Home Painting

The Way to Eliminate That Itchy Feeling After Working With Insulation

Fiberglass insulation is the fact that fluffy, typically pink stuff that looks somewhat like cotton candy on a paper backing. It is flexible so that you can tack it yourself in drafty attics together rafters and other air leaks in your home, but it includes a drawback — touching it working with it can leave small glass fibers onto your clothing or skin, causing irritation or even a rash. The particles are so small they are difficult to see on skin or on fabric, but you sure can feel them. Covering your body before working with insulation helps protect your skin from the itchy material. Measure outdoors after finishing the insulation project while still wearing gloves, hat and full protective clothing. Brush off your clothing and hair along with your hands to remove as many contaminants as possible. Shake out the gloves, hat and coat, if wearing one. Remove invisible…

Home Painting

How to Get Water Stains Out of Unfinished Maple Floors

Water stains on maple are often only superficial and sand off readily. Some floor installers recommend using chlorine bleach, oxalic crystals, acetone or lacquer thinner to remove water stains, but utilizing these products can exacerbate the issue. Sanding water stains to eliminate them results in a new, consistent surface for applying stain and lacquer. Even in case you don’t have stains on your maple, sanding is a good idea. Lay the maple floors on a worktable surface one bit at a time. Using 100-grit sandpaper attached to a hand block or a oscillating tool with a sanding attachment, start sanding from 1 end. Sand with a moderate amount of pressure, moving forwards 4 inches at a time, and then back 3 inches. Constantly sand parallel to the wood grain. Never allow the sander to bend across the grain. Apply more pressure to stained areas, sanding in 1 place till it…

Home Painting

DIY Stripping Old Paint Away of Wood

There is not an easy method to get old paint off of timber, but some ways are far safer than others. Smaller jobs, such as stripping and refinishing old painted furniture, can be accomplished with chemical strippers, but substances are not easy to use for big jobs, such as stripping old wood siding. The very best method to handle large jobs would be to utilize non-metallic heating. It bakes the paint off without burning the timber and doesn’t create dust. Chemical Stripping Chemical strippers come in a variety of strengths, however you utilize all them in essentially the same manner. Spread on the stripper with an old paint brush, let it work, then scrape off the softened and bubbling paint with a paint scraper. It’s messy work, also you have to shield your eyes and skin from the stripper, which is highly caustic and will burn off. Strippers rarely remove…

Tropical Style

The way to Tell If a Mesquite Tree Is Dying

Because they thrive in dry conditions, mesquite trees (Prosopis glandulosa) are excellent choices for homeowners wanting low-maintenance landscaping choices. Hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture zones 6b through 9, they are often planted on the borders of Western yards and gardens and grow best in sandy, deep soil. These tough little trees are hard to kill, but homeowners sometimes mistake trees that are in their dormancy period for being at death’s door. Overwatering is the root cause of premature death from mesquite trees. Wait for Dormancy to Pass Mesquite trees are deciduous, meaning their leaves fall off during the fall and the tree creates new ones in the spring. The tree also creates white blossoms during the spring. If you suspect your mesquite tree might be dead or dying, wait until the latter part of May to make sure. If you don’t see signs of life by then, the odds…

Tropical Style

How to Plant with Abelia Confetti

“Confetti” variegated glossy abelia (Abelia x grandiflora “Confetti”) reaches 3 feet tall, spreading 4 feet wide to form a mound of green leaves with pink and white tints. Pale pink tubular-shaped flowers appear in the late summer on this cottage garden tree. In U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 6 through 9, this bush rises as an evergreen unless exposed to freezing temperatures. For companion plants for this abelia variety, start looking for plants which prefer dry to medium water conditions and complete to partial sunlight exposure. Dark-Colored Shrubs Dark-colored shrubs provide the brightly coloured abelia a dramatic contrasting backdrop. Plant shorter shrubs either in front of or beside the “Confetti” abelia, but put taller bushes behind the abelia. Arabian jasmine (Jasminum sambac) rises evergreen in zones 9 and 10, reaching 6 to 8 feet tall and spreading 3 to 4 feet wide. In the summertime, intensely aromatic white…

