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Architecture : Home & Garden
How to Lay Laminate Flooring on Stairs
Laminate floors offer a less expensive alternative to real wooden floors and come in a variety of shades and styles. Laminate floors take dirt away from shoes, so the dirt does not go into the main house or upstairs. Once you have the right tools and materials, installation involves a relatively sim
How to Polish Granite Floor
Granite floor tiles are constructed of durable, scratch-resistant natural stone. Ultra-hard and lustrous, granite flooring will give any room in your home an elegant and sophisticated style. Granite floor tiles come in a wide range of colors, such as white, gray, black, brown and jade, so you'll hav
How to Tile in a Brickwork Pattern
Laying out tile in specific patterns adds an stylish element to the tiling project. Several patterns use basic square and rectangular tiles. The standard layout positions tiles so that each vertical and horizontal seam lines up across the structure, creating square or rectangular grids. A brickwork
Tax Write-Offs for Installation of Solar Panels on Your Home
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act offers tax credits for the installation of alternative energy sources and energy efficiency products in your primary residence. These credits are nonrefundable and must meet certain standards to be eligible. For solar panels installed to reduce electricity
How to Put a Closet Door Back on the Tracks
Bi-fold closet doors can be an attractive and space-saving addition to the bedroom or den, or can conceal a laundry or pantry area. A downside to these folding doors is that once they have been taken off the track, they can be difficult to reinstall. Following the steps in the right order is key, an
How to Cut Blocks of Wood
Blocks of wood can have many uses. They can be used for wood burning, for shimming and for craft projects, just to name a few. By cutting your own blocks of wood, you can decide the size of the blocks. Cutting blocks is very easy. It is not even necessary for you to measure the blocks if you are not
How to Lay Brick Patterns
Brick-laying patterns have been developing for centuries and there are dozens of patterns to choose from when constructing your own wall or path. The terms "stretchers" and "headers" refer to the way you lay the brick -- stretchers display the long face side and headers display the short end. Rows o
How To Stain an Interior Door
To stain an interior door, you need to remove the door and work in a well-ventilated area. Before removing the door, you should determine the color of stain you wish to apply. A variety of stains are available at hardware and home improvement stores. You will also need to purchase a sealant. This ca
DIY Grout Dying
A DIY grout job is a great way to revitalize your walls or flooring. But grout is quite porous and over time it absorbs the dirt and grime that is tracked over the floor or deposited on the walls. Cleaning won't remove deeply embedded dirt. You can scrub and scrub, and the floor will still look dirt
Master Bathroom Remodeling Ideas
The master bath should ideally provde a place to escape from the pressures of the world.Girl in tub image by Clark Duffy from Fotolia.comThe master bathroom is like an extension of the master bedroom and should keep with the theme of providing you a private oasis from the stresses of the...
Do it Yourself: Concrete Counter Tops
Concrete counter tops are a fairly new concept in counter top installation. Until recent years, counter tops were made from stone, tile or particle board and laminate. Concrete counter tops are beautiful when finished correctly. They are inexpensive, durable and long lasting, and can be installed by
How to Lay and Pave Brick
A paved brick driveway or patio is not only aesthetically pleasing, but it is a solid surface on which you can set patio furniture or even a car. Paving a patio or driveway with brick is not much different than laying stone. Bricks are arranged in one of a variety of patterns and set into the ground
How to Install a Beadboard Ceiling Over Popcorn
Popcorn ceilings can date a house faster than almost anything else. Installing beadboard paneling over popcorn ceilings is a quick way to cover the popcorn. This is important because many homes have popcorn ceilings that contain asbestos. In many cases, it is best to leave the popcorn to avoid asbes
Tools Needed to Install Drywall
Prior to the 1940s, lath and plaster was one of the most common methods for preparing interior walls for paint or wallpaper. The advent of drywall has caused other building materials to steadily decline in popularity. Drywall is inexpensive, easy to install, energy efficient and durable, making it o
How to Prepare Straw Bales for Planting
Planting a straw bale garden is a great boon to anyone who can't bend or stretch, has little garden space, or who simply does not want to bother with digging in the dirt. A straw bale garden lasts roughly two years, or the time it takes for the bales to break down to a point where they are no longer
How to Install a Strike Plate for My Front Door
The strike plate is a key component of any front door lock. This metal plate is installed on the door jamb to hold the lock bolt in place. Without the strike plate, intruders would be able to push on the door until the force caused the lock bolt to rip through the wood of the door jamb. When install
How to Install Manufactured Wood Flooring on Concrete
Manufactured wood flooring is usually a composite material, like particleboard, that's been topped with a pre-finished hardwood veneer. As a result, it expands and contracts less than traditional solid-wood flooring, giving you more installation options than just nailing it down. One option is the g
Tips on Removing Old Wax Build Up From Wood
Your wood floors and your wood furniture get wax piled on them over the years as you clean them. After a couple of years of waxing your furniture and floors, you begin to notice a cloudy buildup on them. Wax buildup not only ruins the clean shine of the natural wood, it can also create slippery spot
How to Construct a Tiled Shower Stall
By installing your own shower stall, not only do you save precious space in your bathroom, but you also save a nice chunk of change on hiring a contractor. When building your shower stall, the most important part is the tiling. Tiles provide a protective waterproof surface that keeps moisture from c