In many households, tile flooring is not only present but it is one of the most desirable floors to have, especially in the kitchen. It is very durable, washable and available in many styles and colors. However, tile is hard and standing on a kitchen floor for any length of time is not good for both feet and backs. Wood plank floors are also hard and, if not properly sealed, can warp or buckle after time due to the moisture that can occur in a kitchen.

One of the floorings that is gaining popularity comes from the bark of trees gown in Portugal and other places in the Mediterranean. Cork, commonly known as stoppers for wine bottles and wall surfaces to pin up calenders is one of the greenest floor products out there. The bark of the cork tree is harvested every 9 to 12 years without harming the tree itself.

Lisbon Cork Co. Ltd. Fine Cork Flooring is manufactured in tiles measuring 5/32″ x 11-5/8″ x 23-5/8.” Naturally anti-microbial cork flooring has excellent insulation properties as well as being a comfortable warm walking surface. Not only is it resilient it springs back into shape without imprints that can be induced by heavy traffic and furniture, In addition, there is the acoustic benefits because cork is a natural sound-deadening.

For the environmentally-concerned cork is not a volatile organic compound, or VOC, so that there are no poisonous emissions as given off by carpet. Lisbon Cork Co. Ltd. Fine Cork Flooring costs much less than plank wood flooring and without the installations costs of tile of other surfaces like tile, plank wood or even vinyl flooring.

Before sinks were invented water was carried inside in buckets and a sink was a wooden wash bucket. The indoor well pump made it necessary to have a more permanent arrangement for holding water and the kitchen sink was born. It was a self-contained unit called an apron sink because of the front piece. These sinks, also called “farmer’s sinks” were made of wood and then porcelain-coated steel and went out of fashion when the modern stainless-steel, drop-in sinks became popular.

Today apron sinks are making a comeback made like the Kohler Verity Apron Front Stainless Steel Single Bowl Undermount Sink and models made of a variety of materials. Some high-end sinks are made from copper and even polished wood while other materials include acrylic and composite stone, which is crushed rock mixed with epoxy. They are the crowing touch for natural stone or composite countertops and modern cabinets and appliances.

A stainless-steel model is the most popular apron sink because it is inexpensive, easy to clean and can take a beating and still look great. The Kohler Verity Apron Front Stainless Steel Single Bowl Undermount Sink is made of heavy-gauge stainless-steel, foam insulation and rubber mountings and the best quality fittings for easy installation. In fact, with its timeless beauty it will be the last kitchen sink you will ever need.

When the topic of flooring comes up these days carpet is not usually the first choice of homeowners wanting flooring. There are the visions of old, musty-smelling shag weaves come to mind and the hassle of cleaning it.

But on the other hand there are a lot of advantages to carpet. It is relatively inexpensive, looks great and has good insulation value for heat retention. Not only that, people with back problems like that it is easy on the feet and back, unlike hardwood, tile or laminate flooring. So with all these advantages, what if you could get a carpet product for the basement or hallway, places that need heat retention, that you could install yourself?

Carpet tiles can be a great way to do a small room or walk way, or even a feature room. Also known as ”carpet squares” they usually are bought in 12 x 12 inches square pieces in various thicknesses and in a wide variety patterns and colors like Shaw Berber Sand 12 In. x 12 In. Carpet Tiles.

When you install carpet tile you can either follow a pattern or go create your own look. Some of  the plusher, one-color carpet squares can be placed for a seamless look like regular, wall-to-wall carpet.

In addition to being extremely durable  Shaw Berber Sand 12 In. x 12 In. Carpet Tiles have the advantage of being easily replaced. This is especially useful for high-traffic areas or in incidences where a one or more carpet tiles gets a stain that can’t be removed. You simply lift out the damaged carpet tile and swap it with either a new one or one from an area that doesn’t get seen like under a sofa, desk or another less visible area.This versatility means that this may be the last utility flooring you’ll ever need.

It’s also a great do-it-yourself project as the the only tools you’ll need are are a carpenter’s square, a chalked line, utility knife and measuring tape. When the measuring has been done just take out the squares, peel the protective backing off and press into place. In one or two hours you have a beautiful floor!

