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Aerate Your Lawn For Better Growth

Thu, 21 Apr 2011 16:45:00 +0000

One of our favorite things about spring is how everything suddenly becomes green. Have you noticed that? It seems like one day you’ll notice small buds on the trees, and then a few days later, BAM – green everywhere! And that includes lawns–doesn’t a lush, green yard add a certain panache to your home? If your lawn could use a little more life, you might want to try aerating it. Home Construction Improvement has an informative article about lawn aerating. One of the top tips? Consider a plug or core aerator as opposed to a spike aerator. If you own a John Deere tractor, you can buy a plug aerator that attaches to the tractor. If you don’t want to shell out the money for one, though, you can also rent an aerator. Before you aerate your lawn, make sure it has some moisture, which will help the aerator better penetrate the soil. Wait until after it rains, or give your lawn a once-over with the garden hose.

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Aerate Your Lawn For Better Growth

Aerate Your Lawn For Better Growth

Thu, 21 Apr 2011 16:45:00 +0000

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Aerate Your Lawn For Better Growth

Spring Landscaping Projects

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 23:53:47 +0000

Spring Is Here – Get Your Yard Ready For Summer Here in New England we are coming off one of the worst winters I can remember in a VERY long time. Now that Spring has finally arrived I’ve been busy planning spring landscaping projects that will ensure our yard is looking it’s best this summer. Each Spring I do several things around the yard that help keep our lawn looking great all summer. These tasks all require a small tractor because of the size of our yard. If you don’t own a tractor or you’re in the market for a new one you might want to check out the selection at The Home Depot . They have a huge selection of tractors and accessories to help with spring landscaping projects. Some of my Spring Landscaping tasks include the following: Lawn Core Aeration – Aerating your lawn is a great way to help promote better lawn root growth which ultimately means a thicker healthier lawn. If you’d like to learn more about aerating your lawn check out my lawn core aeration article . Trust me you’ll need a tractor for this task! Lawn Fertilizing – Fertilizing your lawn is a very important spring project if you want a greener, healthier lawn this year. If you have a large yard like mine you’ll also need a tractor for this task so you can pull a large spreader around the yard. Yard Clean Up – Lastly I always clean up the yard after a long winter. I use my John Deere X300 mower to town around a small cart that I collect all the brush and dead plants from last season. So when you think about it mowers and tractors are far more useful than you might think. Sure they help keep the grass cut all summer long but they can be extremely useful for other tasks like the ones I’ve pointed out above. So if you’re in the market for a new mower or tractor why not check out the selection at The Home Depot website. On that site you can compare different brands and models side-by-side before even stepping into a store. Home Construction & Improvement published by: Spring Landscaping Projects is a post from Home Construction Improvement

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Spring Landscaping Projects

Blistered Concrete Slab

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 00:06:31 +0000

Concrete Blisters Last week was one of those weeks when it seemed everything went wrong on one of my commercial building projects. First we found out that our siding product was defective and then a slab we poured for a vehicle service bay had blistered concrete ! Needless to say you can see the final verdict on the slab above as a very tired concrete crew ripped it out with jack hammers today. Concrete Blister Causes I’ve been involved in so many construction projects that I can’t even begin to guess the number of yards of concrete I’ve seen poured and this is the first time I’ve ever seen concrete blisters. The crew said they have only seen it twice in over 20 years of work. Needless to say this isn’t a very common issue with concrete so it’s worth talking about the causes of concrete blisters and how to avoid them. According to the National Ready Mix Association there are several causes of concrete blisters including: Blistering is usually the result of the top surface hardening before bleed water and entrapped air can rise to the surface and escape. This results in water and air being trapped below a thin dense troweled layer. Thick slabs can be prone to this as the surface sets long before the lower levels of the slab. Slabs poured on really cold sub-grades can have the same issue where the cold ground delays setting of the concrete closest to the ground. Air entrained concrete that is trowel finished is VERY susceptible to this phenomenon. Excessive or insufficient vibration can cause blistering. What Happened To Our Slab Obviously this is a very complicated situation and one that doesn’t seem to happen often. At first I was quite baffled so I called our concrete testing company that tests all the concrete we pour. At first they were not aware of any issues with the concrete. However, after reviewing the results they called me back today to tell me they found the problem. Apparently the concrete supplier sent concrete that was air entrained (this is typically only done for exterior concrete to protect it from freeze thaw damage). This is a HUGE mistake for a slab to be trowel finished. Apparently there was a mix up and someone thought it was an exterior slab that would only get a broom finish. Unfortunately the damage was done and there’s little that can be done to repair concrete blisters. To make matters worse this slab was for a automotive service bay which will see lots and lots of traffic. Therefore the only real solution was tearing out the slab and starting all over again. I’m glad that wasn’t our mistake!! Testing…Testing…Testing Often times I have clients ask me why we test the concrete and comment on the price of testing. This is a perfect example of why we test concrete. Concrete is an extremely complicated chemical mixture that can quickly go bad. By testing each batch of concrete there is a good record to help determine and possible problems and also to help determine what caused a problem. Lower Photo Credit: National Ready Mix Association Home Construction & Improvement published by: Blistered Concrete Slab is a post from Home Construction Improvement

