DIY Guy

DIY Homes

Finally You Can Make Your Garden Grow Better Than Ever

March 5th, 2012

Learning new ways to be a smarter gardener will save you money and back pain. Don’t be fooled into thinking that gardening will get easier. Instead, learn new ways to be more efficient that will give you more time to relax and enjoy your garden. Take the time to learn new ways to be a better gardener with these helpful tips.

Choose plants and flowers that complement the colors of your home. Flowers that are pink or fuchsia, may go very well with your burgundy shudders. Tying in the colors of plants and flowers that you choose to harmonize with your house, will save you a lot of time at the garden center by simplifying your plant choices.

Poinsettia plants are enjoyed by many families throughout the holiday season. However, most people throw the poinsettias away after the holidays. This year, plant the poinsettia in your garden instead of tossing it. Be sure to plant the poinsettia away from streetlights, porch lights or other brightly lit areas. Poinsettias need long, dark nights to thrive and to be able to bloom next winter, once again.

Not only is gardening a great way to grow your own food, but you can also grow your own drink. You can grow apple mint to make a delicious tea or rhubarb stalk to make a tart alternative to lemonade. You should also can or freeze your berries and fruits to make them into soda, hard cider, or wines.

An important prerequisite for having a successful garden, is preparing the soil for your seeds or seedlings. Poor soil grows poor plants. One way to obtain rich soil is to buy or make organic compost and mix it into the soil that you plan to plant the garden. You can also add manure to the soil to make it more fertile. It is wise to refrain from using chemical fertilizers, since they can burn your crops and also be harmful to your health.

Create a unique visual effect with a hanging basket. A hanging basket full of spring or summer flowers can brighten up a bare wall or a dreary back yard. A traditional hanging basket is made of wire and lined with moss. The moss is helpful in retaining moisture. You can create a spectacular display by not only planting in the basket itself, but by inserting hanging plants in the gaps in the wire mesh. The mesh and surrounding moss with ensure that the plants stay secure.

You can use small clay pots or milk jugs to protect your plants from a late season frost. A bed sheet is also an effective cover on shrubs or large areas. Typically, young sprouts are the most vulnerable. If you forget or your efforts fail, you may be forced to replant the crop.

When choosing plants for your garden, pick plants that are native to your geographic region. Plants native to your region will naturally do well in your garden because they are already adjusted to your climate. When you plant native plants, you will not be surprised by any unexpected results when your plants mature.

Pay attention to the temperatures in your garden. When it is early, or late, in the season there is a chance that your plants could be exposed to frost. Freezing temperatures will cause many plants to die, and some that live will not produce at the level they would have otherwise.

When lifting heavy things in your garden it is important to protect your back. You should always lift with your knees when you are lifting anything in the garden. If something is very heavy you should ask someone to help you lift it so that you do not cause damage to your back or knees.

A great tip to consider when gardening is that a perfect way to rid your plants of aphids is to use tape. This is important because collecting aphids with a strip of tape is a quick and cheap way to remove them from your garden and keep your plants beautiful.

If your flower beds have diseased or dead plants in them, it is best to remove them as soon as possible to prevent the spread of disease. It is a good idea to clean out your flower beds in the fall so that the soil will benefit from freezing over the winter by killing the pests or disease-causing organisms in the soil. Cleaning out your beds in the fall will help prevent the spread of disease to your spring flowers.

If you want to grow roses, you should look into the different species. If you are a beginner, select a kind of rose that does not require a lot of maintenance. You can also get into competitions with extremely delicate roses. Make sure you choose roses that are adapted to your skills and experience.

Don’t forget to read your seed packets! They give general information specific to the plant about when to plant, how much sun is needed, how long from planting to harvest, and how far apart the spacing should be. Seed packets from some sources even go into detail about the history of the plant and may even have a recipe.

Fast growing annual vines grow so quick that the plants can give you a green outdoor space within weeks. Simple train the vine to grow up rot-resistant wood posts or freestanding arches to add a green overhead roof that is sure to bring interest and shade to your garden space.

Do not allow the garden to go without water. Many people have unrealistic expectations of watering the garden after work everyday, but life gets in the way and that is the end of the garden. Install a sprinkler system to ensure the garden gets enough water. Although this does add expense to the garden, the convenience of it is well worth the money.

Whether you are working toward a garden that will survive throughout the year, trying to save money on gardening costs or just wanting to cut down on the work it takes to build a garden, learning how to garden never ends. At the end of the day, as you sit down to relax, you will reap the benefits of viewing the beautiful garden that you worked hard for.

Have Some Fun By Fitting Your Own Kitchen

March 5th, 2012

If you install your own kitchen you will be able to salvage yourself a small fortune in contrast to retaining kitchen fitters. when your regular kitchen costs between £2,000 – £15,000 paying £3,000 – £5,500 to get it installed is way too expensive for many of us.