One of the main drawbacks of many air conditioning and heating systems is poor distribution. This is because many of the vents for HVAC systems in older homes are under windows, and an old window will transfer heat and/or cool air outside raining the load on the HVAC unit and your wallet. The reason for this is that windows have poor energy retention and even double-sealed windows are rated at only R-1.5.

Rather than doing a major renovation like spending thousands of dollars in windows try installing a fan with a slow-running option like the Minka-Aire Minka Air Ceiling Fan White F574-WH. With revolutionary blade designs and a power-miser motor the Minka prevents heat from staying up on the ceiling in pockets and moves it around for even heat. By reversing the direction it will moderate the coolness on a hot summer days.

When you buy a fan make sure you have know the room dimensions as all fans are not the same size. If the ceiling is eight feet or less try a flush-mounted fan but higher ceilings get one with a down-rod. Here are a few tips for size:

1) Fan Width: 29″ – 36″ : 100 square feet or less

2) Fan Width: 36″ – 42″: 100 – 150 square feet

3) Fan Width: 44″: 150 – 225 square feet

4) Fan Width: 50″ – 55″: 225 to 400 square feet

Another tip that can have a big effect on your heating bill in older homes is to open up the the home by reducing walls. Old styles like walls between galley kitchens and dining rooms can be opened up and then one  Minka-Aire Minka Air Ceiling Fan White F574-WH can service several rooms without added fuel bills.

Welcome to the 2009 father’s day gift giving guide!  We’ve assembled a list of great products to buy dad that he’ll actually use - unlike that tie you gave him two years ago (you know the one I’m talking about).

If you’re looking to be “the favorite” this Father’s Day, don’t mess around with sentimental greeting cards, making a nice, light lunch or even offering to do some chores around the house.  Rather, drop some coin on this Makita 18-Volt Compact Lithium-Ion Cordless 3-Piece Combo Kit, wrap it up and give it to dad.

Why?

Because your father deserves the best. And this Makita 3-piece kit is flat-out awesome.

The kit contains everything you need to assume favorite child status:

• 1/2-Inch Drill-Driver
• Impact Driver
• Flashlight
• 2 18v compact batteries
• Rapid charger
• Contractor bag

The Makita 18-Volt Compact Lithium-Ion Cordless 3-Piece Combo Kit is designed with power in mind.  Your father will blow through most home improvement projects with horsepower to spare.  There’s a ton of power in the little Impact Driver, and that alone is enough to warrant purchasing this kit.  Throw in Drill/Driver, Flashlight, 2 batteries, charger and contractor bag and you’ve got one great bargain that’s sure to make your ‘ol man happy.

What sets this Makita set apart from the other combo kits you’ll see at your local chain megahardwarestores is the best-in-class cordless solution: the battery just kicks all sorts of butt.  For starters, you can use the tools after as little as 15 minutes on the charger, the batteries have 2.5x more cycles than a Ni-Cad battery and they charge much faster than other sets.

So if you’re gunning to be the favorite child this father’s day, you can leapfrog your siblings by purchasing this kit!

Welcome to the 2009 father’s day gift giving guide!  We’ve assembled a list of great products to buy dad that he’ll actually use - unlike that tie you gave him two years ago (you know the one I’m talking about).

We start with the Porter-Cable 2 1/2″ by 14″ Compact Belt Sander kit.  You may be asking yourself why you’d need to get your husband/father/grandfather/babydaddy a compact belt sander. That’s understandable.

Sure, the Porter-Cable Compact Belt Sander kit has a lightweight frame, but don’t let that fool ya - this belt sander has a lot under the hood.  In fact, I’m confident enough to say that it has more power than you’ll actually need, but it’s awfully nice knowing it’s there - just in case.

If you’re concerned about ergonomics, it has a very easy to handle rubber grip on the surface, allowing for precise control.  Dad will appreciate the cushioned grip, as it cuts down on a lot of the vibration that is always present with sanders.

Let’s go over some quick points:

• The Porter-Cable name is trusted. They make some really high-quality tools.
• The Porter-Cable Compact Belt Sander kit won the Handy Magazine Innovation Award in 2006 for all of it’s awesome features.
• The 120-volt, 5 amp motor is crazy powerful for a compact belt sander.
• The flush side and compact belt size (2 1/2″ x 14″) makes 90 degree angles a piece of cake.

Trust me - this is one item that Dad would love to open on June 21!

