Home And Garden

Choosing the right outdoor lighting is one of the most important aspects of landscape design. Landscape lighting illuminates dark paths, highlights interesting garden elements and deters intruders. Above all, garden lighting creates a welcoming ambiance of warmth and safety. Top Types of Garden Lighting: Path lighting: Outdoor lighting keeps driveways, garden paths and stairs safe for walking after dark. Featuring vintage and contemporary designs in impact-resistant plastics and metals, path lights usually have a domed top and pagoda style that directs the light toward the ground. This increases the light's effectiveness and decreases light pollution. For convenience, path lighting is usually sold in sets and includes electric and solar designs. Light sets make great outdoor patio lights and deck lights. While they are bright enough to illuminate a sidewalk, path lights Low-voltage lights : These energy-efficient outdoor lights use 12 volts or less of electricity. A transfo...

Common Names: blue fescue, gray fescue, garden fescue Family: Poaceae/Gramineae (grass Family) Description Blue fescue is a small bunch grass that grows in a neat cushion-like clump 6-12" tall with a similar spread. The fine, wiry leaves are erect or arching, slightly rolled, and less than a foot long. The leaves are coated with a grayish, powdery bloom that is easily rubbed off. This condition is called "glaucus", and is responsible for the blue-gray sheen, and for the Latin name. In summer, flowering stems stand above the tuft of threadlike foliage and carry little flattened spikelets (flowers) that nod in the breeze. The inflorescence is not particularly showy and actually detracts from the handsome blue-gray foliage. Fescue is a clump-forming grass and does not spread by runners as do turf-forming grasses. The similar Festuca cinerea is often confused with blue fescue, and descriptions as well as cultivars for sale may be listed under Festuca cinerea, F. glauca ...

Master gardeners consider compost “black gold” for their lawns and gardens. One of the reasons is that compost is so rich in nutrients that it improves the fertility of your soil, making plants healthier. It’s a virtuous cycle for your soil. Food gets grown, consumed, and then the scraps go into your compost pile or bin. Later, the finished compost is used to nourish the soil again. So once you've finished making compost, how do you use it? There’s no need to worry, the answer is really simple. Use compost much as you would any sort of fertilizer or potting soil – it’s up to you whether you want to use compost while it’s fully decomposed, or even if there are still little bits of straw, hay, twigs and such in the mix.You can always put it through a compost sifter if you want it nice and broken up. Four of the most common uses for compost are: 1. A moisture holding mulch 2. A soil amendment.  3. A compost tea.  4. A lawn top dressing.  Mulch : If you are u...

Common Names:  screw pine Family:   Pandanaceae  (screw-pine Family) Description Screw pine is a palmlike evergreen with an upright stem (trunk) to 30 ft (9 m) or more high, and many horizontal spreading branches. At the end of each branch is a spiral rosette of long, linear leaves armed with small reddish teeth along the margins. Old leaf scars spiral around the branches and trunk, like a screw. The dark green leaves are around 6 ft (2 m) long, rather stiff, and have a waxy texture. Screw pine produces numerous aerial stilt roots that grow down to the ground and help support the branches which may spread to be wider than the tree's height. Screw pines are dioecious: The male plants produce fragrant colorful flowers in long spikes. The females produce weird looking pendulous fruits that resemble orange pineapples or oversized pine cones. Location There are more than 600 species of screw pines native to the Old World tropics in Asia, Africa and the Pacific. Panda...

Tips On Cleaning And Polishing Your Marble Floors In my opinion, marble is one of the most beautiful materials you can ever have incorporated into your home decor - with proper care and maintenance, it will maintain its pristine condition throughout the life of the home. It will always add value both in visual appeal and in financial worth. In order to know the "how and why" that upkeep of marble is so important, you need to know a little about its origin. No. It's not decayed jungle flora a hundred-million years ago, changed by pressure and heat into some lovely expensive, light refracting gemstone! Marble is rock that is actually formed by sea shell deposits billions of years ago. In the areas or regions where marble is now mined, the miners also find fossils of sea creatures along with chunks of limestone which is also a by-product of sea shells. More evidence that the oceans once covered the earth? I think so! In early civilization, marble was sought after for...

