Friday, September 30, 2011

Low Cost Kitchen Remodeling

Thinking of remodeling your kitchen but do not have enough budget? Different alternatives and cheaper options now make it possible.

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Most people who remodel their kitchen want everything new and to have it done professionally: but neither is really necessary for your kitchen to have a fresh new look. If your kitchen furniture and appliances are not outdated or broken you can still make use of them. Cleaning may be all that is needed for them to look almost as good as new...

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Your kitchen cabinets can still be used as long as they are not marred or broken. For a new look, paint them with a new color. A brighter color might be a good choice to give your kitchen a fresh look.

You can opt to have laminate countertops and vinyl floors installed instead of the more expensive synthetic tiles and granite materials. These alternative materials can look just as elegant as their expensive counterparts.

For a brighter kitchen, consider changing your lighting fixtures. Fluorescent fixtures are one choice and the bulbs now less expensive than in the past.

As for the kitchen appliances, as long as they still serve their purpose, it is best to keep them. If you think that they are not energy efficient and you want to purchase new ones try to find appliance sales or consider second-hand appliances. Just be alert and patient and you will find new or used appliances at a bargain price. Another viable option might be garage or moving sales in your area.

Online auctions can also be a source. Many people sell through online auctions. Extra precaution is needed when participating and bidding in these auctions. Before you try to bid on an appliance that interests you, do some research and determine if the seller is legitimate. Check for feedback from other users about the seller. You may want to think twice if there is negative feedback for that seller.

These are just some suggestions on how you can have a remodeled kitchen for less money. Something that looks good need not be expensive. There are always cheaper alternatives to almost anything.

Low Cost Kitchen Remodeling

Bill McRea is the publisher of "Interior Design on A Budget – How to Tips and Tricks" 15 separate lessons to help the novice know just how to start their new interior designing efforts. Take a look at what is included

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New Home Interior Design Ideas

Many interior design students want to get into new home interior design. It is a fun career with lots of interaction with people. When people purchase a new home, they immediately want to start on designing. This is where the educated interior designer comes in handy. They will instruct their clients that major re-design could affect your decorating for years to come. If you choose a bold color for the walls, will your furniture be coordinated? Alternatively, do you have to purchase new furniture? Many people will paint their walls a neutral color and then alter their design plans later. It is easy to get carried away when all you see are large open empty rooms. Try working on one room at a time, that way you can blend one room into another.

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Students will learn all aspects of new home interior design such as wallpapering is not as popular as it once was as many people have found that removing wallpaper is not a pleasant task. Instead of wallpaper for your new home interior design, choose a creative wall finish such as faux finishing, sponging or stenciling. These types of finish will add texture to your walls. In addition, they are easier to change than wallpaper. If you really must use wallpaper, try using just a border.

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New home interior design can involve simple tips and or tricks that all students will learn. Such as for a small room, try a light wall color. For a large room try contrasting colors and textures. When you are ready to accessorize try using accent colors to really make the room modern and pleasing to the eye.
Placing of mirrors and wall hangings such as pictures and art will go a long way in completing your new home interior design plans. However, do not over clutter the walls. Establish some key focal points around the room that will complement the overall design of your room.

The room sizes of your new home will likely be different from your previous home. Thus, it is important to plan the design themes of your new home. Get a tape measure, start measuring the dimensions of the rooms, and measure your furniture and even the doorways. You may find that the box spring will not go up the winding staircase thus causing you to create a main floor bedroom. New home interior design can be fun but also stressful and expensive for the client, so it is up to the designer to stay within the allotted budget and also provide an excellent service.

New Home Interior Design Ideas

Looking for interior design ideas for your new home? Use our site as a valuable reference point for New Home Interior Design Ideas.
by T.D. Houser

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The Benefits of Interior Design Software

When it comes to designing a new room or redesigning an existing one, it pays to take the time to draw out the dimensions, place appliances, furniture and fittings and make sure you have the space, the right look and the right layout. The reason for this is that it will save you both time and money later when you come to actually make the changes.

6 panel interior doors

It used to be that you - or your interior designer - had to use a sheet of graph paper to draw the dimensions of the room, add the locations of doors and windows and which way they opened, then sketch the location of items that would go into the room. This, of course, led to tens if not hundreds of redraws, a huge waste of time and paper!

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The smart interior designer would draw the plan of the room and then use cut outs of items to scale to place onto the plan, thus saving the redrawing effort, but again this took time.

Thankfully, with the rapid development of computers and software, all this has been done away with. It is still important to take the time to plan a room design so that you don't waste money down the road, but that time has been drastically cut with the creation and evolution of interior design software.

Using sophisticated 3D CAD drawings it is now possible to plan out the room in all its dimensions, including height, place windows and doors more realistically and then begin placing furniture, fixtures and fittings. You can even use it to choose colour schemes by altering the colour of the walls, ceiling, carpet, even the furniture you plan to put in it.

You can then use the software to view the layout and design from any angle, including as if you were in the room itself. This has the added benefit of allowing you to see what a room would look like as you enter through a door, look through a window or even sit on a chair or sofa! Powerful stuff!

Such is the power of interior design software that it has been adopted as a selling tool by kitchen designers and fitters, bathroom designers and fitters, as well as interior designers themselves. When they can show a customer how a room will look and alter things by request, in real time, the chances of getting a sale are hugely increased.

It's good for the customer too, as they are far more likely to get the final product - be it a kitchen, bathroom, bedroom or any other room - that they wanted.

Software companies have seen this and there are now specially developed packages like kitchen design software and bathroom design software, all containing the power of 3D computer aided design.

The development of this market has not only seen the capabilities of this type of software improve massively, but it has also seen the cost of purchasing the software fall, allowing interior design companies of all sizes, large and small, to provide the same level of service to customers.

As 3D CAD software continues to evolve the possibilities for companies and consumers alike to save time and money by creating as realistic representations of final finished rooms only gets better.

The Benefits of Interior Design Software

Ian Grainger is writing on behalf of Nexus Design Software, developers of kitchen design software, bathroom design software and bedroom design software.

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Thursday, September 29, 2011

Door Handles Or Style Statements?

Once we walk into a door, it is the least thought about aspect and even when we think of doors we seldom think about door handles. Unless the handles are broken or are malfunctioning we do not give them much thought. However, thinking of them we realize that door handles serve a lot more than just opening or closing of the doors. They can be style statements.

