General Article

Wood Fence Posts and How I Pulled Them Out

Usually wood fence posts around the United States are set underground at a distance of 24 inches. When placed by the average fence builder they are set in with 80lbs of concrete as a footer to hold the wood fence post in place. Sometimes by the average a do it your self worker, this footer can range anywhere from 10lbs to 120lbs. When these wood fence posts are placed the intention is not as to their removal but with idea of them being permanent. As time and weather occurs these wood fence posts can be damaged and or worse yet they can fail due to rot and breakage.

When the time comes for repair and maintenance or even replacement we forget how easy it was to place them originally and begin to realize with the first few shovel scoops that there is quite a task looming before us beneath the surface. It may be easier to leave that mass of concrete where it rests and shorten or lengthen accordingly, but this typically won’t work for the entire section and causes more problems as your work progresses. I can distinctly remember the thoughts rolling through my mind that there must be a better way as I reach for the sledgehammer. It’s been 2 hours and I’m still on the first post with 25 to go.

After searching and asking I came upon a nice fellow who gave me some cautious but good advice and a solution to my problem. He asked me if I had any axle grease and at that moment I knew I was in for a good story and more than likely a bit of sage advice. He began to describe how he had to frequently do it on a ranch he was once installed to maintain. He told me that of the hundreds of wood posts stringing together a split rail fence spread out throughout the property, often times the posts would fail.

This failure due to age and rot by being in contact with the earth for long periods of time with no real drain away of the accumulated water and elements. He said the snow in winter initially beautiful was extremely hard on the wood fence posts and really was the chief reason for deterioration.

He began to detail what he did and was cautious in his method as I soon realized a wood fence post could easily fly through the air and impale itself through the windshield of my truck. Thank goodness I do not have to remove steel fence posts! His approach along with the axle grease began to make sense. Basically he told me to take an old truck tire rim and grease up the hub. Then wrap some nice heavy-duty quality chain with two wraps around the rim with the rim resting up against the wood fence post with one end leading to the winch or frame of the front of my truck.

The length coming off the top of the rim away from my truck would be the one to affix to the wooden fence post and wrapped around as much of the post as possible. The rim is narrow enough that the chain and post never became a rubbing or friction issue. The caution came into play as he said I would need to have some additional chain to make a tie off and safety to the post side chain wrap. Incorporating this safety so that when the wood fence post begins to come out it wouldn’t be able travel far enough and into my windshield

As crazy and dangerous as it seemed it worked like a charm and I was able to get the wood fence posts and concrete out with minimal effort. We got better and better the more 4×4 wood fence posts we pulled out. Sometimes the posts shot up about 5 feet. I think maybe they were having fun too, so much attention after so many years.It appears that your web host has disabled all functions for handling remote pages and as a result the BackLinks software will not function on your web page. Please contact your web host for more information.…

How to Choose the Right Window Treatments

Are you treating your windows right, by using the right window treatments? When decorating any window in your home, the number of options that you have can seem mind-boggling at first. While choosing and installing the right window treatments isn’t an exact science, here are some helpful tips that will help you to get it done:

1. Do the measurements.

Always get the exact measurements of your home’s windows, to ensure that the treatments will be a perfect fit.

2. Consider your budget.

Unfortunately, this is one of the steps that most of us have to take, in order to put a rein on our spending. It’s particularly important if we’re decorating more than the windows in our homes. Treatments for windows can vary significantly in price, based on features such as their brand, size, material, style, and so on. While you could spend slightly more than you had budgeted for window treatments, the operative word is “slightly.”

3. Determine if form or function is your priority.

When shopping for treatments for windows, ask yourself if you’re buying them mainly for aesthetic reasons, or if the main function of the treatments will be to manage the amount of light that can enter a room. How you answer the question will impact which type of treatments you choose for a window. You might ultimately decide on treatments that are particularly elegant and ornate, or ones that give you more control over how much sunlight enters a room via a window.

4. Search for ideas.

You’ve likely heard about the “power of suggestion.” One of the best ways to start your search for usable window decorating ideas is by collecting ones that have already been used. In other words, there’s no need to reinvent the wheel! Home decorating magazines will likely contain several styles of window treatments, which you could use in your own home. And whenever you visit someone’s house, observe the types of window treatments that they’re using in it. Maintain a folder of photos containing various treatments for windows that you fancy. Also, jot down notes about certain treatments that have caught your eye.

5. Get free samples whenever possible.

Sometimes stores provide free samples for different treatments that they carry. This will help to avoid buying certain window treatments that aren’t ideal for the windows in your home. Sometimes you can even receive these samples through online home improvement stores. Keep in mind that treatments can look much different in the store, than in your home.

