Some people like to keep their dining room floors bare for ease of cleaning. Others, however, opt to put down a rug to define the area. An ornate or unusually decorated rug can serve as a focal point and conversation piece. It can also tie together the colors in your dining room. Finding a rug that'

Twelve-gauge sheet metal exceeds the limit of a standard sheet metal hand brake, and for this reason you will need to use a piece of equipment that has a higher bending capacity. Press brakes come in a wide variety of styles and bending capacities. The style of the press brake is less important than

The addition of a reading loft to your family playroom gives your child a great place to relax with a book and goes a long way to help maximize usable space in your home. The basic plan for a reading loft is similar to those for a single or twin loft bed. Depending on how comfortable your little one

A primer is put on to prepare wood for a finish coat of paint. On bare wood, a primer seals the wood and creates a good surface for the finish paint to bond to. On painted wood, a primer covers the existing paint to prepare for a change from oil-based to latex, from one color to another or just to p

Adhesive secures items to various surfaces. Tile adhesive keeps tiles from shifting or sliding out of place. When asphalt tiles are removed, the adhesive that bonds them to the concrete is left behind. Old adhesive left on the concrete will cause the floor to be bumpy and uneven. You must remove the

If you don't like the pattern or color of your vinyl or linoleum floor, there is a way to replace it. You can paint over the vinyl or linoleum after careful preparation of the floor's surface. You can then transform your floor without having to rip up the old vinyl or linoleum or buying new. Pain

In the most basic terms, loose-laying linoleum flooring means you don't glue it to the floor. Loose-laying works well in smaller areas like closets or pantries, as a decorative touch in the middle of a room, or placed over substrates like painted concrete that don't allow adhesives to adhere. Most l

Mortising a door and door jamb for the hinges and strike plate often comes along with the job of replacing an old door. The strike plate is a flat piece of metal which curves on one side. It is installed on the door jamb at the same height as the door latch. The latch rests inside the strike plate t

Wood floors, especially older ones with wide planks, will often develop gaps between the planks. If you watch it over time, you'll see that the spaces actually change size with the weather, expanding and contracting as the wood expands and contracts. This is why a seemingly simple solution like fill

Whether you sew as a hobby or are a professional seamstress, building a sewing cabinet will help you get organized and give you a place to work. You can create a sewing machine cabinet as large as you want. Every sewing cabinet should feature a wide enough surface on top to set the sewing machine an

Cook stoves are both common and dangerous for developing countries around the world. In today's environmental climate, finding ways to create healthier cook stoves, including smokeless or wood conserving, is important for improving health and reducing air pollution and deforestation.

Gout is a substance containing cement, sand, and sometimes epoxy, that is applied between the spaces of adjoining tiles to create a solid surface. Once dry, grout creates a hard surface that will endure for many years. One of the most important aspects of installing wall tile is to properly smooth o

When shopping for carpet, you will need to decide on the texture you prefer, if you would like wool or nylon, even how thick the padding will be. By calculating the square footage of carpet you will actually need, you can can easily compare costs for each choice when shopping for new floor covering

The trick to combining two different materials in interior design is in the symmetry of the scheme. Combining wood floors and tile walls in a bathroom remodel is no different. Learn how to choose the right type and color of hardwood flooring and pick out complimentary tiles based on your style. Brin

There are many styles of pool tile besides plain blue.swimming pool image by apeschi from Fotolia.comWhen building, repairing or remodeling your swimming pool, the type of tile you use can make a significant difference in the look of your pool, as well as in the overall decor of your...

Building a staircase, whether in new construction or a remodeling project, requires careful calculations. The local building codes have specific requirements and measures that must be followed or the building inspector may reject the work. Determining the layout of the stairs is not as hard as it se

Roof drains work with your roof's rain gutters to divert water away from the foundation of your house. If your drains are dirty and clogged, water will pool around the base of your house, eventually causing basement flooding or structural damage. It's important to inspect and clean your roof drains

A concrete sidewalk can provide you with a stable surface for you to walk across your yard without having to set foot on wet or muddy grass. Pouring any concrete slab begins with setting a form that shapes the concrete and contains it as it cures. Many times, a concrete form is constructed of wood,

Some people have been known to have rats as pets, but for most people rats are a problem to be eliminated. Rats, and the fleas that live on them, can carry disease, and they are therefore considered a health hazard. When your home is infested with rats, you can get rid of them with rat traps. But fo

If you have an old paneled wall made with real wood (as opposed to a modern veneer), and the wall has become dull and dingy, there's no reason you can't varnish the wall the way that you would a piece of furniture. Varnish is a better material to use in these inst