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If we start choosing the door handles, we face up many different styles, and usages. A lot of thought needs to go into choosing door handles, in fact a lot of though goes into choosing them, just it happens unknowingly. The door handles would need to be applied depending on the location of the door in the house. One needs to think about where does the door open and how many times is it opened? The handles should be chosen according to the usage of the door and also the users of the door. The size, material and shape needs to be thought after according to the user. Every door in the house may have a different quality and every room might have been decorated with a unique theme. Door handles could be chosen as a coordinated theme in different colors or could be chosen according to the theme of the room. The handles should be chosen according to the heaviness and size of the door as well. For the front doors which might be heavy and large a heavy and thick door handlers should be used. The placement of the handles on the doors also needs to be thought about. For the kids rooms and cupboards the handles could be placed a little lower for their reach and comfort. Also the placements of the door handles - especially of the cupboards - might give a unique feel to the whole look of the room.

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Some more basic things needs to be considered while choosing the door handles are how often the door is used - opened and closed. Like bathroom doors at home may not be used as often as room, cupboard and main front doors. Hence a more delicate design and material could be used there. While considering toilets at public places door handlers with indications might be of help. We also have to consider which side the door is pushed from and pulled from to keep in mind the force and hence the durability of the door handles. The users' lifestyle habits need to be considered. Some people have a habit of applying force while opening and closing the doors. Where there is a lot of traffic through the doors, its best to use the automated door closers and handlers for ease of use and smoother operations as well as hygiene.

Like we have a choice for using the type of material to use for making our doors, we also have matching range of door handles available. Whether it is the metal, wood or wrought iron you use, each have different designs, shapes and sizes to choose from.

Door handles could be used in combination of door knockers. The designs and concepts available today create a whole look to welcome the guests and prepare them for a feel and look of the space behind the doors.

Door Handles Or Style Statements?

Terrys Fabrics retail in ready made curtains, curtain fabric and made to measure curtains, all of which are available for UK delivery.

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Selecting Patio Door Window Treatments

Whether you are looking to cover French doors, sliding glass doors, or other types of doors that lead out to the patio, you will want to dress them in style with just the perfect patio door window treatments.

louvered interior doors

The thing to think about when selecting the perfect window covering for these doors is that you want to let the light from the patio in, so you will perhaps choose a sheer style to do this. In the evening, however, you do not want others to see inside your home through the patio doors, so the covering should be more effective that way.

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There are several types of window coverings for your patio doors that will be effective either way. For instance, you can use blinds, whether vertical fabric blinds, or wooden mini blinds, or anything in between. This way you can pull up the blind when you want to let the sun shine in, and you can lower and close the blind for privacy. You will also find blackout curtains in case you wanted to keep the light out completely. This would be ideal if you had a door from your bedroom that goes out to the patio, and you wanted to sleep in, for instance.

You can also find full-length curtains in many fabrics that will offer a beautiful look, let in the light, and also give you privacy. If you are handy with a sewing machine, you can visit your local fabric store to see the endless selection of fabrics that will suffice in this way. And you may even match that fabric making other window treatments to offset your patio door treatment.

The choices continue with shutters, roman shades, pleated shades, faux wood blinds, panel track blinds, sheers, bamboo, and other draperies.

If you live in a place that has all four seasons, for the winter months you may want to invest in vertical cellular shades. These are also called honeycomb shades. Or you can buy heavier insulated curtains. Both of these choices will keep the cooler air out and save on your heating bills.

If you live in a place that is usually very sunny, solar shades may be the right choice for you, as they will screen out ultraviolet rays, as well as glare. They come in a variety of patterns for your own taste and compliment any room, whether your patio doors come out from the bedroom, the living room, or a deck.

When measuring, you will want to consider whether to start from the top of the door, or just beyond it. If you are looking to hide the gap between the ceiling and the door frame, there are many options you can choose, one of which is the ceiling mount vertical blind.

And if you have a sidelight alongside your patio door, do not forget a treatment to match this, as well. If you have trouble with the installation of these treatments, or you have just never done it before, your local home and building supply center will gladly install them, often for free. They can, of course also measure the door for you and assist you in choosing just the right patio door window treatments for your home.

Selecting Patio Door Window Treatments

Searching for patio door window treatments is easy and quick. You can shop online and save on window treatments for patio doors.

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Faux Wood Blinds - A Great Alternative To Wood Blinds

Creating a warm, relaxing, yet elegant home decor is the goal of nearly every homeowner. Arguably, one of the biggest ways to improve your home's interior is with wood window blinds. These blinds instantly create a welcoming message to your family and guests as well. The biggest problem for many is the cost of wood blinds, but thankfully there is a solution to this with faux wood blinds. Here is what you need to know about this inexpensive alternative.

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Of course, you can always utilize curtains, drapes or even plastic blinds over your windows, but there is something very special about the look of wood blinds. They come available in all types of styles and sizes. For those hard to fit windows you can even have custom wood blinds made. If your budget is tight then faux wood blinds can be used instead.

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Faux wood blinds are actually made out of wood materials in addition to vinyl or a combination of both. Their appearance is so life-like that it can be extremely difficult for most people to actually see the difference with these types of blinds.

Why use faux wood blinds?

Naturally, the biggest reason for using faux wood blinds is the reduced cost involved. You will typically save up to 50% off the cost of real wood blinds with faux counterparts. This is substantial depending on the number of windows in your home.

Another big reason has nothing to with cost, but with your home's location. Do you live in an area that is subject to extremely high humidity year round? Or are you looking for blinds that will stand up to the humidity in a bathroom? Well, wood blinds are very susceptible to moisture and can warp or swell quite easily. This is where faux wood blinds make for a perfect alternative.

You can find faux wood window blinds at home stores as well as home improvement centers such as Lowes and Home Depot. Another great place to search out these blinds is right online. There are many websites that specialize in all types of blinds and window coverings.

Once you purchase your blinds you can easily install them yourself in most all cases. All the necessary hardware and instructions are included with your blinds.

So, if you are looking for blinds that closely resemble wood, but come at a lower cost, faux wood blinds may be just what you are looking for.

