Ceramic tile floors offer a very attractive and durable alternative to other floor finishes. They come in many different sizes and colors to match the décor of any room and they can provide years of maintenance-free use. Additionally, ceramic tiles are fairly easy to install. Ceramic tiles have one major prerequisite – you must have a smooth and rigid sub-floor to support the installation. Ceramic tiles are not flexible in the least, so they can crack if installed over a rough surface or thin...
Installing a chair rail will create a dramatic addition to any room. A chair rail is basically a piece of molding that runs along the middle of your room's perimeter. Not only does a chair rail protect your walls from furniture, but it can be a creative addition to your interior design, as well.
Taping drywall is almost an art form. It takes practice and a lot of patience. A good taper can hide any mistakes that were made in hanging the drywall. To finish drywall, you must tack into place corner bead to all corners. Then, apply joint compound to all seams, nail and screw holes and corners. When joint compound dries – it shrinks. Therefore, 3 coats of compound will be needed with sanding in between coats. For complete, step-by-step instructions for this DIY project, watch this friendl...
Applying topcoat is the final step in successfully refinishing your furniture piece. Water-Based Polyurethane Topcoats are strong, durable and are favored because they dry crystal clear, allowing the beauty of the wood grain to show.
Vinyl wall base molding is an easy-to-install substitute for wood baseboard molding. In areas that you have installed a vinyl or carpeted floor, vinyl wall base molding is a very decorative and functional option for surrounding the room perimeter. You have several color choices that can provide a nice accent to the colors and design of the entire room. Because it is pliable and resilient, it is easy to install and resistant to scuffs and scrapes that can occur over time. Ideal applications ar...
While concrete driveways look nice when they are new, over time the concrete can chip, crack and crumble. Cracks and potholes form due to the freezing and thawing of water that has seeped under the driveway through smaller cracks, weed or grass growth in small cracks, and general wear and tear. Regular maintenance will prevent the need to replace the existing driveway. This is usually easy to do and requires up to a half day to complete depending on the condition and size of your repairs. For...
A pond can add a dramatic, yet tranquil touch to your yard or garden. Your pond can be constructed in many different sizes and shapes, all which can reflect a part of you. Installing a pond may take a little time and effort, but if done right the result will be enjoyed for many years to come. This article will show you in easy steps how to add this water feature to your backyard. Springtime is the best time to install a pond as you can start planting and stocking your pond immediately after y...
Do you want to level a steep slope on your property or enclose an area for a decorative garden? Building a concrete block retaining wall is easier than you may think.
Welcome to Minecraft World! Check out our tutorials, post to the community corkboard, and come play on our free server!
This week saw the release of Gears of War 3's most extensive DLC to date: RAAM's Shadow. Having played the first hour or so of the single-player component, I have to say that it is very good. The story serves as a prequel to the first game in the series, taking place right after Emergence Day. While it's a little pricey at 1200 MSP (or $15 in actual money), the amount of content you get in RAAM's Shadow makes up for the initial investment. It's also one of the best Xbox 360-exclusive DLCs out...
If you happened to be watching Brazil vs. Portugal, you might have noticed something weird in keeper Julio Cesar's back after he and Meirelles collided. It was some kind of steel rod support for his injured back. According to FIFA article 4, it's illegal for players to wear any kind of equipment that can be dangerous to the player wearing it or to others. This is the reason players can't wear chains around their necks, or rings in their fingers, since these things can get caught with other pl...
Color On The Walls By: Teresa Duarte Once Upon a time there was a un'corn
There are only so many things you can store in the refrigerator, especially if you are sharing it with other people. So, what are some things you absolutely have to store in the refrigerator? And what are some things you can get away with storing at room temperature on your pantry shelves?
Lady Gaga made an appearance at this year's CES to present what she claims to be "the camera of the future": a pair of photo and video capturing sunglasses, designed by Gaga for Polaroid. Though more of a novelty gadget than a useful camera, the GL20 camera glasses could potentially turn your face into a real life facebook feed.
Serious Eats' latest Meet and Eat features Todd Barricklow, creator of the Taco Bike, an eco-friendly alternative to the fast growing food truck industry. The 200+ pound bike is equipped with a propane tank, three sectioned griddle, water tank, heat exchanger, wash sink, wastewater hold, ice holder and sectioned food area, trash can, napkin holder, table, money drop, chopping boards and more.
You can get Alien Swarm for free on Steam starting today. Alien Swarm is a 4 person co-op adventure with an updated Source engine and the ability to create custom levels. Think of this as a top view Left 4 Dead or Killing Floor, but with aliens. Too bad they are not zombie aliens, but it's a free game so we can't complain.
via Cracked Think Disney came up with all those fairytales on its own? No way. The Mouse House single-handedly ripped off dozens of classic tales, turning adult fare into kid-friendly cartoons!
Cobbled together from thousands of empty cigarette packs, this electric-powered vehicle puts the "car" in carcinogen. Looking suspiciously like something the China National Tobacco Corporation would commission as part of an advertising campaign, the Bugatti Veyron-style auto is actually meant to discourage smoking. The English-language version of the People's Daily offers the following explanation:
LA's Green Compassionate Music Festival World Fest is a solar powered celebration of music, the environment, animals and humanity. The event promotes things we can do to help the earth and its inhabitants.