6. Test a treatment’s texture whenever possible.

One of the drawbacks of buying window treatments online is that you can’t feel the texture of the product, before deciding on it. So when you shop offline, make sure to take this crucial step. The texture of treatments for windows will have a huge impact on how it complements the other d?�cor in the room.

If you want to add some pizzazz to your home’s windows, then search for the right window treatments. These tips will help to give your windows the red-carpet treatment!…

Cheap Window Shades Buying Tips

Whether you are living in a house or an apartment, you need to install window shades for decorative as well as some functional purposes. They are used for privacy, controlling the incoming light and adjusting the room’s temperature. If you are also going to buy cheap window shades for your windows, then there are some useful tips that you should follow before buying them:

1. The first thing that you need to do before buying these shades is to measure the windows of your room. If you are opting to mount the shade on the inside of your window, then evaluate the exact window opening size. If you are opting to mount the shade outside of your window frame, then evaluate the exact height and width you want your shades to be.

2. These window shades are available in the market in changeable room darkness degrees. So, you should take your time and decide how much light you want to block at first. If you want complete darkness in your room when you shut your shades, then select the shades made of thick cloth which totally blocks all light. If you want to allow light through, then select thinner fabric or rice paper.

3. See other features of these shades to determine your final choice. Decide which type of shade would be comfortable, one that folds into accordion pleats or one that rolls down from the top. This kind of different functionality is also a thing to consider before buying cheap window shades.

4. There are several styles and colors in shades. You should select the shade which can match your room. So, ask the shade vendor if he/she has the catalogue of available shades in their shop and make comparisons to find yourself the perfect window shades for your windows.…

Painting an Existing Wood Fence

If you have a wood fence it’s a beautiful thing but over time the elements wear it down and you may have even scratched it with a lawn mower or snow shovel. Either way eventually it needs to be repainted and as with most projects around the house this one is easy to do yourself and low cost.

Besides good weather, this is what you’ll need: paint, possibly primer, a good brush, a roller (choose the size depending on the fence), a roller extension, cleaning supplies (rubber gloves, a pale with soup and warm water, a couple of rags), sand paper, scraper, maybe a kneeling pad.

Now, before you start painting you have to make sure the fence is clean. Here are some suggestions:

• Remove any grass, shrubbery, seeds, and the like from the fence.

• Wash off dust, soil, or any other dirt like bird poop with warm water and a little detergent.

• If the fence touches any parts of the house you may want to separate the edges with painter’s tape.

• It’s a good idea to have some card board or thin sheets of wood handy to slip under the fence so you don’t get the brush dirty from the ground when painting the underneath. It will also help block any branches that may still be in the way.

While you are cleaning, inspect the fence for other problems:

• Is any paint chipping? If so you’ll need to do the following. Scrape off the old paint and sand the edges a little to smoothen them out. If the wood is bare you may need to add a little primer on the spot. If so, let the primer spots dry before moving on to the real paint.

• Loose planks? If you find parts of the fence are seriously beginning to wear you may need to nail them back or replace the piece.

• Termites: They show up when you least expect it. If you find signs of them replace those planks too.

Painting:

Ok; you’ve made it to the real part of the job. Don’t worry if it took a while to get here. It’s better to have the fence ready and free of all other obstacles than have to stop painting in the middle because of one of the above issues.

1. Stir the paint to make sure its all one color and not clumpy

2. Pour your paint in the roller pan at the bottom.

3. Take your roller, dip it in the tray, and begin from the top down. Maybe use the brush for the top open grain. If you hit those spots first you can remove any dripping as you make your way down.

• NOTE: If your fence has a plank and then opening and then another plank (your standard white picket fence), it’s a good idea to do one plank at a time but do the fence in sections. For instant do a row of one frontal side with one edge and then come back and do the other when it’s dry. By doing this you prevent touching the opposite edge when the paint is still wet.

4. Use the brush for any touch ups. Hopefully you won’t need a second coat but if you do just follow the same steps.…

Cheap Window Blinds Can Effectively Protect Furniture From Sun Damage

Most of us living in environments with four seasons love the sun for tanning ourselves but surprisingly dread it for destroying our furniture indoors or at the decks. And if you are like most of us, you would really understand the frustrations that come with each summer, trying to hide all your priced furniture away from the path of the sun, being worried that the heat could damage the materials. Well, there is no need to panic as there is one simple and yet affordable approach for you manage this, that is, by using cheap window blinds to effectively protect your furniture from sun damage.

There are many discount window treatments that are available for your purpose. There is no need to make your own shades which could look extremely amateur in most cases. First, your key objective is to block out the sun and heat and it is best to look out for bamboo window shades, aluminum ones, and any other jute or rattan base materials. Most discount stores will have them stocked up to the tilt as they are the few very popular types, and the fastest moving lines especially in summer.