Faux Wood Blinds - A Great Alternative To Wood Blinds

By the way, you can learn more about Faux Wood Blinds as well as more information on everything to do with wood blinds by visiting http://www.WoodBlindsA-z.com

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Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Water For Gas Reviews, Does HHO Work in Cars? - The Truth About HHO Fuel Systems!

HHO fuel has been quite popular in the media lately, and for good reason. With fuel prices skyrocketing in Canada, the US and especially Europe, consumers are desperately looking for some sort of relief at the gas pumps. As I write this, average gas prices are surpassing .00 per gallon in the US, .40 per litre in Canada (.32 per gallon) and a whopping £1.25 per litre (.50 per gallon) in England!

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Needless to say, something needs to be done about this. And soon. In the meantime, what can we, as individuals do to decrease our own fuel expenses? Well, there are a number of options, really. If money is no object, you could buy a new hybrid or electric vehicle. (Of course, if money is no object, why are you worrying about rising fuel costs?) If you live in an urban area with a good public transportation system, then you could certainly start taking the bus or train. For the rest of us...alternative fuel sources, such as Hybrid Hydrogen Oxygen (HHO), are our best bet.

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Converting your car to run water along with gas is an environmentally friendly way to increase your fuel mileage and save money on gas while reducing your vehicle's emissions.

Installing an HHO system in your vehicle can increase your car's mileage up to 30% - 50%. For the average person, that adds up to anywhere from 00 to 00 savings per year!

How Does It Work?

Installing an HHO kit in your car is surprisingly easy. The materials you need can be found at your local Home Depot, Lowes, or neighbourhood hardware store. There are a few different installation manuals available online, each of which we have reviewed on our site, Water for Gas Reviews. The manuals range in price from to and the materials won't cost you any more that or .

There are no modifications necessary to the car's computer or engine, and the HHO system does not interfere or damage your car in any way. In a nutshell, converting your car to run water consists of placing a quart-sized container of distilled water and sodium bicarbonate under the hood. 12 volts of electricity powers the system (from your battery), a vacuum is created, and HHO gas is generated and pushed into the carburetor.

Conclusion

As I said earlier, something needs to be done about the rising fuel prices on a national or perhaps even a global level. Converting our cars and trucks to a water car system is obviously not the solution to a global problem. It is, however, a viable solution in the short-term until cars that run on 100% water, air, solar power, or other power sources become readily available mass-market.

Using a water4gas system is an easy affordable way to lighten the load on your wallet, the environment and your vehicle.

Water For Gas Reviews, Does HHO Work in Cars? - The Truth About HHO Fuel Systems!

Visit Water for Gas Reviews for reviews and recommendations on the top HHO Gas Systems available today.

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Selling a House - Best Renovations for The Money (Part 2)

In my first article "Selling a House - Best Renovations for the Money (Part 1)", I described how to maximize your house value with "best bang for the buck" interior renovations. The second article is going to provide details about another very important element in the house selling business - the exterior. A curb appeal or lack thereof can be a real deal killer. Would you like to enter a house with a dirty front door, paint chipping off the window frames or junk lying all around the front yard? No, didn't think so. I'll show you how you can bring your house's curb appeal up to a whole new level at a very reasonable cost.

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Part 2 - Exterior

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1. Front door
Start by buying a new door mat from your local home improvement store. This should not cost more than but makes a great first impression. Once the new door mat is taken care of, analyze carefully how you can improve the looks of the door itself. Your first option should always be to wash, clean and scrub to give it a beautiful new look. If this is not enough, have the door repainted. Go with simple colors that make a statement. Sometimes a red front door is the last touch your house needs to make it stand out. Another option is to choose a color that blends in well, i.e. matches your rain gutters and window frames. Assess your own situation based on what's needed, but remember to stick to basic colors.

2. House numbers
Replace the old house numbers with brand new ones from Lowes or Home Depot. Consider also painting the numbers on the sidewalk if your city has them. Many local companies do this for as little as .

3. Driveway
Your local home improvement store sells several driveway paint and wash products that can make a lasting impact on your house. Do your very best in cleaning the driveway from old brake dust, oil and other tough stains before applying the new paint/coat on it.

4. Stucco/Siding
Your fist step should be to pressure wash the exterior of the house. Get rid of all cob webs, stains, dirt and rust that a pressure washer can take care of before assessing what else the exterior needs. If you don't have your own pressure washer, ask your neighbors or go borrow one from the closest hardware store that rents construction equipment/tools.

Once everything is clean, it's easy to determine what parts of the exterior need extra treatment. If you decide to paint the exterior, make sure you also paint rain gutters, trim, stucco and everything else on the exterior. Avoid painting only parts of the exterior as color matching might become an issue if you don't have the old color codes anymore. Painting is a larger project and it needs to be done well. If you don't feel comfortable with this, hire a professional who can help you with color matching and gives recommendations.

5. Roof
Older roofs can sometimes look worse than their actual condition is due to dirt, mold or even a few missing shingles. Don't think this automatically means you need to replace the roof. A lot can be done by replacing the missing shingles or fixing the flashing around chimneys. You can get rid of the mold by spraying a specific solution that takes care of the problem. However, make sure you understand the environmental aspects of all chemicals before using any of them. Many environmentally safe solutions can still be harmful to your plants.

6. Landscaping
If your budget does not allow new plants or new grass, make sure you mow the existing lawn and kill all the weeds. A front lawn that hasn't been watered for weeks or months is still ok as long it has been mowed and it does not look neglected. Another option is to cover spots of the old lawn with gravel or mulch that gives your front yard a little bit of variation and makes it feel updated.

7. Mailbox
Buy a new mailbox. This is a small investment (-30) but is often the first thing people see about a house. Money well spent.

Source: http://ejbuyshomes.com/Contact_Us.html

Selling a House - Best Renovations for The Money (Part 2)

http://ejbuyshomes.com

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The Liberty Safe Flexible Interior

The Liberty Safe company has been around for just over 20 years, and in that short time has seen phenomenal growth by offering an outstanding product. They have become an industry leader thorough innovation. Among some of these are HiSecurity Composite doors and unique bolt locking systems. But they didn't settle for just making safes more secure and fire resistant, they also wanted to make a Liberty safe more versatile and user friendly. They accomplished this in 1998 with the patented 4-in-1 Flex Interior.

louvered interior doors

In simple terms, this interior is aptly described by its name. It is one flexible safe interior with four different options. By using a flexible interior, most safes ship with the same basic set up, and then you, as the user, can determine what configuration works best for your needs.

