Archive for the 'DIY' Category

Mar 03 2010

DIY Guides – Who Else Wants to Build a Magnetic Generator and Get Free Electricity?

Published by San Antonio Decorator under DIY

I was surprised to learn that the technology existed to produce your own electricity. I was even more surprised to learn how easy it is to make your own electricity generator.


Until recently DIY guides for alternative energy have been limited to solar power. You probably already know that solar power can only produce enough electricity to heat your bath water.


Another downside of DIY solar power is that you still need to buy the expensive solar cells and there is no way of getting around it.


Magnetic electric generators on the other hand are a true DIY enthusiast’s dream. This is because you can buy all the materials and parts needed to build them at any good DIY store.


Once you’ve got your DIY plans, it’s off to you local store and your away! You can start the building process which we all know is the real fun part!


Even the magnets are just standard household magnets like the ones found in stereo speakers.


This really is ‘do it yourself electricity’. There is no need for any special tools.


Depending on how big you build the generator, it can power your whole house. You can also build a smaller scale version that can reduce your electricity bill by half. The DIY guides let you decide the scale.


It really just depends on your own DIY skills.


Many people decide to build a small one first and then see the amazing potential and build a larger one that enables them to say goodbye to electricity bills forever!

Once you have your DIY Plans there is nothing to stop you. You can produce your own electricity and there’s nothing the big electric companies can do about it!


Go to http://BuildYourOwnGenerator.info and see for yourself.

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Feb 12 2010

5 Great Color Combinations for Your Home

Published by San Antonio Decorator under DIY, Interior Decorating, Painting

A common problem faced by homeowners when decorating a room is figuring out what colors to use for the décor. Have you ever visited a paint store? If so, then you have probably seen the hundreds of different colors and shades you have to choose from when designing a color scheme. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by so many choices. Some people just don’t have an eye for color and struggle with picking colors that look good together in a room. If you’re searching for ideas for color combinations for your décor, here are five you can consider.

1. Brown, Blue, and Cream
You can use this color scheme in any room of your home. Just keep in mind, when using these colors, that you want the colors to stay balanced, especially when you’re applying the dark brown. So, for instance, if you have a dark brown couch, you may want to lighten it up with cream or light blue pillows. Or if your couch is cream colored, you would choose brown and blue pillows to add interest instead. If you can find patterns that include all three colors, you can add even more visual interest to the décor.

2. Shades of Brown and Cream
Whether you’re looking to create a peaceful retreat in your bedroom or bathroom, try using shades of brown and cream. There’s a wide variety of shades across this spectrum that you can choose from, anything from dark chocolate brown to an off white or light cream color. Although this color combination closely resembles a monochromatic theme, you can easily add more interest. Simply pair a lighter shade with a darker shade, and that will make the room appear much more lively.

3. Blue and Orange
Blue and orange are complementary colors, as the colors lie across from each other on the color wheel. The key to using this particular color scheme is to keep the colors muted. You don’t want to be using bright oranges and blues. By adding white or even brown to the mix, you can easily work these colors into a contemporary-styled room.

4. Black and White
You can use this classic color combination for practically any room you like. The great thing about black and white is that it can be used in a variety of ways. Depending on the pieces you use, it can be modern as well as traditional. You can add even more style to this color scheme with an accent color such as red or green. This is one of the easier color combinations to work with, as there is no shortage of black-and-white home accessories to choose from.

5. Pink and Green
For your bedroom, living room, or sun room, try another complementary color scheme: pink and green. Add a neutral color into the pink and green mix, or you may end up with too much color in the room. You also want to keep the colors the same shade. Mint green and neon pink, for instance, aren’t going to work well together.

If you’re not sure where to start coming up with color combinations for your home, then consider these five suggestions. When decorating your home, any of these combinations should give you some inspiration. You can create a unique look to your home by using any of these suggestions as a base and then adding your own style to them.

About the Author…
Leon Tuberman has 4 decades of experience in the furniture and interior design industry. He is the owner and manager of popular furniture store in Los Angeles. They carry a large selection of American made solid oak furniture for your living room, dining room, bedroom and wood office furniture. It doesn’t matter whether you’re shopping for a wood bookcases for your home office or a study area or a dining table for your dining room then they have everything you need.

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Jan 28 2010

How to Use Different Color Schemes in Your Home

Published by San Antonio Decorator under DIY, Interior Decorating, Painting

One thing that tends to overwhelm homeowners is choosing a color scheme for a room. The thing about choosing a color scheme is figuring out other potential colors to incorporate into the design once you’ve settled on a main color. So how do you go about selecting a color scheme for a décor? One of the best tools to have at your fingertips is a color wheel.

What Is the Color Wheel?
The first person to start using the color wheel was Sir Isaac Newton, who came up with this after performing an experiment with a prism. What he discovered was that pure white light had a wide spectrum of reflective colors. Since then, people have been using this spectrum of colors (otherwise known as the color wheel) for classifying colors and help in decorating.