Instead of wrapping your original blinds with tin foil and making your home look shabby, simply change to aluminum ones in summer. They help to deflect most of the light as well as refract heat and sun. They are also one of the cheapest types available in the market so will not burn a hole in your pocket. Aluminum material lasts for a long time and you can keep them after summer and reuse them for the next few years if you clean them well. They are also easy maintenance requiring only a simple wipe on the slats with a damp piece of cloth. They are light weight and easy for storage.

Alternatively, bamboo, jute, rattan are fast getting popular as affordable, lightweight materials that not only serve the purpose of sun and heat control well, they also let air through due to their very unique woven designs. Hence, one added advantage for bamboo window blinds is that they can also be used outdoors, fitted at the end of the patio to ward off the sun. And their long lasting tenacity means that you can reuse them for the many summers to come. At the same time, its tropical look also blends well with the summer ambience. In fact, you can easily create a cozy tropical sanctuary out of your patio or deck with them and enjoy the uniquely tropical solitude.

So for this coming summer and many others more, your furniture will be safe from the sun and heat. Cheap window blinds can indeed effectively protect your furniture from sun damage.…

The Benefits of Wood Fences

A wood fence is probably the most loved fence in America. Who can forget the little country cottages with the picket fence around them. Wood fences symbolize our heritage as far as farmers and settlers having to live off the land using wood for homes, barns and fences!

There are a lot of advantages to a wood fence! They are a great choice to set a nature mood for your home or garden. They can be used to set a private setting, a farm setting or just a picket fence around your garden. I have seen them around pools, private ponds and patios. Depending on the setting you are wanting to set? They are definitely worth considering.

They are also many different styles from privacy, to picket I have seen many custom fences where a designer will come in and design a fence for a contractor to build a fence that does not have another fence that looks like it. With wood there is not much of a limitation on what you can do. Table top, concave, arched, french gothic, picket, shadow box, lattice top and deck rail top is just a few of the popular choices on wood fencing. There also are a wide range of caps that can be purchased for the post from you standard wood cap to a copper cap that has a solar light for night time.

Also as far as cost they are a better choice than aluminum, steel, or PVC fence which is definitely a plus!

In many neighbor hoods a H.O.A. will require a wooden fence and only allow clear like stain for that rustic look.

They do last a long time up to 20 even 30 years if maintained properly. They may need a picket or post replaced here and there but should last a long time.

It is important to get a professional to build your fence and do not use pre-made panels from your local do it your self stores. If a fence is not built properly it will not stand the test of time and weather. Post should be 18 to 24 inches deep, screws or ring shank nails should be used for building to prevent the nails from backing out and the your fence needs to be stained yearly or every two years depending on the area you live in.

Some disadvantages of wood fence is they can sometimes warp or rot for the best fence you should use pine post and cedar rails and pickets. Cedar post tends to rot and pine rails and pickets will warp more than a cedar.

Also a disadvantage is the maintenance that is required to maintain wood fences unlike a aluminum fence that requires almost no maintenance. Always remember to do your research on the fence and the materials being used and the person installing it.…

Finding the Right Home Improvement Contractor

As your home grows older certain changes and improvements are needed to increase its lifespan. Likewise, if you want to add some more rooms to your existing building layout, you need to make the necessary changes and improvements to your home. There are people who go for home improvements just to enhance the market value of their property. Some want to make their homes more energy efficient and cash in on the incentives provided by the federal and state governments. But who helps you in making all these changes and improvements to your home? Well, it is the home improvement contractor.

General contractors are professionals who have the necessary experience and exposure to making home improvements. These contractors help you in getting the work done according to your time schedule. So, it is extremely important that you identify and select a professional contractor who will not only provide you with a quote but will also tell you how to save on the costs. So, how do I find a good home improvement contractor?

Well, it is not so difficult in this age and time. There are various ways of finding a good home improvement contractor. One of the first things that you can do is to look into the local telephone directory. Look for people who are from your area and fix up a time with them and discuss your plans and ask for a quote.

You can find a lot of good home improvement contractors through the local newspapers also. For this, look into the classifieds. Many contractors display their ads in the local newspapers to attract new customers and generate business. Look up these contractors and discuss with them. You may find the right person to do the job.

Next, you can check up with your friends, relatives, colleagues and others and find out whether they can recommend their home improvement contractor. The good thing about this option is that it will save you a lot of time and money since the contractor is recommended by a person whom you trust and who has also experienced the contractor’s work.

You can also visit the internet and browse through various building and construction websites. You will come across some very good contractors. Likewise, there are many local area classified ads on the internet. As you browse through them, you will be able to find the right home improvement contractor for your home.…