HowToDoThings.com Interiors

How To Install Ceramic Tile

fester1 — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 14:12:47 -0500

How To Repair Ceramic Tile

bronwyn — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 13:08:11 -0500

Ceramic tiles are durable by nature, but homeowners will find that there are some common problems with this material. Tiles can frequently break and grout will eventually need to be replaced. Luckily, problems with ceramic tiling are actually quite easy to fix, as long as the tile was installed after 1960. If your tile predates 1960, it may have been set in a masonry base and you will need a contractor to repair it.

How To Install a Chair Rail

Larado — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 13:01:11 -0600

Chair rails can be a fun and rewarding item to install in your home. They can range from simple to highly extravagant but either way it adds a touch of class to any room or living space, and is also really fun to install.

Tools:

Pneumatic Finish Nailer, 15 gauge
Air compressor and air hose
Miter box and saw
Tape Measure
Level
Caulk
Caulking Gun
Sandpaper
Primer
Paint
Pencil
A buddy

Instructions:

How To Keep a Fireplace Clean

bronwyn — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 16:34:06 -0600

There's no better place in your house on a chilly winter night than in front of your fireplace - but is your fireplace safe? Do the soot stains bother you? The good news is that cleaning your fireplace and keeping it safe go hand in hand, and are even fairly easy!

Have a chimney sweeper come every year. This part is essential for fireplace safety, and you can't do it alone. You need a professional to clear any obstructions in the chimney and remove all extra creosote and other buildup. This flammable material in your chimney is a risk factor for house fires, so don't delay!

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How To Make Your Home a Resort

Youshouldown — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 23:53:38 -0500

In today’s world of home channel popularity and all things fashionable, making your home magazine-perfect and envied by all isn’t such a hard or expensive thing to do. Even the smallest changes and additions can make a huge difference for less than a weekend getaway. After all, you live in your home before and after the getaway.

How To Get Rid of Cockroaches

Brian263 — Wed, 02 May 2007 14:20:00 -0500

Sometimes a description just can't ever capture the sheer horror of a particular event. For example, if I were to describe what it's like to step on a cockroach barefoot on the bathroom floor in the middle of the night - the unexpected crunch as the smooth exoskeleton shatters against your soft skin, the tiny little legs perhaps barely perceptible, antennae quivering, bits of the body stuck to the roach goo on your heel - anyone with a cockroach problem could tell me that it pales in comparison to the real event.

How To Survive a Kitchen Remodel

Staff468 — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 12:06:00 -0500

You think the in-laws can be tough on a marriage? Try a kitchen remodel. Or better yet, ask the in-laws for advice on your kitchen remodel. Though rumor has it that home renovation is one of the leading causes of divorce, there are ways to minimize the effects of a kitchen remodel. Here they are:

Set up a temporary kitchen. I know you have visions of eating out regularly, sushi one night and Thai the next. You see your kitchen remodel as an opportunity to sample the international cuisines you've been hankering for. Let's get real. Remember those days when you come home from work exhausted and all you want to do is crawl into bed? Or those days that the term "PMS" do not quite do justice? Your temporary kitchen is for those days, not to mention for breakfast, lunch and the sake of the kids.

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How To Clean Up Cat Urine

Staff468 — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 19:10:00 -0500

As any cat owner will tell you, cat urine has a particularly intolerable - not to mention resilient - odor. On top of that, cat urine can stain carpet and hardwood floor alike. There are many reasons why cats might urinate in improper places - stinky litter boxes, stress, age and illness being among the common reasons. You'll be able to clean up stubborn cat urine using the following techniques.

How To Take Care of a Fireplace

Staff468 — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 16:22:00 -0500

How often do you take the time to thank your fireplace for all the times it kept you warm during power outages? How about those nights where its flickering flames sparked an evening of romance, or those times when its unmistakable smell brought comfort and calm to your life?

There's a great way to thank your fireplace - take good care of it!

Encourage good draft up your chimney. You can do this by keeping a window open while you burn a fire. The air entering your room will get sucked up the chimney. Opening a window also ensures that your indoor air quality stays good while you burn the fire.
Open glass doors when you use the fireplace. If you have glass fireplace doors, invest in a screen to block the fire instead of using glass. Doing so will also aid in ventilating the fire and encouraging airflow through the flue.

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How To Care for Hardwood Floors

Grace170 — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 08:50:00 -0500

Many homeowners believe that installing hardwood floors is ideal because of the low maintenance attached to the product. This can be the case, but hardwood floors do require care. Here are some tips on how to care for your hardwood floors.

Prevention. As with any flooring, preventing dirt and grime from entering in the first place is the best plan. Place floor mats at your home's entrances to collect any dirt, mud or debris that may be walking in your door.
Dirt and Grime. Dirt and grime can be removed from hardwood floors with some elbow grease. Brooms with fine ends are ideal for removing dirt from the surface. Wood cleaners like Murphy's Oil, which combine cleaning agents with a small amount of wax, will keep your floors looking clean.

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