Cyclists and unknowing vehicle participants "collaborated" on a public guerilla graffiti art piece in Berlin this last week.
After you have your PlayStation 3, you should set up your PlayStation Network account so you can fully benefit from PS3 games. In this video walkthrough, tour everything game related for download onto your PS3. Discover exclusive titles, demos, themes and add-ons to enhance your gaming experience. The PlayStation Store is a simple, user-friendly interface that's easy to use. Download games on your PS3 from the PlayStation Store.
Want a tattoo that's daytime work-safe (invisible), but nighttime party-friendly (UV blacklight)? At first sight it may be hard to believe these tattoos are real, but in fact, they are. UV light tattoos are the perfect way to hide it from mom.
"Skimboarding in a Storm" displays some ultra cool camerawork, employing the relatively cheap and user friendly GoPro camera (also used in the clever Kitchen Timer Panning Time Lapse Hack).
Tim Fishlock’s piece entitled What Watt? showcases 1,243 suspended retired light bulbs, the center illuminated by one low-energy fluorescent bulb. Beautiful eco-friendly design.
Castile soap is named for Castile, Spain, and is traditionally made from locally produced olive oil from the region. In current times, Castile soap refers to a category of soap that is made from 100 percent plant-based oils and does not include chemical detergents, making it a completely natural, biodegradable, and environmental-friendly product.
Do you use disposable wipes for cleaning dusty tables, dirty windows or removing make-up? Ditch the chemically-loaded store brands and make your own cheaper, non-toxic and super-easy DIY wipes at home.
Hate germs and hate spending money on expensive hand sanitizer bottles? With a few simple ingredients and a little extra time, you can whip up your own all-natural, DIY hand sanitizer that will make your hands feel squeaky clean anytime and anywhere.
Kool-Aid, the flavored mix powder, commonly used to make sugary and fruity cold drinks in the summertime, is also unexpectedly useful around the home to clean your rusty dishwasher, remove rust stains from concrete, and check to see if your toilet tank is leaking.
This may not be something MacGyver would make, but it would be if he was dropped into the Death Star with a horde of Imperial stormtroopers hot on his trail. Especially if he found himself temporarily trapped in the trash compactor with some friendly Jedis, because this DIY lightsaber is made of pretty much all junk. Surely, he'd be able to find all of the parts, which include a broken camera lens, old hard drives, chrome pipe, film canister, busted microphone, and rubber mat. Some of the par...
Dutch designer Anneke Jakobs created this recycled Chiquita banana box chandelier while a student at the Utrecht School of Product Design.
Jem Stansfield from BBC's Bang Goes the Theory has "put scientific theory to the test" with his Vortex Cannon. Filmed at 1300-fps, you can see the cannon knock down three different houses made of straw, stick, and brick with an explosive vortex ring.
Finally! Counting down the days to a paperless (and errand free) banking system. Both no-hassle and eco-friendly, USAA bank has released an iPhone application that allows its customers to deposit their checks via iPhone. The process is simple: photograph both sides of the check, hit send, and void, file or discard the paper trail.
Defy logic and gravity with this quick magic-science illusion. All you need is lighter fluid, a bowl and some bubble solution. The butane gas from the lighter sinks to the bottom of the bowl, below the oxygen. The bubbles then float in the oxygen atop the heavy butane creating a magical hover effect!
The lemon battery has a rich history in many elementary science classes as a great example of an electrochemical reaction.
How to train a cat to use a toilet - really. I could not invent this stuff. When I first saw this video, I knew my life would never be quite the same. This ranks up there with the invention of electricity or the discovery or DNA. Now, I don't need to smell that litter. I don't have to change it. I don't have to buy it in the store anymore.
Our favorite (clever, scantily clad, and South American) HowTo vixen GiannyL has yet another use for burnt out old light bulbs. Christmas tree ornaments! Eco-friendly, yet elegant, Gianny's latest craft trick makes a tired and boring tree pop!
Best quotes: "A supply of tea with milk and sugar would be nice. If it is tea I really like, I like it without milk and sugar. With milk and sugar, any kind of tea is fine. I always bring tea bags with me, so if we use my tea bags, I will certainly like that tea without milk or sugar.
He may have just started his teenage years, but Laurence Rock's future is looking pretty good after inventing an ingenious doorbell device called Smart Bell. He's already sold 20,000 units to telecoms giant Commtel Innovate, and is securing a second deal with an unidentified company that will land him £250,000. That's over $400,000!
What is it about the fantasy of the treehouse? Escapism. Other worldly, bird-like elevation. Beauty and peacefulness. Backwoods simplicity (although in some cases, truly elaborate works of fine architecture). Whatever the draw is, I'm dying to have my own treehouse in the woods, and I'd gladly take any of the examples below.
Have you ever browsed the web, watched a video, then wanted to download it? Well, there's a fabulous program that does just that, simply and easily. It's called VideoCacheView by NirSoft. The program basically extracts the FLV video directly from your browser's temporary folders. It's very user-friendly, and great for downloading virtually any online video.