Stone floors are natural, beautiful, and always stylish. The naturally cool, hard surface is ideal for warm climates and does not harbor dust or allergens. Before choosing a specific type of stone, arm yourself with knowledge to find the best fit. The amount and size of pores in a stone, referred to as porosity, affects its strength and stain resistance. If you plan to install stone in a high-traffic area, such as a kitchen, mudroom, or family bath, you'll want to choose a hard, dense stone that is nonporous, such as granite or slate. Softer, more porous stones, such as marble, limestone, and travertine, require regular applications of sealants and frequent cleaning to prevent staining and pitting. First, remember that typical natural stone floor tile sizes are 12”x12”, 13”x13”, 16”x16”, and 18”x18.” Next, you should be aware that there are two types of edges for natural stone floor tile: a polished bull nose edge that has a rounded or curved appearance, or a polished straight...

Do you have a wood deck that hasn't felt the love in a long time? Is it peeling or a dull grey? Do you have a big social to-do planned at the house and want the deck to look its best? Then this is where you want to be! In this series of tutorials I'll show you in step-by-step detail and in clear photos what is involved in a professional looking deck refinishing job that you will be able to complete yourself. In a weekend or two you can transform a drab tired old wood deck into a vibrant beautiful entertainment area. 1. Inspecting the Deck Surface The first step in your deck restoration is to clean the deck of debris with a broom or power blower and  visually check for any severely cupped, split or any rotting wood deck boards. If you find any, then these boards need to be replaced before the deck is refinished. It’s important to have a good solid surface and replacing a damaged deck board is pretty easy as I show you in the tutorial below. 2. Light Cleaning of the De...

Carpet isn’t as high-maintenance as most people tend to think. However, it still does require some care (like anything) and must not be mistreated. To protect your carpet and ensure that it stays looking beautiful for a long time, here is a list of the things that should NOT be done to your carpet (and what to do instead). Do Not Scrub When you’ve had a spill on your carpet, I know it’s tempting to attack it with a vengeance. After all, for so many other tasks we’re told that a bit of elbow grease is necessary to get the job done. However, this is one instance in which fiercely scrubbing is not helpful, and in fact will likely be harmful to your carpet. Carpet is made up of fibers that have been twisted together in order to increase their strength. The twist is then “locked in” with heat. By abrasively scrubbing at the fibers, you run the risk of undoing the lock and having the fibers come untwisted – something known as blooming. This will cause the appearance of a big fuzzy p...

Natural stone is a beautiful and impressive flooring feature which can dramatically elevate the sophistication of an environment. A porous material, it requires a certain amount of regular maintenance in order to preserve its look and function. At the same time you have to use caution with some cleaning procedures when dealing with various types of stone. However, if properly cared for an installation can last for decades. Liquids : The toughest challenge facing natural stone flooring is the fact that this material is porous, and contains thousands of tiny invisible holes in its surface. These can be an immediate pathway for liquids and water based staining agents to seep down into the tile, discoloring it dimensionally, or causing the growth of mold and mildew. The solution is to use two types of chemical sealant to protect your floors against water and stains. The first is a below surface treatment that will seep down into the pores of the stone, clogging them so that mois...

Cleaning bamboo flooring is relatively easy, as this material is naturally quite hard, and is more resistant to water damage than similar hardwood floors. However there are regular maintenance tasks that have to be performed periodically if you want to keep the bamboo looking its best. The following tips are general guidelines. However you always want to follow any manufacturer provided instructions when caring for a bamboo floor. You should also be familiar with the warranty, if any, that was provided with the floor so that you do not take actions that can void it. Dust, Dirt, and Grit: Regular Cleaning Procedures The main culprit in the deterioration of a bamboo floor is going to be tiny particles of dirt and sand that are tracked into the room from people’s shoes. When these tiny particles are walked on, they can dig down into the finish of the floor causing dents, divots, or even scratches, giving the bamboo a faded look. This can be prevented by regularly mopping, sweeping...

Is bamboo flooring durable? How does bamboo flooring durability stack up against other types of so-called wood flooring? Answer: It's easy to see why bamboo flooring might not be thought of as durable: it's not a wood. And it's mainly not the material itself that carries any of the qualities of hardness (or softness); it's the additives you use when producing bamboo flooring. So, bamboo flooring can be as soft as you want (900 Janka scale) to as hard as you want (5000 Janka). Confused? Good. Read on: Durability of Woods Vs. Grasses When you floor with hardwoods--hickory or walnut, for example, both high on the Janka hardness scale --you don't need to do anything to make the flooring harder. While sealing the wood does increase its durability, my estimate is that that the wood fiber itself is already carrying well over 95% of the durability. But bamboo is a grass. How does this work with flooring? Bamboo Flooring Durability: It's Not In the Plant ...