Installing new kitchens is a fairly basic job, the hardest section is the electrical and plumbing side, if you feel incapable to do this just hire an electrician and plumber when required. You will find that many of the new kitchen units are delivered pre-assembled requiring little in the way of installation.

Before you start anything take a proper look at how your previous fitted kitchen was put together as this will show you how you must fit your new cupboards properly. Having taken out all the old cupboards you should now have a clear working area to start. You’ll need a number of performance tools as well as hand tools such as a jigsaw, drill, pencil, level, tape measure, screwdriver and hammer.

The 1st place to start out is by moving your kitchen floor cabinets into place keep in mind they must to be level so as your worktop will also be level. Don’t forget to chop out some openings to enable for pipe work for your drain as well as electrical cabling for sockets. Utilize the saw to cut out areas of your cupboards to match comfortably against the walls and then using the drill attach your cabinets to the wall structure behind. You can now be ok to attach your kitchen work surface across the tops of your cabinets, remember to allow a hole for your sink and taps to match in comfortably.

With all the above complete you can now get started attaching your kitchen wall cupboards. For marking the holes where you will attached your wall cupboards you will require another person to hold the cupboard in place allowing you to pencil a mark. A helpful tip is to take the doors off your cupboards prior to marking where to attach.

‘How To’ Fit Laminate Floors In Easy To Follow Steps

February 8th, 2012

Start by making sure that your sub-floor is completely level, your sub-floor is the floor you’re intending to lay the laminate on. The first thing you need to establish is whether your sub-floor is concrete or wooden as this will dictate how you go about levelling it.

With wooden sub-floors there is a choice of two materials. You can either use hardboard or plywood, plywood comes in thicker sheets and gives a far more ridged finish to the sub-floor. Hardboard is relatively thin coming in thicknesses of 1/8 inch which makes it easier to work with but less ridged than the second option which is plywood. Depending on how uneven your floor is should determine which material you use if your sub-floor is very uneven then use plywood.

In the event that your sub-floor is concrete then you need to use a floor-levelling screed to level your floor prior to fitting the laminate. All concrete sub-floors need a membrane laid over the top to stop moisture from harming your laminate floor.

Now that your sub-floor is ready you can prepare to lay your laminate floor. It’s important to lay your underlay carefully before starting on the laminate. Either glue or staple your underlay to your sub-floor and use duct tape for all joins as this will ensure your underlay moves as little as possible.

After you have fitted your underlay securely to the sub-floor you can start to lay the laminate floor. In most rooms or spaces it is best to start fitting your laminate in the far left hand side away from the door. Fit the laminate from left to right using 5-8mm spaces away from the wall. As you lay each board down it should click neatly into the last board laid, be sure to have a least 2 spacers for each board when you get to the last board in the row measure, cut and fit.

Do exactly the same for rows 2 and 3 as you did for the first using as many wedges as possible. The advantage of using many wedges is that this will stop the boards from moving around or twisting them out of shape making life a lot easier with the last boards.

Once you have your three rows secure just continue the procedure until you reached the other side of the room where you will need to measure and cut the final boards.

You Can Improve The Way You Feel By Improving The Home Environment Around You

February 5th, 2012

Your living space has a drastic, daily effect on your mood. There have been studies whose results show that the average person spends the bulk of their time in their work and home environments. Your house can affect your happiness level even more if you work from home. It will be much simpler to deal with life and everyday stress if your home is a place you can seek solace. Continue reading to learn more about how to make your place the home of your dreams.

Ponder the comfort of your home. Small flaws are ok, but when you feel irritated it is bad. Stop ignoring the things in your home that bother you, and start making changes. For instance, rid yourself of an uncomfortable desk chair if it causes you back pain! Take down or lower the shelf that you must stand fully upright to reach! Simply replacing a rectangular coffee table with a round one can result in fewer bruised knees for your guests and family members.

Make your space larger. Even if you are organized you can still run out of room. That’s when you need to consider expanding. Even a few extra feet in areas that you use daily can give you more room to reduce clutter.

Add some entertainment to the home with the addition of a recreational area or two. Pinball tables are a fun addition. Adding a pool or a hot tub can raise the value of your home, and these can be used throughout the year. Even something as small as an in-ground basketball net can add quite a bit to your home.

If your home is making you weary at times, take a close look at your lighting. Improper lighting can result in eye strain, which will make you feel grumpy and tired. Adding additional lighting or replacing existing fixtures is a quick and easy way to solve the problem and improve your home and mood.

Add to the exterior look of your home by landscaping. Keep your lawn cut year-round. The aroma of a freshly-mowed lawn is pleasant and enjoyable. Plant a variety of plants all over the yard to assist in improving air quality so that you can breathe a little easier.