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The basic layout of the safe is a vertical divider in the middle of the safe that starts at the bottom and extends about 2/3 up. On each side of the divider are 3 shelves (the last shelf being on top, the lower two adjustable) and though the top one can look like one full size shelf, it is two separate pieces. Above this is a full size shelf with cut outs along the front or side. On the larger model safes that are taller (models 40 and above) there is an additional top shelf. The four possible configurations are called: Executive, Sportsman, EZ-Access and Collector. Lets take a look at each of these Liberty safe options and who would use each one.

The Executive. As its name implies, an executive may want to use this safe. Someone with a lot of important documents, collectibles, valuables and other smaller items. This set up is basically as described above, all shelves. Perfect for the home that does not use rifles.

The Sportsman. Again, as implied, this set up is good for a sportsman since it provides rows of slots to hold long guns. How is this possible? You simply remove the lower two adjustable shelves on the left side, and the shelf cover of the third shelf up, which exposes the long gun slots. Since the shelf above it has a cut out, this allow for any extra long guns to fit into the safe.

EZ-Access. To achieve this set up, you do the same as for the Sportsman, but on the right hand side of the safe. However, when you remove the shelf cover on this side, instead of rows of slots, you expose easily accessible slots that are in a U-shape for your long guns. Again, this model is aptly named, also for the long gun enthusiast, but for someone who wants to be able to access his rifles quickly and easily.

The Collector. You guessed it, this set up is for the long gun collector. You simply combine the Sportsman and EZ-Access by removing the shelves and exposing the gun slots on both sides of the safe for maximum long gun capacity.

Like most safe manufacturers, Liberty Safe has different series available. The 4-in-1 Flex Interior can be found on the Franklin Series. The Centurion and Colonial Series safes ship with the 3-in-1 Flex Interior. These interior options are the same as mentioned above, but can only be configured for the Sportsman, EZ-Access and Collector options.

So, if the interior layout of a safe is important to you, then a Liberty safe could be a great option. It allows you the flexibility to change as you grow older. You can have more or less long guns and keep them safe because the safe interior will adapt to your changing needs.

The Liberty Safe Flexible Interior

MJ is a freelance writer for Clickshops, Inc. where you can find the perfect Liberty safe for your home or office at gunsafes.com. If you want a quality safe, you want a Liberty safe!

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Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Folding Door Walls - For Residential and Commercial Use

There are good numbers of people those are looking for great ways to renovate their homes of offices. Certainly, there are different types of things that can make your home look beautiful, keeping the elegance fresh. But choosing the right one can be difficult for anyone. Lots of people think that decorating their homes with antique pieces will make their room gorgeous. Well, if you are thinking so, then you are absolutely wrong. One of the smartest ways to make your home interior and exterior look wonderful is by implementing folding door walls.

interior doors prehung

Today, these screens have become a great way to make your home look outstanding. There are good numbers of stores in your market those are selling all types of door walls. Well, to grab the right one, you just need to do research. One of the best places, where you can get all types of folding walls is the online arena. The Internet is one of the right places, where you can get all types of latest folding door walls. You can get different designs of door walls those comes in all shapes, sizes and colors. There are also custom size folding door walls for every type of acrylic sliding glass window; whether it may be big or small. For the horizontal blinds you may install hold down brackets, as well as for the roman shades a few people make use of Velcro. You might as well find your solution. While it comes to styling the home, the screen doors are very important. Not just that, however it is simple to fix them on own in case need comes up. Also, it is good to open doors on nice, hot day as well as let air flow through house and it saves money & gives nice level of the comfort. There are many options whenever you begin shopping for the screens and they are generally known for not seeing all that great, however there are a lot of options that there must be not any excuse to decorate the entire home in the style not only everything but door.

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These doors are best for residential and commercial use. Many big hotels, restaurants, shopping malls, and cyber café are using door walls. It will keep the structure of your home safe, without breaking the space. It is true that everyone is highly concerned about space, when they are looking for some unique door walls. If you are having the same desire, then folding door walls are right for your home or office. In the Internet, you can get online stores those are selling all types of folding door in an affordable price. Well, this could be a great opportunity for you to save money and also time. Obviously, this is the combination door and it may save you time, money, as well as space & look gorgeous as well.

Folding Door Walls - For Residential and Commercial Use

folding door walls
Interior Glass Sliding Doors

Today, these screens have become a great way to make your home look outstanding. There are good numbers of stores in your market those are selling all types of door walls.

INTERIOR DOORS

Where to Buy Interior Sliding Doors From

The things that you have in your home have to be purchased before you will be able to enjoy using them. This is why it is important that you are able to determine the best places that you can purchase the doors that you really want from. You will be able to get the selection of interior sliding doors that you are looking for whether you are looking for designer panels or you are looking for DIY kits. Best of all, you will be able to get the doors that you want for your closet and other rooms in your home at the price that you can afford.

interior doors home depot

There are a few different ways that you can get the doors you are looking for. You can buy them from home improvement stores which sell a bulk of these kinds of doors. You can also purchase through such companies as are available online. This way, whether you are looking for French doors interior or some other kind of door, you will be able to find the one that you really want to have at the price which makes the most sense to your budget.

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Buying from Home Improvement Stores

The stores in your area sell everything from Stanley products to the parts that you will need to repair the doors you might already have installed in your home. You will be able to try out the handles as well as to see how easily the panels slide on the rails. Best of all, you will be able to find many different DIY kits seeing as this is the crowd that these kinds of stores are geared towards. You can get the doors which include interior doors with glass and more. This way you can get exactly the look that you are going for in your home.

Buying Online

Whether you are looking to buy interior or exterior doors for your home, you will be able to find what you are looking for when you go online. You can find everything you need from companies like Stanley to the designer doors which normally cost a lot of money. With so many to choose from, you will be able to get the exact look that you want while still being able to get the price that you are looking for. You will be glad that you took your time when selecting the best interior sliding doors for your home.

Where to Buy Interior Sliding Doors From

Want more important information on curing your interior sliding doors?

