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Architecture : Home & Garden

How to Build a Bathtub With a Galvanized Stock Tank

Galvanized stock tanks are commonly used to supply water to farm animals such as cattle and horses. Available in a number of sizes from feed and farm supply stores, the tanks usually cost less than similarly functioning plumbing fixtures. Galvanized stock tanks hold water like bathtubs but usually d

Nonallergic Flooring

If you have someone in your home who has moderate to severe allergies, it may become necessary to invest in hypoallergenic flooring. Hypoallergenic flooring does not contain any chemicals, and also doesn't have a fibrous surface that can hold on to common allergens such as dust and mold. There are p

DIY Countertop Porcelain Tile

Porcelain tile is an old favorite for countertops because it is waterproof, durable and comes in all kinds of styles and colors to match any decor in your kitchen. The process is essentially the same as tiling a wall, except that you're laying the tile on the vertical surface of the counter. Start w

How to Shine a Marble Floor

Over the years, your marble floor can begin to lose some of its original luster. This is a natural process that happens due to buildup of dust and cleaning chemicals. To safely restore the shine to your marble floor, it is important to begin with a clean marble floor and to use a safe, commercial ma

How to Strategically Design a Kitchen

Build a kitchen to make cooking and cleanup relatively easy and enjoyable. Creating a beautiful kitchen serves little purpose if you don't like the kitchen layout. For efficiency, design the area to work well for more than one cook. Plan the floor space around an island, for example, to accommodate

Wood Floor Hardness Comparison

Not all woods are ideal for flooring. Color, grain pattern and hardness are key factors to consider when comparing one type of flooring to another. In particular, hardness is an important clue to a floor's ability to withstand the friction of daily foot traffic, its resistance to impact and its long

How to Remove Fiberglass Insulation

When doing a remodel or having to repair a wall in the home, you will sometimes run up against insulation that will need to be removed and replaced. If the insulation is made of fiberglass, there are certain steps you must take to keep the fibers from causing irritations or getting all over your hom

How to Remove a Milgard Window

Milgard windows are offered in wood, fiberglass, aluminum and vinyl. While vinyl continues to rise in popularity today for not only Milgard, but other manufacturers as well, Milgard offers a wide selection of many different types of windows. Removing previously installed windows no matter which line

How to Block an SMS on Android 2.3

SMS, which stands for short message service, is another name for the text messages that you receive on your Android phone. Anyone who has your phone number and access to a text messaging service can send messages to your phone, whether you wish to receive them or not. The Android 2.3 operating syste

How to Adjust an Exterior Installed Door to Shut Tighter

Exterior doors that do not shut tight pose a security problem as well as being aggravating. Over time screws work loose inside wood jambs due to the changes in air temperature. Wood contracts and expands under heat and cold, causing the wood around the screws to separate. Adjusting an exterior insta

How to Calculate Sod Pallets for Your Yard

When you order sod from your local garden center, you will be asked how many pallets you need. A pallet generally has about 50 yards of sod on it. Check with your garden center to be sure this is how they stack their pallets. To order the correct number of sod pallets, you need to know the square fo

How to Close Gaps of Linoleum Tile Floor Near Walls

You've moved in to your new house and now that you've unpacked the kitchen and settled in you notice that there are gaps on the floor where the linoleum tiles are supposed to meet the walls. Unsightly and hard to clean, these gaps are a sign of an unprofessional installation job and will ultimately

How to Make Your Own Table Saw Stand

Table saws are essential tools for woodworkers and carpenters as well as the home improvement enthusiast who is his own contractor on weekend fix-it projects. Table saws are useful for performing crosscuts, compound miter cuts, re-sawing and ripping. People who use them enjoy the control and flexibi

How do I Choose Hydronic Carpet Padding?

Over the past few years, the notion that hydronic or radiant heated floors are not suitable for padding and carpet has changed. Consumers who enjoy carpet can now have plush, warm carpet. Of course, carpet comfort is dependent on the padding under that carpet.

How to Install Hardwood Floor Subfloors

The best subfloor for hardwood flooring is plywood. This is because it's flat and firm like cementboard, but holds nails, which is the primary method of installing hardwood floors. Plywood shouldn't be used as your underlayment in bathrooms or other wet rooms, as they can soften with moisture.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Solar Panels

Photovoltaic panels now take many forms, like this flowerlike arrangement.Solar Panels image by alessbonaventura from Fotolia.comSolar or photovoltaic panels are quickly gaining popularity as prices fall and the efficiency of the panels rises. This creates many reasons for installing...

How to Install Fiberglass Attic Insulation

Installing insulation in your attic is one of the most cost-efficient ways to save on your energy bill. If you attic is improperly insulated, it may be responsible for up to one-half of your heating or air conditioning bill. Insulation is rated according to its resistance to heat, or "R," value. Acc

How to Trim a Window Exterior

Exterior window trim dresses up the border around the window, hiding the joint between the window casing and the surrounding wall. When properly installed and caulked, it also assists in preventing air movement around the edges of the window unit. When choosing your trim, take into account the archi

What to Do First When Remodeling a House

When you decide to undertake a home remodeling project, it may be difficult to determine exactly where you should start. Whether this is a do-it-yourself project or you plan to bring in a contractor, the very first thing you should do is to put together your plan of action. The plan should consider

Instructions on Building Your Own Home

For many of us, our vision of a dream home may include a mental picture of ourselves, hammer in hand and perched on a skeletal framed roof, pounding away in the sun. For those of us who dream of building our own home with our very own hands, here are some of the realities and challenges we will face