“Honey, can you help me paint the <insert room here>” is quite possibly hardest question to answer. Sure, I want to say “uh, no!“, but know that if I do say that, I’ll be sleeping on the couch until I’m needed to paint something and answer correctly.

I can paint edges freehand pretty well, but to be honest, I’m more of a roller guy.  If I have an angled brush, damp rag, painter’s tape, and a drop cloth, I am very good.  But even when I have all those things, it is still a laborious process.  I have to be in a certain position to get the brush angle right.  Most of the time I’m either on a ladder with my nose at the ceiling or kneeling on the floor.

When we tackled our dining room I put aside my painterly pride and got the Shur-Line Edger.  There were just too many doors, windows, and well, edges to do on my own.  It takes a couple tries to get the hang of the edger, I recommend practicing on a piece of cardboard first.  Once you know how much paint you need on the pad, it is so easy to use the edger.  There are two rollers on one side that go up against the trim, ceiling, or floor.  These can get some paint on them if you oversaturate the pad, so you may want to use tape, but you don’t have to be precise with it.  The pads are washable and reusable, which makes clean up no different than using a brush.

The best part? It’s under $3.00.  Go on, try it.  You’ll be glad you did!

The big adventure in our basement bathroom remodel was installing a new faucet.  Everything else for the room was pretty self-explanatory.  We had installed a kitchen faucet before, but the pop up drain made the bathroom one much more daunting.  We decided to get the Peerless Bright Chrome Lever 4″ faucet because we liked the Peerless we had in the kitchen.  It is a little more than we had planned on spending for a basement, guest, extra bathroom, but I did not want clear plastic handles.

Pop up drain instructions are confusing by nature, I think.  I read through them a couple times and laid everything out before starting to assemble everything.  As long as you do not jump into installation without going through the how-to, even the pop up drain assembly will go quickly.  It may take more time, but do not be afraid to dry fit both the drain and the pop up to see if it opens enough for your water flow – we needed to adjust ours after installation.  And it is really just not that easy when everything is already in place.  But once past that, dropping the faucet in and hooking up the supply hoses only takes a few minutes.  The faucet works and looks great, which was important since it is the first thing you see in our new bathroom.

When we were converting our basement bathroom from dingy and unusable to pretty and functional we left the corner shower in place.  It just needed a good cleaning and a new showerhead and knobs.  We really like the rain showerhead we have in our bathroom and we wanted to find something similar.  The showerhead that was there previously actually put out too much water for the drain to handle, so we also needed something that would not overflow the shallow shower basin.  Aesthetically, we wanted something that hung out into the shower a bit to prevent the possibility of leakage through the shower doors.

We decided to go with the Mini Aquafall from WaterPik.  It is adjustable several different ways, which is handy since this is our “guest” bathroom and guests are always different heights. The showerhead meets all of our quirky needs.  It installed directly on the pipe coming out of the wall with just a bit of Teflon tape.  I would not recommend using any sort of wrench on the showerhead without a rag or even painting tape as a barrier.  The finish is chrome, but the showerhead and arm are made of plastic.  This may not work for a high-traffic shower, but for this application the combination of looks and other features outweighed the material.

We have a three-quarters bathroom in our basement that has never been functional.  The walls were a dingy white and there was a 1980’s fish border.  The floor was a green and white vinyl tile.  The shower was OK, the sink was fine (even though it was not pretty), but the toilet did not work – the water would drain out of the bowl allowing sewer gas into the room.  As the opening salvo in our Operation: Basement 2009 we took everything, except the shower, out.

After removing the offending toilet the next order of business was getting rid of the old, worn glued-down tile.  We started by using a 5-in-1 tool and hammer, but it wasn’t very sturdy and didn’t get up very much tile.  We started using the Hard Cap Floor Chisel after just one frustrating evening.  The polymer cap reduced the vibrations we felt dramatically.  Since we were scraping the tile directly off concrete, there wasn’t any give and that cushioning was very important.  It was very easy to get under the tile with the chisel point.  The three-inch width got up much more tile in one go than we expected.  Of course, some times the glue prevented a larger path of destruction, but quite often we were able to get a good four to five inch wide and six inch long area up before the tile broke off.

This was quite possibly the hardest part of the entire process, but it was made so much easier by using the Hard Cap Floor Chisel.  You’ve got to work smarter, not harder!