Please visit:

http://www.squidoo.com/interior-sliding-doors-handles-rails-parts-cheap

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Painting Business - 13 Point Checklist of Essential Tools Most Needed to Start a Painting Business

If you are considering starting a commercial or residential painting business you will only need some basic low-cost tools to start with. You can buy other tools as more jobs come along and with your down payments. Here is a list of the most essential painting business tools needed to get you started.

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1.) Quality Cage Frame - Also known as a paint roller. Wooster and Purdy both have strong, commercial-use cage frames sold at most professional paint stores.

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2.) Extension Pole - Get yourself a good medium-size fiberglass extension pole for rolling out walls and ceilings.

3.) Wall-Sander - I always sand walls and ceilings before I roll them out. It cleans up cobwebs and anything else that needs to be knocked down to make the walls and ceilings smooth.

4.) Roller Bucket - I use Wooster's roller bucket. It is tall, square and has a lid. It is made out of durable plastic and balances a lot better than a paint tray and washes out easy. It's a must have.

5.) Cut-in Bucket - I like to put some paint in a small plastic bucket for cutting in. There are small 1-gallon buckets of drywall compound that when empty make a great cut-bucket plus they have a lid. They will last for years.

6.) Step Ladder - A regular wooden 5-foot step ladder works perfect for most homes. If I need a 6-foot ladder I have an aluminum one for that. Most of the time all I need is my 5-footer and I am only 5'6" so there you go.

7.) 16' Extension Ladder - Great for stairwells or ranch-style exterior jobs. I use my 16-foot extension ladder more than any other size. I also have 20' and a 24' extension ladders, but i couldn't get by without my little 16-footer.8.) Drop Cloths - I like using the runner type the most. They are inexpensive, light to carry and can be moved around the room easily. I also have 9 x 12's on hand.

9.) Fluorescent Light - Interior painting without a fluorescent light is nearly impossible, especially on a cloudy day. Fluorescent light is a nice white light that is great for painting and shows up the colors in their true form.

10.) Tool Bucket - An empty 5-gallon bucket makes a great tool bucket. I keep my pliers, a hammer, razor-blade knives, a caulk gun, etc., in my tool bucket.

11.) Small Fan - I bought a blower type fan made by Stanley Tools from Walmart. It dries out walls and ceilings quickly so you can get back to work cutting in and moving around the room without it being wet.

12.) Drywall compound - I hate Spackle. It flashes under paint jobs. I use the Sheetrock brand of 90-minute quick-dry drywall compound found at Lowes or other hardware stores for around a bag. It will last me all year long. It is the powder formula and is easy to mix up right on the job with water and a small cut bucket. This way you don't have to carry a heavy 5-gallon pale around with you that can also freeze during the wintertime and can get lots of chunks in it over time.

13.) Caulk Gun - I use painters caulk all the time to fill small gaps between woodwork, trim and walls. Most paint stores have it on hand. I use the 35-year interior/exterior type.

So there you have it. If you are considering starting your own painting business and want to know how much it will cost to get started this list will help you. I would guess off hand that everything on the list totals around 0. If you already have a step ladder and even a small extension ladder, this will cut the start up cost down considerably.

Painting Business - 13 Point Checklist of Essential Tools Most Needed to Start a Painting Business

Lee Cusano has owned and ran his own successful painting business since 1991. He has also helped others to start their own painting business with his Paint Like a Pro Estimating and Advertising CD-ROM. Lee also offers a free report titled "How To Gain a High Success Rate For Getting Painting Jobs". To get it go to http://www.painting-business.com

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Monday, September 26, 2011

Wood Fence Styles

There are many different wood fences types to choose from. Wood fencing in the west coast is primarily western red cedar, it's natural beauty shines in the privacy fences that adorn many residences. You can also find douglas fir becoming a bit more popular because it is much less expensive than cedar. In the midwest, wood fences are often installed with pre-made fence panels. Fence installers come to your house set the posts and then place the panels. In the Pacific Northwest it is more common for the fence to be built on site because the terrain is very uneven and hilly, making it difficult to use pre-fabricated panels.

lowes interior doors

The most ubiquitous wood fence is called the estate style fence. The estate fence is built with a 2×4 as the bottom rail of the fence panel and a 2×4 as the top rail. Most often wood fences are built with 6 foot tall fence boards that are approximately 1 inch think and 4 inches wide. Most large fence builders will use posts that measure 4 1/8 inch by 4 1/8's inch. These posts are much bigger than posts you will find at Lowe's or Home Depot which commonly measure only 3.5 inches by 3.5 inches.

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Experienced fence builders know that you need to set your posts in concrete between 18 and 24 inches into the ground. For the sturdiest posts you should let them cure at least 24 hours before you come back and build the fence. Setting your posts is the most important step in building your fence, if you get off line the whole fence will be crooked, so make sure to take extra care on this step!

If you're looking for a fence that is more intricate than a basic estate style fence, try looking into a modified panel fence. A modified panel fence has a 2×4 that runs on top of the fence boards to give the fence a much cleaner, more sophisticated look. In addition, there is a 1×4 and a 2×4 that run just under the top 2×4. When you finish the fence off with custom post caps, it's easy to see why this fence is extremely popular.

If you want to go for the grand-daddy of them all wood fence, look into a full panel construction. This type of fence is similar to a modified panel, except that there is a 2×4 that runs parallel to the ground. If you ask your local fence builder about any of these types of fences, they should be able to build these for you. There are lots of extras you can add to these fences, such as: spacing between the fence boards, custom post caps, lattice, trellis, gate arbors and much more!

Wood Fence Styles

All of our articles are originals, if you liked this, check out Wood Fence Styles for similar information.

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Hanging Dividers Allow You to Hide Clutter

Trying to decide on the type of dividers you want to help you organize a wide open space can be daunting. There are so many styles, types, colors and designs that choosing just one is virtually impossible. Hanging dividers can help you decide though. They can be found in as many styles and types as many of the freestanding, rolling, sliding, portable and screen versions. They can be curtains of fabric, acrylic, bamboo or paper and attach to the ceiling. Some can even be designed to roll up to the ceiling when they are not in use.

lowes interior doors

Room dividers are designed to help you organize large areas so you get the full use from your home's space. There is useless space in every home that either gets cluttered with junk or is used for storage. Many times partitions can be used to either hide the clutter or organize it better so it doesn't appear so unsightly. Most home's interior rooms get the brunt of the clutter because you can close a door and conceal it, but what about large areas that have no doors? You can purchase hanging dividers and suspend them from the ceiling so that your space is more organized.