Tropical Style

The finest Avocado Tree

The very best avocado tree to plant depends on personal preference and climate. Consumers typically prefer the “Hass,” that a cultivar of the Guatemalan avocado (Persea nubigena var. Guatamalensis), although there are other Guatemalan cultivars that have similar qualities. Cultivars of the Mexican avocado (P. americana var. Drymifolia) are ideal for colder climates. Varieties of the West Indian avocado (P. americana var. Americana) are ideal for hot, humid climates. Various species of avocados might be increased in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 through 11. Complete Best Avocado Judging from its popularity, the very finest overall avocado is the “Hass” avocado. The “Hass” dates into a Guatemalan seedling planted by a postman, Rudolf Hass, in the 1920s. At that time, the Mexican avocado “Fuerte” was the normal cultivar in California. “Hass” descendants now yield 95 percent of avocados grown commercially in California, and it’s the avocado that’s quite…

Eclectic Homes

Walkthrough Checklists

You’re going to close escrow on a new home and it’s time to perform the final walkthrough. Whether you’re buying a newly constructed house or a resale, the walkthrough is your final opportunity to confirm that the house you contracted for would be your house you’re getting. Be particularly vigilant if the house is a quick sale or foreclosure as owners in distress frequently remove things they shouldn’t. Don’t treat the walkthrough as a home inspection, but regard it as an assessment of items and work promised. Repairs Following a home inspection, sellers frequently agree to make certain repairs. Make confident the repair invoices are left for your review and also check that all have already been completed. Look for the warranties on appliances and instruction booklets. In a new home, confirm that inadequate construction work was remediated. Appliances Carrying your purchase agreement, be certain that all the appliances which…

Tropical Style

The way to Arrange Citrus Trees from the Yard

Citrus trees are some of the best alternatives for novice gardeners who want their very own supply of new backyard fruit. Citrus trees are comparatively low-maintenance and extend numerous fruit alternatives, such as oranges, lemons and grapefruit. Their glossy foliage and fragrant blossoms also raise a garden’s aesthetic appeal. No matter which kind of citrus fruit you want to grow, several basic landscaping arrangement plans can provide the best environment needed for healthy trees, reduced disease incidence and big fruit harvests. Monitor the way the sunlight casts light and shadows on your backyard throughout the day. While most citrus trees may grow nicely in six hours of direct sunlight exposure every day, eight hours is much better. For the best results, focus on south-facing areas of your yard, which typically have more and more immediate periods of sunlight exposure. Examine the utility map or structure plan for your own backyard….

Eclectic Homes

Installing a Pool Vacuum

Pool vacuums allow you to remove dirt and debris in the bottom and sides of a pool without draining out the water. Suction is provided to the vacuum by the pool’s filter pump since it attracts water through the skimmer. While pool vacuums change in design and price, preparing a vacuum is comparable. Professional pool providers use a simple process to ensure that no air gets into the vacuum hose so that the vacuum works with maximum efficiency. Turn off the pool-filter pump in the timer-control box or use a manual switch. Loosen the grips that secure the cover in the leaf basket and then lift off the cover. Lift out the basket and remove any leaves or debris. Put the basket back into position and secure the cover by massaging the grips. Open the manage of this pressure-relief valve on the cover of the filter housing. Turn the pump…

Tropical Style

The way to Propagate Roses With Rose Hips

Propagating your roses with the rose hips grown off your own rose bushes is a great way to grow more of the bushes you love and even develop new hybridized bushes from your own garden. The practice of having seeds to sprout, nevertheless, takes a couple of months. You will also need to avoid the temptation to decrease flowering roses off your bush in order to your rose hips to develop. Cut the rose hips off the bush with clippers when the rose hips are ripe. It may take several months for rose hips to ripen and color does not determine if they are ripe. Once ripe, the rose hip will start to feel soft when squeezed gently and may even fall off the bush. Fall to winter is the best time to clip the rose hips. Cut the rose hip in half using a knife to expose the seeds….