The Classification of Colors Using the Color Wheel
The colors on the color while are basically classified into three different categories.
1. First, you have the primary colors, which are red, yellow, and blue.
2. Next you have the secondary colors, which are orange, green, and violet. These colors are created by mixing the primary colors.
3. The colors red-orange, yellow-orange, blue-green, and yellow-green make up the tertiary colors. Basically, all these colors are formed by combining the primary colors with the secondary colors that are next to them.

Monochromatic Color Scheme Explained
A monochromatic color scheme will look exactly as it sounds. Essentially, you pick one color and use only that color for the entire room. To achieve the monochromatic color scheme, you want to pick varying shades of that color, from light to dark. You can include the color white in the scheme as well, in order to help break up the color.

Analogous Color Scheme Explained
With an analogous scheme, you include anywhere from two to six different colors a room. You want to use colors that are next to each other on the color wheel. Consider the color red, for example. You might choose orange or purple as the accent colors, being that they are the colors next to red on the wheel. It’s a good idea to choose your main color first. Then you can look at accent color options.

Complementary Color Scheme Explained
When looking for a decorating scheme, people will often go with a complementary color scheme. When you decide on your main color, you then go directly across that color on the wheel to find your complementary color. If your main color is yellow, then the complementary color would be in the purple family. The family of pinks would complement the color green. Remember, you can always play with this a little and mix the family of colors; thus, green would go with pink, but it would also go with red.

Triad Color Scheme Explained
Homeowners also often choose to go with a triad color scheme. Here you use the three colors that form a triangle together on the color wheel. One example of a triad would be the colors orange, green, and purple. Here you have a couple of options. You can choose to make one of these colors your main color and use the other two as accent colors, or you can choose two main colors and then accent with the third.

No matter what color scheme you choose for your home, remember that both white and black are neutrals. Thus, they can be added to any colors without changing the color scheme too much. By playing around with the color wheel and some of these color scheme suggestions, you will be able to come up with some great options for the rooms in your home.

About the Writer…
For over four decades Leon Tuberman has helped people with their home furnishings and interior decorating needs. He owns and manages a popular furniture store in Los Angeles. They have a large inventory of handcrafted American built solid wood furniture for your bedroom, dining room and living room. Are you searching for a nightstands for your master bedroom or a wood dining table for your dining room then they probably have everything you need.

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Dec 20 2009

How To Fix A Leaky Faucet

Published by San Antonio Decorator under DIY

Leaky faucets can waste huge amounts of water; even if the drip is small. The good news is that they are simple to fix, in most cases. To fix a leaky faucet, at the very least, you will need a Phillips Screwdriver, small flathead screwdriver, faucet seat, rubber stem gasket, and a seat remover tool.


Step #1
Don’t forget this step because it will save you a lot of work. Many people overlook this step. Determine if the water coming out is hot or cold. If it’s hot you will replace the hot side and vice versa for cold.


Step #2
Look under the sink and turn off the water. There should be two knobs; one hot and one cold. Turn off the handle that corresponds to the heat of the water leaking. If the water is hot, turn off hot and vice versa for cold. If the handle is difficult to turn, use channel lock pliers or a pipe wrench to turn the handle. Turn the handle clockwise until it stops turning.


Replace Water Handles, If necessary
In some cases, you may end up replacing the water handles. Some water handles will leak right out the handle or become immovable. Many homes have the absolutely lowest quality water handle valves. By the very nature of touching them, they will break. Hint, don’t replace with the cheapest valves you can find. Spend a few extra dollars for a better valve.

To replace the valves, first turn off the water to the house. Then, simply unscrew the old valve with channel lock pliers. Install the new valve by putting on teflon tape threads three times clockwise (around the threads). Screw new valve on clockwise with channel lock pliers or a pipe wrench.


Step #2
The hot and cold faucet handles have a plastic insert on the top of them. There will often be an H (for hot) or a C (for cold) on the faucet handles. Use a small screwdriver to remove the plastic insert.


Step #3
You should now have two handle screws exposed. The screws should be Phillips type. Take your Phillips Screwdriver (size #2 is usually good), and take off the screws holding on the handles.


Step #4
Don’t expect the handle to come off easily. Many are very difficult to get off. Pry the handle off or just pull like *#$%&@#. You could buy a handle puller, but it’s mostly a waste of money. You can do it without one.


Step #5
Once you get the handle off, you will be looking at a faucet valve stem. Remove the valve stem with a crescent wrench. If you don’t have a crescent wrench or socket type wrenches, channel locks will do the job.


Step #6
You will need a seat wrench tool. Without one, you can’t do the job. Place seat wrench tool in stem hole, turn counter clockwise, and remove the seat. You will also need a new faucet seat. Take the seat to your local plumbing store (not home depot or lowes) and get one that is the right size. Replace the new seat with your seat wrench. Be very careful not to push the on the seat wrench too hard with downward pressure because it will damage the new seat. You may not notice at first, but you may get a leaky faucet in only a year or two.


Step#7
Examine the faucet valve stem. In most cases, the rubber gasket on the small end is worn out. You see, once the faucet starts leaking people start turning the water handle really hard. This extra pressure usually damages this rubber gasket. Simply unscrew the gasket with a Phillips screwdriver and put on a new one. If you run into troubles, you can always replace the valve stem.