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Some hanging dividers are available in panels. These can be acrylic, Plexiglas, fabric, wood or even paper. They offer you a contemporary look with some of the most modern materials available. They can be a solution to the need for privacy or simply be for decoration. Many people are refraining from setting their sofas along a wall and placing them out in the middle of the room instead. You can use a number of hanging dividers to hang behind the sofa to create a more cozy area for conversation as well as entertainment.

Finding hanging dividers are one of the easiest things to do. In fact is easier to find retailers for them than it is to decide on which one to buy. Many of the building supply stores like Lowes and Home Depot carry a variety of this style of divider. You can also shop online by manufacturers like IKEA. Some local department stores like Walmart carry the IKEA brand as well as other brands of hanging dividers. They can offer you ideas for their use as well if you haven't decided where you want to use them.

The hanging dividers that are available make the perfect replacement for curtains or other dividers that have grown old and run down. They are available in a variety of options as well as prices. They can be rather expensive depending on the size, style, materials and designs you choose. Set yourself a budget and stick to it when you are shopping for dividers. Keeping your budget in mind will allow you to get the divider you want without breaking the bank. Also compare prices of local retailers and online retailers. Many times online retailers offer discounts on the dividers as well as shipping.

Hanging Dividers Allow You to Hide Clutter

For additional information concerning the home improvement uses of HANGING DIVIDERS, pay a visit to http://www.theportableroomdividers.com.

LOWES INTERIOR DOORS

Interior Design And Efficiency Apartments

Small spaces are always a challenge to decorate. You have to be more careful about which colors you use and to not fill them too much. If you have one of these small places to decorate and are looking for some advice you should read this article which should help you out.

interior doors prehung

Small spaces are much harder to decorate than larger spaces but it is not an impossible chore. If you want to look at the bright side you can consider the fact that they will not take as long because they are smaller. One thing that people tend to do with efficiency apartments is that they tend to try to make it seem like one large room. This can be a mistake because you will get much more use from the room and actually make it look bigger by trying to distinguish certain areas. One way to separate areas is by using screens. Screens add a decorative touch and form an actual physical divider between areas. Another way to break up an area is to use a curtain. You can use fabric or beaded curtains to also add a decorative touch while defining an area. Furniture itself can also be used to break up a room. A well placed couch, wardrobe or table will do wonders for separating areas.

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As you can see from reading this article it is important to separate your spaces when decorating a small space like an efficiency apartment. It will add more style as well as function to your living space. Good luck and have fun decorating your new home.

Interior Design And Efficiency Apartments

The author has a website where you can learn about Interior design in salt lake city, UT [http://www.thedecoratorlist.com/saltlakecity.htm] and interior decorators.

INTERIOR DOORS

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Interior Wall Painting Techniques - Project Prep to How to and Do it Yourself

PROFESSIONAL NOTE: To achieve the best results from your interior paint project, apply the primer and base coat with good quality paint, brushes, rollers and application tools. You will be surprised how your interior paint project will be effortless in helping you to apply a thicker, more uniform coat of paint for a better-looking, longer-lasting paint job.

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Gather Materials and Supplies:

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Ladder

Plastic water bucket

Gloves

Rags

TSP (optional for cleaning oil and Grime)

liquid soap

Screwdriver

Drop cloths (plastic and cloth) or sheets

Blue painter's tape (with and without paper attached)

Old paintbrushes or china bristle brushes for dusting

Spackling compound

5-in-1 tool or wide blade

Latex caulk

220-grit sandpaper

Latex primer

Latex paint, eggshell or satin sheen

Plastic 2 gallon Paint Bucket

Paint tray, paint roller and 3/8" roller cover

2" - 3" Quality nylon/polyester brush

Paint Basics

Acrylic Paint?

Latex paints are not all the same. Now the term "latex" includes all water-based paints. High-performance interior paints are 100% acrylic; they have better color retention, better adhesion and, in the case of faux finishing the better choice for an undercoat than vinyl-acrylics.

Not to mention, manufacturers consider 100% acrylics to be their best products.

Which Paint for this room? How will the room be used?

In functional, high traffic rooms such as kitchens, bathrooms and bedrooms, you want durability and easy maintenance first. In more decorative and romantic rooms, such as living rooms, master bedrooms and dining rooms, appearance is often the key factor. In a child's room, safety is critical."

Here is Final advice on paint quality.

When you buy paint, go for the reputable brands. Suit your choices to the project, but at the same time, "don't waste your time" or your money on low-quality paint. There are significant differences between cheap and quality paints, particularly in characteristics such as hiding and wash ability. Obviously, one-coat hiding is a major labor saver and well worth paying a premium to get the results.

Be sure not to forget to check the warrantee on the label--this gives you a fair measure of the differences between quality levels of various paints. Last but not least, you are also likely to find a wider variety in color choices with your quality paint lines.

Estimating PAINT COVERAGE

How do you determine the amount of paint you will need for a particular room?
The first step is to add the width of all walls in the room together. Multiply this sum by the height of one wall from floor to ceiling (or, the circumference of the room times the ceiling height). If you have a number of windows and doors, subtract the square footage of those openings. This final number will give you the exact area of wall space you will paint.

A flat surface usually requires one gallon for every 400 square feet (the product label will show the coverage). Take into account the number of coats you will need to do the job right and this depends on the color and the quality of the paint. Remember, it's always a good idea to have a little leftover paint for future touch-ups.
Once you've properly prepped your walls, the actual painting is easy.

Follow these steps in order, and don't skip any of them. Wait until the first coat dries before deciding
whether you need a second one.

Steps To professionally Painted Walls:

CLEAR THE ROOM

STEP ONE: When transforming the walls in your home, start by removing any furniture or obstructions from the room. Cover the floors and any remaining furnishings in the middle of the room, cover with drop cloths or plastic sheets. Next remove outlet covers, nails, and screws. Tape the screws to the outlet cover and store in separately marked plastic bags, for easy re-installation. Then tape over the outlets and light switches to prevent paint from getting on electric outlets and switches.