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Blistered Concrete Slab

5 Reasons to Remodel Your Ugly Old Bathroom Now

Tue, 05 Apr 2011 15:00:40 +0000

Your friends know it, you know it, your mother knows it: the bathroom needs work. So let’s help you kick spring remodeling season into gear. Here are 5 reasons to remodel your ugly old bathroom now . 1. You love a good bargain With the construction industry in yet another slump, contractor fees have been significantly reduced. If ever there was a time to remodel, this is it. Find out how much you can get away with by clicking here . 2. Your spouse owes you one If you haven’t been pampered since your honeymoon, it’s probably time to cash in on a few promises. We’ve got your spa bathroom ideas right here , as well as master bath pictures and an ultra sexy design to inspire you. Don’t forget to request your soaking tub with jets, heated flooring and a skylight for stargazing. Ahhh, now we’re relaxed. 3. Your flooring is carpet… and it’s starting to smell Never mind why you have carpet in the bathroom—let’s just get that cleared out for you. Flooring installation jobs start at a couple hundred or less. At the very least, take care of mold and ventilation problems by installing new flooring . Tile and vinyl are excellent (and funk-free) choices. 4. You engage in bathroom wars every morning If getting to work or school on time involves an epic battle for the shower every morning, consider adding another bathroom . Think of all the time you’ll save (and feelings you’ll spare). For bigger families, check out bathroom plans that feature separate shower and toilet areas. This is a fantastic way to maximize efficiency in the home, and our contractors are plenty skilled in spatial planning and design. 5. Your bathroom somewhat resembles a drippy cave OK, here’s worst-case scenario: leaky faucets, mildew in the corners, creatures purring under the floorboards, etc. This is a sign that your bathroom has fallen victim to the swamp look, a problem not as uncommon as you might think. Even if yours isn’t a total loss, here’s what you can do: find out how much a remodel would cost you , replace the essentials and get back to sweet bathroom bliss. We have faith in you. Did I miss any important reasons to remodel? Let me know in the comments! Photos via Houzz

Get kitchen remodeling ideas from Remodelers Showcase

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 14:41:34 +0000

Looking at pictures of a kitchen is fun (i.e. addicting), but if you’re looking for a kitchen remodeler, there’s no substitute for the real thing. Lake Country Builders – R29 If you’re looking for a kitchen designer or kitchen design ideas, swing by some of the Parade of Homes Remodelers Showcase homes in your neighborhood. (Chances are, a handful of projects aren’t too far away). College City Remodelers – R12 The tour starts today, and Saturday’s supposed to be gorgeous. I can’t think of much more I’d like than to creep on stranger’s beautiful new kitchens and home remodeling and bathroom remodeling projects. Fey Construction – R32 If you can’t make the tour, but you’re interested in kitchen remodel ideas, we feature more gorgeous photos from a collection of our trusted home design, building and remodeling partners . Streeter & Associates – R30 Our products will be shown in the following Remodelers Showcase homes (because we know you’ve been just waiting to plan your tour around our list): R4, R6, R7, R8, R9, R10, R12 R13, R14, R18, R19, R22, R24, R27, R28, R29, R30, R32, R37, R38, R39, R45, R46, R48, R49, R51, R52, R53, R54, R55, R56, R57, R58, R66, R68. Michael Lee, Inc. If you’re interested in seeing new, sustainable-minded homes, look for exclusive Warners’ Stellian coupons good for appliance discounts .

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Get kitchen remodeling ideas from Remodelers Showcase