Within the entire history of windows, fiberglass frame windows are relatively new. Fiberglass windows are in many ways an improvement on wood and vinyl framed windows (and in some ways worse). Fiberglass' Advantages Over Vinyl or Wood Stronger than wood or vinyl. Less chances of warping. Fiberglass framed windows can be painted, unlike vinyl. "Greener" than vinyl or wood because fiberglass windows are made with about 60% glass, and glass can be recycled. Closer to the appearance of wood windows than vinyl windows. Unlike vinyl, fiberglass frame windows can be painted--if you want. Yet, unlike wood windows, it is not necessary to paint fiberglass windows. Considered more upscale than vinyl windows--better resale value. Not all fiberglass windows are made with recycled glass. We are only saying that fiberglass can potentially be made with recycled glass. Strength Is Biggest Selling Point You might think that strength is not a big issue. After all, ...

The hardness of wood flooring is measured by something call the Janka test. A .444 inch steel ball is driven into the wood in question to half of the ball's diameter. Kids and Dogs? Before buying and installing your wood floor, it really is necessary to look at the Janka test. Wood floor does get scratched and dented through normal use. On top of that, if you have kids or pets, you will have increased concerns about dents and scratches. For instance, Douglas Fir, has a Janka hardness rating of 660 and proves to be the softest wood on the list--terrible for hard use. At the top of the scale is Brazilian cherry with a rating of 2350. One wood that's off the charts is Brazilian Walnut, with a hardness rating of 3800. Problems With Hard Wood vs. Soft Wood While it may seem logical to pick the very hardest wood, keep these points in mind: Soft wood can be hardened to some degree by the application of polyurethene finishes. Hard wood is always much more expensive than ...

In recent years, natural stone has become a popular tiling design choice for bathrooms and kitchens. Once limited to high-end houses, natural stone has become much more affordable for even ordinary houses. In fact, it is easy to go to your local Home Depot or Lowe’s and find a big slab of granite and out front as an inducement to purchase granite countertops in your kitchen. 1.  It's Not As Resilient As You Think Most people, when they think of granite, believe that it is the ideal surface material. It is true that granite does a fairly good job of resisting staining, but still it is porous and does require frequent sealing. Granite is as dense as vitreous tile, so both have the same properties with respect to heat and water. 2.  Surface Appearance Can Vary Dramatically Because granite is a natural material, it does have a variegated surface appearance. It can be speckled or mottled, and even different granite tiles from the same box can differ substantially. Even t...

Common Names:  lettuce, cos, romaine Family:   Asteraceae/Compositae  (aster/daisy Family) Description Lettuce is a cool season annual with milky sap and glabrous (hairless) leaves that grow in a basal rosette at first, then either in a loose or a tightly rolled head, and eventually along an upright stem that supports the flowers. The dandelion-like flowerheads are pale yellow, less than 0.5 in (1.3 cm) across, and borne in dense clusters above the leaves on an erect branching stem. Lettuce is a composite, but it has only ray flowers. There are five main classes of lettuce. The crisp head or cabbage lettuces are the most popular lettuces in American supermarkets and restaurants. There are hundreds of cultivars, some of which form heads no larger than a tennis ball ('Tom Thumb', 'Mini Green') and are well suited for the home garden. Some are red ('Rosa', 'Rosy'). Typical "iceberg" type heading lettuces are 'Ithaca', the most widely...

Concrete Floors: Alternatives to Repair Concrete Floors Concrete floors could be repaired using one of three alternatives. From textured concrete to micro toppings, concrete floors could be altered with minimums alterations and no or reduced demolitions. These alternatives will present ideas on when to apply, and might take you to think outside of common solutions such as carpets, hardwood or any other cover over concrete floors. These alternatives shall be used either inside or over exterior concrete floors. Concrete Floors: When to Repair Concrete floors could be repaired when cracks are only on the surface, or it contains light cracks, commonly referred as hairline cracks. It is important to recognized whether concrete has settle or not, to determine the correct repair alternative. Some small contraction cracks could be covered by applying prime coats over the concrete floor. If the concrete floor to be repaired is heaving, has large wide cracks, or is damage due to freeze da...