You should think about projects that improve your home’s exterior. You can add value and visual appeal to your home with fresh paint, modern windows, and updated roofing. Your home will have better curb appeal and be much more inviting for guests.

You spend so much time in your home, so having one that you enjoy being in is vital. Constantly working on your home is excellent in two ways – it will make you feel more comfortable, while adding value.

Plumbing 101: Tending To Your Pipes Like A Pro

February 1st, 2012

Before we start you should be aware that certain plumbing tasks should only be preformed by qualified plumbers. Such jobs as replacing radiators can be done by a DIYer but fixing the boiler should not. If you are refitting your home with traditional radiators then be sure to get a plumber to check your work when completed.

Plumbing has so many possibilities as to what you can use, do, and how you can apply it to your own plumbing jobs. It is rare to find somebody that has plumbing needs just like you, so why not take advantage of that and perfect your own? This article can help you.

Be careful with putting household cleaners in your toilet. They can cause the toilet to malfunction. The debris that these cleaners leave can sit in your toilet’s pipes and harden, making them almost impossible to get rid of. If it does harden, it usually requires the help of a professional.

It is important to know how to properly anchor your pipes when it comes to plumbing. This is extremely important to know because not having your pipes well anchored could result in loud noises, leaks, or pressure problems. Call a professional if you are unsure how to take care of it yourself.

Always keep a trash bin in the bathroom so that you can dispose of cotton swabs, facial pads, and hair. Do not put these materials in the toilet as they can cause clogs over time and disrupt your water flow. These items will not dissolve or break down when submerged in water.

Avoid putting celery, corn husks, or other stringy foods into your disposal. Even though they seem easily disposable, filling the disposal with enough fibrous material can not only clog the disposal but also eventually lead to the mechanism losing it’s ability to grind up your sink waste because of snags and tangles.

Make sure everyone in your home knows where the main water shut off valve is and that they know how to work it. That way, if there is a water problem, anyone in your household can turn off the water, thereby reducing the chances that your home will incur major water damage.

If you have hard water, check intake hoses for washing machines and ice makers often to prevent them from splitting open from buildup. Lime scale remover can be used to remove buildup, but replacing hoses is an economical method as well to take care of the issue. Change out hoses when you change the batteries in your smoke alarms to stop unexpected floods.

Kitchen and bathroom plumbing is often located on exterior walls and freezes more easily than interior wall plumbing. Keep your furnace at a safe temperature throughout the winter and open cabinet doors in bathroom vanities and beneath kitchen sinks to expose the pipes to warmer room air to prevent freezing.

Run dishwashers and washing machines at night, or during times when people are not using that much water. This will keep water pressure strong for showers and other things, while making sure that dishwashing and laundry still takes place in a timely manner. It also preserves energy costs and use.

Make sure your plumbing contractor has the proper insurance before letting them work in your home. This is a big problem with all types of construction contractors. They may have the proper licenses, but because of the high cost of insurance, they may not be properly insured and can end up on your homeowners policy if they get hurt.

A great way to save a few dollars is to add insulation to your hot water heater. Much of the energy required to heat the water in your home is the expense from keeping the water in the tank hot for when it is needed. Adding an extra layer of insulation can help reduce this cost.

If your pipes are making banging noises, you may need to add additional anchor straps to prevent the pipes from making contact with the walls when water is traveling through them. Typically, pipes are anchored at regular intervals. If banging noises are occurring, you may need to add additional straps or cushion the pipes with a rubber blanket.

Do not pour grease and oil down your drains. Cooking grease will build up in your pipes and could cause back-ups. Keep grease and oil in a container in your fridge and throw it in the trash when it is full. Avoid clogging your pipes with any products containing oil or grease.

If you want to keep your kitchen drains from clogging up, don’t pour grease down them. As it cools and congeals it can trap other food or waste particles, which over time can slow the draining of water and even form a clog that will not be easy to remove.

A bad faucet might need new parts. If you need to change the cap, cut it on the side with a rotary tool. Cut the exterior part and the plastic seal, but make sure you stay clear of the brass inside of it. You can easily replace the exterior of the cap and the seal.

Beware of black water in your toilet tank. Chances are, the color is caused from too much magnesium or iron in your water. Although this is usually harmless, it can be annoying for some people. If it is iron or magnesium in your water, the only way to fix it is by filtering the water.

If your toilet is constantly developing moisture on the outside, you may want to consider turning up the heat in your bathroom. The biggest cause of “sweaty” toilets is cool and moist air. Believe it or not, this moisture could actually cause damage to your toilet, so it is crucial that you fix the problem.