American Wood Council Statement on USDA Green Building Policy

admin — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 12:47:11 +0000

WASHINGTON –American Wood Council President Robert Glowinski today released the following statement on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) announcement to promote the use of wood as a Green Building material. “Today, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced a three-part strategy that recognizes the role wood plays in construction as a green building material. I commend the Secretary and the Forest Service for its development and implementation, and for the leadership they are providing in recognizing the environmental advantages offered by wood. Wood is the perfect green building material because it is renewable, stores carbon that reduces greenhouse gases, and is energy efficient in both manufacturing and use. “In addition to their use in all types of construction, wood products also provide for the American dream of home ownership. They have gotten it right by recognizing through science-based lifecycle analysis that harvesting, transporting, manufacturing and using lumber, panels, and engineered wood products yields fewer greenhouse gas air emissions and as part of thermally-efficient wall systems uses less total energy to produce than other commonly used construction products. I further commend USDA for recognizing Green Globes and the National Green Building Standard as appropriate rating tools to use in evaluating the environmental impact of buildings. “We appreciate the efforts of Secretary Vilsack and USDA to develop this new plan to promote wood as a green building material, and we applaud his designation of wood and a preferable product for construction of Forest Service buildings. The wood products industry employs 360,000 people, and USDA’s pro-wood policy will not only help retain those manufacturing jobs, but make possible job growth as well. We look forward to working with them in this initiative.” Home Construction & Improvement published by: American Wood Council Statement on USDA Green Building Policy is a post from Home Construction Improvement

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American Wood Council Statement on USDA Green Building Policy

Help me redesign this fire place

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 04:21:28 +0000

www.wcontracting.net Here are a couple of pictures of a fire place a customers asked me to redesign for them so I’m asking for your input. Let me know if you have any ideas for this area. I want to let everyone know about a great resource for home remodel design ideas call houzz. This is a website, which works along with an iPad app, to deliver awesome ideas for home remodeling at your finger tips. Go to houzz.com to see more.

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Help me redesign this fire place

GiveHomeRight’s Ultimate Home Painting Kit Giveaway

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 23:45:49 +0000

HomeRight’s Ultimate Home Painting Kit With spring quickly approaching it’s likely that painting projects are on your home improvement to do list sometime soon. I’m excited to announce some great giveaway prizes from the folks at HomeRight . They are offering 20 lucky winners their Ultimate Home Painting Kit. PaintStick EZ-Twist Painting System PaintStick EZ-Twist Painting System is a complete painting system that includes most everything you need to paint your home inside and out – just add the paint. Now everyone can paint with professional results in 1/3 the time. The PaintStick holds the paint in the handle. Just draw the paint right from the can, eliminating drips and spills. The EZ-Twist handle easily delivers paint to the roller evenly and smoothly. Also included, the Quick Painter edger which can trim up to 50 linear feet on a single fill. Quick Mask combines poly drop cloth and masking tape in a handy dispenser. You won’t waste the time you saved painting on clean-up as the Handy Painter’s Tool and Roller Cleaner are also included. Even a How-To Paint DVD is included with tips and techniques. How To Win! There are lots of ways to win this giveaway so please read carefully and following the directions closely for your chance to win. Unusual Painted Rooms – 10 Winners The folks at HomeRight will pick the ten ugliest rooms from readers who submit a video or photo of an ugly/unusual room. So in order to qualify for this part of the contest you need to do the following: Go visit the Home Construction & Improvement Facebook Fan Page and LIKE us. Next upload a photo or video of your Ugly Room on our Facebook Fan Page. Leave a comment here on this article stating that you left a photo on our Facebook Fan Page and the name of the person that uploaded the photo so we can find it. Tell Us Why You Need The Ultimate Home Painting Kit – 10 Winners The folks at HomeRight will pick the ten best reasons you want this prize from readers who submit a comment on our Facebook Fan Page stating why you need it. So in order to qualify for this part of the contest you need to do the following: Go visit the Home Construction & Improvement Facebook Fan Page and LIKE us. Next tell us your clever, creative reasons why you need painting done around your house on our Facebook Fan Page. Leave a comment here on this article stating that you left a comment on our Facebook Fan Page and the name of the person that left the comment so we can find it. PaintStick EZ-Twist Challenge HomeRight is searching the country for homeowners who want to take the PaintStick EZ-Twist challenge. HomeRight will send a PaintStick EZ-Twist to the first 100 U.S. homeowners who want to take the challenge and make a video. The first 100 people to post a request to become a tester to the HomeRight facebook page will receive the PaintStick EZ-Twist. Dates All entries must be received by 11:59 PM (Eastern) 21 April 2011. The winners will be announced within two weeks. So enter to win the Ultimate Home Painting Kit Giveaway contest today! Fine Print Only residents of the U.S. are eligible. Spam entries will be thrown out. (Spam entries are determined at the sole discretion of Front Steps Media, LLC. and HomeRight, Inc.) All rules are subject to change without notice. Winners will need to provide a valid shipping address and email so HomeRight, Inc. can ship prizes. Home Construction & Improvement published by: GiveHomeRight’s Ultimate Home Painting Kit Giveaway is a post from Home Construction Improvement

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GiveHomeRight’s Ultimate Home Painting Kit Giveaway

GiveHomeRight’s Ultimate Home Painting Kit Giveaway

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 23:45:49 +0000

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GiveHomeRight’s Ultimate Home Painting Kit Giveaway