FIX THE WALL IMPERFECTIONS

STEP TWO: Scrape off flaking paint, repair holes and cracks with spackle with a wide blade or five-in-one tool. Feather back rough paint edges by sanding. Always fill the imperfection flush with the surface even if it means having to refill 2-3 times due to shrinkage. It is much easier to refill than to sand back too much spackling. After the spackle dries, finish by lightly sanding with a medium (220 grit sandpaper), dust off surface and then prime each repaired area with small roller. Re-caulk any spaces you find where countertops, baseboards and moldings meet the wall.

NOTE: Use protective face mask while sanding.

NOTE: If you are repainting a glossy surface, be sure to sand it so that the new paint will adhere better.

CLEAN THE ROOM

STEP THREE: Use an old paintbrush or china bristle brush to dust baseboards, trim and crown molding before taping them off (use painter's tape to protect the baseboards and moldings). Remove all dust from surfaces using a soft cloth or use a soft bristle broom to brush down new plasterboard. Paint doesn't stick to dirty walls so clean them with soap and water (or TSP and water), then rinse with clean water, changing water regularly.

NOTE: Wear rubber gloves, protective clothing and protective eye-wear.

TAPING

STEP FOUR: Use low adhesive blue painters to tape trim around ceiling, baseboards, windows and door frames. (If you do not have ceiling trim or crown molding, you must use safe release tape on bare ceiling). Tape over phone jacks, thermostats, and moldings. Remove tape immediately after painting, before the wall dries, so you don't peel off any paint with it.

PRIMING THE WALLS

STEP FIVE: If your walls are bare sheetrock or previously wallpapered surface, then you should use the recommended primer for that type of surface. Existing semi-gloss or gloss paints should be lightly sanded to a duller finish, and then proper primer for that surface. If the walls have not been painted in five years or longer a primer sealer should also be applied.

NOTE: Always work in areas from the top to bottom. Paint Ceiling first, then walls, then the trim or moldings. Always brush the edges (cutting in) first prior to rolling. When cutting in make sure you feather out the edges.

NOTE: When you begin start from a corner left to right, or right to left, according to the most comfortable starting point for you. With a pole attached to the end of the Roller, start from the center of the surface and roll the paint from the center towards the top and bottom of the wall. Roll the wall much like you would vacuum carpet, this will give you the smoothest wall. To avoid a patchy wall finish, make sure you finish the complete coat before walking away to avoid a patchy finish.

BASE COAT THE WALLS

CUTTING IN TECHNIQUE

STEP SIX: Thoroughly stir your paint with a stir stick. Then, pour the paint into a larger 2-gallon bucket for easier handling. Make sure you pour no higher than 1/3 full in your new paint container. With a 2" wide (or angle) brush, load by dipping 1/3 of the bristle length into the paint. You can remove excess paint from the brush by tapping the bristles against the inside of the bucket. Starting from the top corner of the wall, cut in approximately 3 inches around the top of the wall where the wall meets the ceiling and cut in the bottom of the wall where the wall meets the baseboard. Cut in the corners of the wall and around all window and door trim while always working from the non- paint area to the previously painted areas, smooth out the cut in by lightly brushing the tip of the bristles (tipping off) over the newly painted area, creating a feathered edge. Repeat steps until the perimeter of the walls are complete.

ROLLING THE WALL:

STEP SEVEN: You have the choice of pouring the paint into a paint tray or a 5-gallon bucket. Place an appropriate nap roller onto a roller frame. Attach an extension pole onto the roller frame. Dip roller cover completely into paint covering the entire nap area. When using a 5-gallon bucket, pour no higher than 1/3 full and use a bucket grid to offload the excess paint and to evenly distribute the paint onto the roller. When using a paint tray, offload the excess paint by rolling onto the ribbed section of the paint tray Starting at the top corner of the wall, place the evenly loaded roller approximately 3-4" away from the cut in area. Working in a 3' x 3' area, roll a "W" onto the wall.

Continue rolling from the top edge of the wall to the bottom cut in area. Back roll through the completed area prior to reloading the roller, creating a smooth uniform finish. Reload the roller as necessary. Continue applying the paint, each time starting with the "W" technique 3-4" away from the last section completed. Working from the top section of the wall and working down the wall. Always, back roll the width of the roller being used into the last section completed. Continue until your wall is completely covered.

NOTE: Paint the trim last. When the walls are completely dry, paint or touch up the moldings, the door and window frames with a two-inch angled brush.

FINISHED DEAR? CLEAN UP AFTER PAINTING

1. Carefully remove all tape from hinges, doorknobs, light switches, and trim.

2. Remove drop cloth coverings from floors, furniture and light fixtures.

NOTE: It is best to score taped areas where the tape meets the painted surface with a utility knife, to help prevent peeling when the tape is removed.

NOTE: Cloth Drop cloths should be taken outside to remove dust and debris, then folded and stored for future use. Place all disposable coverings and loose debris into the appropriate trash can.

3. Re-attach all switch plates, and outlet covers.

4. Vacuum, mop or clean the floor where coverings were removed.

5. Re-hang items to the wall such as pictures and mirrors.

6. Move furniture and rug back to its original position.

7. Replace all valuables that were removed from tabletops and cabinets.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PAINT SHEEN

The difference between paint sheens. What's in a name?

Once you choose color for your paint project, you have one more decision to make: the paint sheen! The names are: flat, eggshell, pearl, satin, semi-gloss and gloss. What does this all mean? The paint sheen refers to the gloss level or the degree of light reflected from the surface once the paint has dried. Each company has slight variations.

It is obvious to tell the difference between a flat and a high-gloss, but it's the levels in between, when and how we use each sheen that can get confusing to all of us. So, here we have listed the key factors in choosing a paint finish.

The glossier a finish, the more durable and washable it tends to be. Flat paint is great at hiding irregularities and surface imperfections. Pearl and eggshell paints are a compromise; they partially hide imperfections and are more washable than flat paints.

For painting interiors, the best choices are often flat paint for ceilings, eggshell and satin for walls and semi-gloss or gloss on doors and trim. The most popular paint sheen is satin, a good choice because it's not too shiny but cleans easier than flat and a perfect base for popular faux finishing techniques.

FLAT

Durability of Flat Paint: If you have children or pets, this paint sheen isn't the best choice for walls as it tends to show dirt and scuff marks easily. This sheen is not an easy paint to keep clean.

Where to Use Flat Paint: are great choice for areas with dents, dings and rough surface texture. This sheen is perfect for surfaces that do not have a lot of contact with human hands, such as ceilings.