Step #8
Replace valve stem, handle, and plastic insert. Turn the water back on and test the faucet. If this is your first time doing it, plan on doing it twice. Good Luck. It’s not as hard as you might think.

For further information on faucets, please visit Faucets

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Dec 19 2009

The Basics of Sauna Heaters

Published by San Antonio Decorator under DIY

If you have a sauna, of course, it’s not going to be complete without a heater. The heater is what makes it possible for you to relax and de-stress for a while. This is true whether you utilize a sauna at a place such as a health club, or have your own home version. However, technology has made it possible for you to pick from several choices when it comes to choosing the type of sauna heater you want. There are several choices and sauna heaters available weather for a home unit or for a commercial application.

There are several different types of models you can choose from when you’re picking out your sauna heater. Each provides its own benefits, and in some cases, consumers are confused as to what type they should buy. Some experts and manufacturers provide tips so that you can choose the best one for your sauna, as well as one that will fit your budget and your needs.

First, decide on the type of sauna you want to use. Do you want an “old-fashioned” one, where you have to use wood to create a hot environment? These are perfect for places that don’t have electricity, or for where putting in an electric system would be a lot more work. Some of the places these types of heaters are often used are in vacation homes or in other rustic settings. Some sauna establishments also use this kind of heater, since it provides an atmosphere consumers like to experience.

You can also decide that you want an electric heater. These are usually made of stainless steel or aluminum, so they’re very durable. You can install the electric heater in the sauna wall or place it in a corner. You can also usually easily adjust your sauna’s temperature with an electric heater, because they usually utilize remote controls that you can use for easy access.

After you decide the type of heater that you want to have, choose your brand. Purchase your heater from a reputable company instead of from a manufacturer who does not have a solid reputation, or whose service is less than stellar. Credible heater manufacturers will sell their products at higher prices, but the quality you’ll get will be well worth it. If you buy an inexpensive sauna heater at a low price, it’s likely that you’ll pay for it n the end with a cheap product that doesn’t work as well. In some cases, it could even be hazardous and cause damage to you or your property. Therefore, make sure you keep your health and safety in mind, and buy a sauna heater that is of quality, so that not only will you be safe, but will allow you to use your sauna for years to come.

Thomas Oak writes articles for http://www.hot-sauna.com/ If you are in the market for a new sauna stop and take a look at what new in the world of far infrared saunas and get of all the latest information on new saunas, sauna heaters, steam saunas, sauna kits and steam saunas for your home.

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Dec 18 2009

Tools and Steps for Removing Hardwood Flooring

Published by San Antonio Decorator under DIY

Although hardwood floors should last about 40 years, in the real world things happen to damage it over time and sometimes it becomes necessary to remove them. Whether you are interested in removing few pieces without damaging it or to go for hardwood flooring demolition, it will depend on a few factors such as the following:

-Was the original installation done well?

-Is it a floating hardwood floor or one that is glued down?

-What type of floor will you be installing after removing hardwood flooring?

List of Tools

Circular Saw – You’ll need a circular saw for when you need to cut into the floor.

Chisel – You never know when you’ll need to get into a tight groove or push through some glue.

Claw Hammer – When floor panels are stuck up next to a wall area, you’ll need a claw hammer to grab, pull, and rip them out.

Flooring Scraper – The only way you’ll get through a lot of glue is with the flooring scraper.

Pry Bar – These are a necessity when it comes to picking up floor panels that are stuck.

Sledge Hammer – When nothing else will get through, you can always count on your sledge hammer to bust things.

Before removing hardwood flooring It is important to understand what kind of flooring was used and how it was installed before you begin removing it. This will help you choose the right tools for the job.

If you aren’t trying to preserve the wood, do some pre-cuts with your circular saw to make it easy to get started. These should be 1-2 feet areas. If you were not sure how the floor was laid before, you should know after doing this. Make sure you don’t cut down into the foundation.

Steps for removing hardwood flooring

1. Hit each area of the floor with the sledge hammer enough to break things loose, but not so much as to break the foundation.

2. Use your pry bar to lift the panels and panel fragments up off of the foundation. You may find that it is easier if you use the tongued areas of the panels to pick them up out of the floor. Also, if you pull the panels out individually and stack them as you go, you will save a of of cleanup time and may leave the surface area better preserved for installation of the next floor.

3. If there is glue stuck beneath where the panels were, you need to scrape it up with the flooring scraper and the chisel as needed.

If the floor you have removed was glued down, it may be quite a task for you to get your mess cleaned up adequately. In this case there will be glue fragments and stuck pieces of glue that could take hours to clean.

Saw dust and tiny pieces of wood are usually everywhere. If you have a sturdy vacuum you can save some time, but you’ll likely be finding things to clean up manually that will take you quite a few hours to complete.

Niv Orlian is an experienced Home Improvement Adviser who writes articles for his Flooring & Carpet Cleaning online guides.

Visit myflooringhelper.com to learn more about Removing Hardwood Flooring

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