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A century ago, and for about 400,000 years before that, most people burned wood to stay warm. Then the arrival of oil- and gas-fired central boilers and furnaces liberated them from the toil, mess and smoke. Today, fluctuating prices, a desire for independence and a new generation of clean, efficient stoves have attracted homeowners like Richards to a flourishing back-to-basics home-heating movement. Annual shipments of pellet stoves, which burn biomass in the form of compressed sawdust from lumber mills or managed forests, jumped from 18,360 to 141,211 units between 1999 and 2008, a 650 percent increase. Large-scale installations include Vermont’s Bennington College, which uses a wood-chip-fueled biomass boiler to heat 85 percent of its campus.
Viance. Ecolife is a nonmetallic preservative plus wood stabilizer system that offers long-term protection against decay and termites and provides weathering protection to reduce cracking, warping, and splitting in above-ground applications. The manufacturer says Ecolife is no more corrosive to fasteners and metal fittings than untreated wood, so it can be used in direct contact with aluminum. The product can be used on a wide range of treatable species, can be painted or stained, and comes with a lifetime limited warranty.
So when you install pressure treated, flat sawn, wood decking, do you face the bark side up (left in photo) or bark side down (right in photo)? Ask ten people and half will likely say ‘bark-side-up,’ a few will say ‘bark-side-down’ and the rest will shrug their shoulders. For some direction, we can turn to wood scientists – they actually study stuff like this.
But who cares and what do we hope to gain by orienting deck boards a particular way? The objectives for orienting the decking bark side up or down are to minimize cupping (which leaves raised edges for feet to catch on), reduce splitting (AKA ‘checking’), diminish the chance for rot and have fewer splinters.
Do you want your old trim to look fresh, smooth and crisp after you’ve painted it? These tips show you how the pros do it. They’re DIY friendly, so you can prep your trim yourself and still get professional-looking results.
Cottage Life handyman Wayne Lennox talks about materials, design features, and building tips for your very own outdoor shower.
The second the sun goes away, out comes the umbrellas and the raincoats and the Wellies. And with them a lot of messy wetness that can warp hardwood floors and stain your best rugs. Short of forcing your family to disrobe on the front stoop, your best bet is to create a stopping area just inside the door where everyone can leave the weather behind.
Applying semi transparent deck stain is an ideal way to add color to your patio as well as protect it. Being aware of the various tips and hints that can be followed during the process of applying the stain will ensure that you achieve a decent result.
Tip #1 – Preparation
In order to ensure that the stain takes properly, it will be necessary to prepare the surface in readiness of accepting the solution. In addition to sweeping up any dirt and debris that may be present on the deck, take some time to give it a more thorough cleaning. If you do not have a pressure washer, a scrubbing brush will be sufficient. Pay particular attention to any marks on the surface as this can result in voids in the stain if they are not taken care of. If any stains have seeped into the wood of the deck, rectify this by gently resurfacing the affected sections with sandpaper. Ensure that you wipe away any resultant dust after this process before beginning to apply any stain.
General FAQ’s
Why does wood need to be protected with preservatives?
How long will treated wood last?
How much weight does treatment add to the weight of wood?
Why is treated wood green?
Why can’t I burn my wood scraps?
What should I use to apply to the cut ends of my boards?
Can I use treated wood inside?
Where can I learn more about the safety and environmental aspects of CCA treated wood?
Installation & Maintenance FAQ’s
What type nails or screws do you recommend?
How long do I need to wait before I paint, stain, etc. my deck?
What do you recommend I use to paint, stain, etc. my deck?
Someone told me not to use concrete to set my posts – that it would void the warranty.
How do I remove the grade stamp from my deck?
What do you recommend I use to clean my deck?
Wood Preservative FAQ’s
What preservatives are used to treat pressure-treated wood?
What is CCA?
What is ACQ?
What treatment and retention level should I use for above-ground applications?
What treatment and retention level should I use for ground-contact applications?
What treatment and retention level should I use for freshwater contact?
You’ve been hanging around the lumber yards lately because you need wood for one of your do-it-yourself projects. You haven’t settled on one type of wood yet, but in talking to experts and other homeowners, something has stuck in your ear. OSB. You’ve heard this acronym around town. What is it, you ask? While it is a widely used acronym, specifically for ocean groups and religious organizations, for our purposes OSB stands for oriented strand board.
If you have an unfinished basement, a garage or a storage shed, you can store much more in it if you have shelves. Built-in shelves are great, but if you’re renting or want the flexibility to rearrange the shelving units, you might want to make some free-standing shelves. Here’s a simple method for building some inexpensive storage shelves — and you can build them without power tools.
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