To be successful in any plumbing project, make sure you turn the water off before you start unscrewing pipes. This tip might actually sound insulting, but you are probably getting caught up in having the right tools and parts and being dressed right. Double check that there is not a splash waiting for you. Then triple and quadruple check.

Isn’t doing your own plumbing a lot of fun? As you have seen in this article, there are a lot of ways this can be done and no two techniques or equipemnt will yield the same results. There are also lots of customizable options that can work with your home and budget.

Learn How To Get The Most Out Of Your Garden

January 31st, 2012

“What am I doing? Seeds, cuttings, fertilizer, good soil, dirt….?,” you may be thinking this if you don’t know much about gardening. It is important you know how to garden before trying to tackle your own gardening project. This article will provide you with the information you need, if you want to have the garden of your dreams!

A great tip to consider when gardening is that items such as carrot peels and tea bags are perfect items to save for your compost pile instead of throwing them in the trash or garbage disposal. This is important because you want to have as much free fertilizer available to you next year as possible.

A great tip to remember when gardening is to keep your tools organized. Instead of losing time looking for tools you can spend more time working in your garden. Label drawers and containers and be sure to keep commonly used items together.

It is better to have several smaller rain gardens than one big one. In order to determine how large to make you rain garden, you can find computer models that will give you the information to control 90 percent of runoff from specific roof sizes. Any size rain garden is better than none, but generally rain gardens should not be larger than 300 square feet.

You should place human hair in netting around your garden to deter animals from eating your growing produce. The scent of humans can deter animals from coming near an area. When you get a hair cut place the cut hair into satchels made from netting. Hang the netting around your garden to ward off pests.

Choose silvers and grays to lighten up the garden on dull days and shine in the moonlight. While most gray-leafed plants are attractive enough to hold their own in the garden, they are often used due to the effect they have on surrounding colors. They make pastel colors look brighter, and tone down the effect of vivid colors. Most plants with silver or gray foliage are native to the Mediterranean, therefore requiring little watering in the dry months. The best known silver and gray plants are dusty miller, lychnis, silver lace and artemisia.

Gardening can be a great way to relieve stress and so it should be done by people who are suffering from any stress related diseases. This will allow the people to quickly feel more relaxed as they are outside and working with different kinds of plants as well as the earth.

The presence of birds can make your garden more beautiful. Attract them to your garden by placing bird feeders, water, and places for shelter around your yard. Material for making nests can also be helpful. Different species of birds are attracted to different types of seed, so ask at your favorite home and garden store.

Praying mantises can in fact be beneficial to your gardens. These so called garden pests can be a great organic pest control. Praying mantises are skillful predators that trap and eat harmful insects in your garden such as: caterpillars, aphids and flies without harming your plants. If you have the imagination, you can even believe that in very rare cases praying mantises have been reported to kill small rodents.

When buying plants, take a look at the roots. For the most part, healthy roots are white or light pink in color. Black roots can be a sign of root rot for all but a select few varieties. Healthy roots will equal a hardier plant, and a more successful addition to your garden.

You need to remember to drink plenty of water while you are gardening. Many people forget to keep up with their water intake because they do not think that they are doing a strenuous activity. Gardening may not always be strenuous but extended exposure to the sun can lead to dehydration and drinking plenty of water is one way to prevent it.

A great tip to consider when gardening is the fact that you need to get rid of weeds even though you might not enjoy working at it. This is important because weeds steal nutrients from the soil that your plants need and they also may overtake your plants, denying them water and sunlight.

To have a truly successful garden one needs to do their research first. This will help them learn the best things to plant as well as tips regarding fertilizer, the amount of watering one should do, and many other things. The proper research can save many headaches down the road.

If you order roses and they arrive in the mail, be sure to get them in the ground as soon as possible. If you can’t, be sure to keep them in a damp container and cool. They will be fine if you stick them in a bucket of water for a few days before planting. Just be sure not to let them dry out because that can kill the plant.

Think big when building a path. If you decide to build a path in your garden, think about its width. A path shouldn’t only be 2 feet wide, the perfect garden path should be at least 4 feet across. Ideally, two people should be able to walk side by side comfortably without bumping into each other.

Building a compost pile for your garden is a real treat for the health of your plants. It is easy to build a compost pile and many different types of material can be used to build it, like concrete blocking, stones, bricks, wooden planks, lumber, or snow fencing. If you use wood as the material for the compost pile, be sure to use water resistant wood such as cedar and redwood.

Don’t waste your time and money trying to figure out gardening on your own, make sure you do it right the first time! You should be a little closer to doing this because of the information in this article. It is up to you to be meticulous and try your hardest now! Also don’t be tempted to get cheap garden furniture as this will only spoil the overall effect of your garden’s design. You will easily find garden sofa sets which will bring a modern take to any garden or yard.