, brush or roller to apply the sealant to the deck surface. Make sure that the sealant is firmly pressed into the wood surface to maximize the penetration of the sealant into the wood.

Typically only one coat is recommended by most deck sealers.

Though most manufactures suggest the deck is ready for walking on after 24 hours, I would recommend waiting a little longer if the weather has not been ideal for drying conditions.

Once the deck is dry, return the deck furniture and enjoy the beauty of your deck for another year.

Me_Donovan@comcast.net

http://www.homeadditionplus.com
http://www.homeaddition.blogspot.com

Over the past 20+ years Mr. Donovan has been involved with building homes and additions to homes. His projects have included: building a vacation home, building additions and garages on to existing homes, and finishing unfinished homes. Mr. Donovan’s formal education and profession have been as an Electrical Engineer and Marketing Manager.

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It was “in” in the 60’s, out in the 70’s and 80’s and came roaring back in the 90’s and hasn’t looked back. Hardwood flooring is more popular today than it has ever been. With so many different choices out there such as carpet, tile or laminate, most new home builders are sticking with today’s popular choice, you guessed it, hardwood flooring. People are looking for comfort and versatility in their homes. It comes in a variety of styles and colors such as maple, cherry, oak, pine, teak only to name a few. One of the most popular manufacturers is bruce hardwood flooring. I will give you more details about them below. Another option to consider is bamboo flooring.

Health professionals conclude that traditional hardwood flooring or bamboo flooring is helping people with respiratory conditions live healthier lives. Carpets contain amounts of dust, dirt and bacteria which contribute to serious health problems. For over 100 years, bruce hardwood flooring has been the most recognized name in the industry. Their most costly “best” collections will give you a more uniform appearance in color with less character. The lower you go within the line, the more character you will see so product is very popular with vacation homeowners. As you move up in grade, the warranties are longer and the grading is enhanced. Product available include French White and Red oak, teak, Brazilian cherry and mahogany to name a few.

The one challenging thing about traditional hardwood flooring such as bruce hardwood flooring is the installation process. It is important that you use a professional to do your installation in order to get great looking results. You need experience to laying and finishing it so don’t cheap out and try to do it yourself. A fantastic product is bamboo flooring. It is distinctive and unique and uses the latest technology to turn a plain room into a conversation piece. The grain comes in either medium or soft brown shades.

Amy-Jo Strutt is a successful home renovating writer and regular contributor to laminate-flooring-wood.com - An online resource to help you find the very best hardwood flooring, bamboo flooring and bruce hardwood flooring.
http://www.laminate-flooring-wood.com/hardwood-flooring.html

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We would all like cheaper electricity and gas bills. Most of us shop around for the provider with the lowest electricity, gas or oil prices and leave it at that, but there are other ways to warm your house. Not only could you save money in the long term by reducing your household fuel bills, but you can also do so in a more environmentally friendly way and, in today’s world of global warming which produces extreme weather conditions, that is a major factor for many people.

Solar heating can reduce your electricity bills no matter where you live. Obviously, where you live will determine how much sunshine you will get in an average day, but even on a cloudy day with the sun low on the horizon you can still benefit. If you live in a warm climate and don’t need heating for much of the year, you still may wish to heat the swimming pool.

What Equipment Do I Need?

A typical system uses collectors, also called heating panels. These are generally mounted on a south facing roof which should ideally be pitched at an angel of between 30 and 60 degrees. If your roof isn’t pitched, the panels can be mounted at an angel. The size of the panels will depend on the size of the household and your local climate. As a general rule, you’ll need 2.75 sq.m. to heat water for two people, or 4.12 sq.m. for a family of three or four people.

There are two types of panels and the right one for you will depend on your local climate.

• Flat Plate Collectors - a simple flat plate of specially coated black metal covered by glass or plastic. Water passes through pipes that are solered to the plate and the warmed water is then fed to your boiler.
• Evacuated tubes - which are fitted into insulated steel casings. These are more suited to cooler, cloudier climates. By reducing the heat loss, the water temperature can reach 60F/15C so it may not require further heating. Evacuated tubes are more expensive than flat plate collectors.

Can I Install A System Myself?

It is possible to install a system yourself if you are reaonably good at DIY. Either find a parts supplier who will also do the design for you, or join a solar club - non-profit making groups who run one-day courses designed to make solar heating cheaper and easier to install.

How Much Money Will I Save?

Impossible to quantify as it will depend on your local climate, house insulation, heating system, and the type of panels you install. But if you want lower electricity and heating bills, and wish to help the environment by burning less fossil fuel, solar heating is well worth investigating.

About the Author: Tony Luck is an independent distributor of the cheapest electricity and natural gas available in the UK.

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Finished hardwood and laminate are the among the simplest types of flooring to
care for. In most cases just a quick sweep and you are done. The occasional wipe
with a damp cloth or mop will renew the luster of new wood. You can use a vacuum
only if you can disengage the “beater bar” or it does not have one. A Vacuum will cut
the time emensley.

My wife was vacuuming our master the other day, and was blown away at the
amount of dust that had collected. I told her “guess what would be in the carpet, if
we had decided to put it in here. Her disgust was enough for me for the labor of
putting the hardwood in.

A neat idea that I heard and was skeptical when I heard, but it really works. If you
have a “squeaky spot in your hardwood. Sprinkle some talcum (baby) powder in the
cracks and work it in as much as possible. Sweep up the excess (do not vacuum)
and use as normal. The talcum powder will work in the cracks and the squeaks will
stop. It is truly amazing. Just give it a try. it is very cheap and will do nothing but
help.

Mr. Lesslie is the president of http://www.greathomeimprovements.com and a
consultant for Department of Energy’s Building America Division for the last 6 years.
He is responsible for all the content and marketing for http://www.greathomeimprovements.com - Great
Home Improvements Start Here!

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Acid staining can make a common concrete floor into look like expensive natural stone flooring. Not only is it a fraction of the price, but for people allergic to carpeting materials it’s a godsend. Another great application is in houses with radiant floor heating. Radiant heating is at its most efficient when insulating floor coverings like tile or carpet are minimized.

The process of staining a concrete floor, while not overly complex, can be tough to get the results you want from. Most folks are probably better off hiring a professional contractor. It’s a risky project for the do-it-yourselfer.

If you’re not familiar with it, concrete stain isn’t a paint or finish coat. It involves a chemical reaction on cement materials. Typically a water-based solution of hydrochloric acid and inorganic salts, the stain reacts with minerals and lime in the concrete aggregate, and the result of the reaction is coloring. It works on new or old concrete, and is fairly durable if you maintain it with sealer or wax, since it won’t stain or chip. It can also be applied to both interiors and exterior floors. Walkways, bathrooms, entrances, driveways, living rooms and patios are all fair game.

When it’s finished, stained concrete looks a little like marble, but more dappled and less uniform. The concrete will mostly be earthy brown tones, with hints of red and green. It’s possible to make your own tint stain by mixing colors, or applying at dissimilar rates. When you stain a concrete floor, though, don’t expect the stain to be uniform or have an even tone. Plan your room d

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