Comments on Flat Paint: Although this sheen hides surface imperfections, stain removal is difficult. Use this sheen for a uniform, non-reflecting appearance.

EGGSHELL

Durability of Eggshell Paint: More durable and washable than most flat paints, but not as durable as Satin or Semi-gloss.
Where to Use Eggshell Paint: are great choice for wall surfaces in foyers, hallways, and Dining rooms. You can clean this paint sheen. Eggshell paints reflect more light than flat, but only slightly. The best way to describe paint is the reflective qualities of this sheen are similar to that of a real eggshell.

Comments on Eggshell Paint: This sheen resists stains better than flat paint and gives a more lustrous appearance offering a soft glow that warms up any room

SATIN

Durability of Satin Paint: are durable enough to stand up to most dirt, cleaning and are great for high traffic or food preparation areas.

Where to Use Satin Paint: are typically used for kitchens, bathrooms, hallways, kids' rooms and even some woodwork and trim.

Comments on Satin Paint: are not truly "shiny," but more like actual satin, in having subtle reflective qualities. This sheen adds just enough light to the walls to be called a slight "glow". Satin or semi-gloss finishes are easy to clean and are good for highlighting architectural details.

SEMI - GLOSS

Durability Of Semi-Gloss Paint: tend to be much more durable as they can be easily cleaned with most cleaning products and resist dirt and stains.

Where to Use Semi-Gloss Paint: are typically used for doors, cabinets, woodwork and trim. Many people find Semi-Gloss to be too shiny for walls though it works quite well on surfaces that are prone to get a lot of handprints

Comments on Semi-Gloss Paint: A semi-gloss reflects between 35 to 50 percent of the light that hits it. Which means it will have a much shinier appearance.

HIGH - GLOSS

Durability of High-Gloss Paint: While the high sheen allows for an easy surface to clean, any dents or dings in the paint will be very visible.

Where to Use High Gloss Paint: take extra precautions in choosing where you use this sheen. High Gloss should be limited to areas such as kitchen cabinets, banisters and railings, trim, furniture, door jambs, window sills and specialty uses. You wouldn't typically paint a wall with high-gloss paint because the reflective qualities create too much glare.

Comments on High Gloss Paint: High-Gloss reflects approximately 75%-80% of the light that hits it.

Interior Wall Painting Techniques - Project Prep to How to and Do it Yourself

Stephanie Tyree
Unique Designs and Decorative Finishes
12034 Madison Drive
Atlanta, GA 30346
http://www.designershistoricalstencils.com

INTERIOR DOORS

Interior Design Ideas For Kitchens With White Cabinets

White cabinets are standard in many kitchens. You might not want to repaint but you want to get a different feel. This is a very enduring style if you know what you are doing. Also, you might want to paint your outdated wood cabinets in a bright white for a modern or contemporary look. Here are a few tips or ideas for decorating kitchens with white cabinets.

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Bring in color. You might have a tendency to go with a very dramatic color just because your white cabinets are so boring. This is an option as long as it is done correctly. This style should be decorated for a modern and contemporary room. You could even mix things up by painting your walls a daring black so that the white really pops. Then use a modern take on a very traditional black and white kitchen.

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Another option for these color schemes is just to go with a neutral color palette. This way your white cabinets will really just blend in with the rest of the beautiful taupes and grays. You can draw out colors from stone or add in stone if you don't have it in your room. Then just try installing a beautiful tumbled marble or ceramic backsplash. This can really give your room cohesion so your white cabinets won't stand out any longer.

Add something special to the doors. In most instances you want to have a very plain door. This is really true if you have a small kitchen. However, white doors are neutral so they can handle a lot more carving and molding. You can also make a statement with your hardware. It's very contemporary and modern to find a stainless steel knob that runs the entire length of the door to really give a lot of sparkle while keeping with the simple lines of this style.

Bring in sparkle. This is really important in a white kitchen. You will keep it from feeling too plain or cheap. You'll want to bring in high end items. An easy way to do this is by investing in stainless steel appliances. You can also coordinate the white cabinets with a beautiful shell chandelier for a beach look. For more of a traditional feel bring in luxurious crystal pendant lights. Anything you put in a white kitchen is really going to pop even if it's just crystal. This gives you the opportunity to explore different accent colors while still working within your budget and space constraints.

Interior Design Ideas For Kitchens With White Cabinets

Learn more about white kitchen cabinets. Stop by Sara Gilmore's articles where you can find out all about white cupboard design.

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Getting the Best Kitchen Cabinet Designs

How do all those people get such nice kitchen designs, when my kitchen is so awful? Sound familiar? There are a lot of bad kitchens out there and you might live with one of them. You don't have to put up with a kitchen you hate. You can change it in small ways and in major ways. If you start with a good kitchen cabinet design, the rest of the kitchen will fall into place. Sometimes a new coat of paint will do wonders and cost little. Other times the only way to get a decent, working kitchen is to gut the space and start over.

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The first step to a new kitchen that really works for you is to make a list of what is not working in the existing kitchen. List all the elements that are worn out and need replacing. List appliances and counters that are in inconvenient places. If the kitchen area is too small, look for areas that it can expand to. Maybe it is next to a formal dining room you never use, or a living room that is too large and can give some space to the kitchen and still serve it's function well. The wall between the kitchen and living room can be replaced with an open counter space. For structural changes like this, you will need a professional contractor.

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After you have made your lists and measured the kitchen to make a drawing called a floor plan, you are ready to start redesigning your kitchen, including kitchen cabinet designs. If you can afford it, hire a professional kitchen remodeling firm to make your ideas into the best kitchen cabinet design possible. If your budget won't go that far, try visiting your local home center like Lowes or Home Depot. They often have kitchen designers on staff to give you design help if you buy your cabinets with them. These stores will have everything you need for a kitchen remodel including installers to put it all together.

If your budget is smaller yet and you have to do most of the work yourself, there is still hope. Get kitchen design books and magazines to guide your design efforts. Do as much of the work as you are able to do well, then hire professionals to do what you can't. Sometimes you can hire a professional who will let you work with him to save money. You may be able to use your old cabinets if you paint them or have them refaced. You can always get a good plan from a kitchen designer and do it in stages as your budget allows.

Getting the Best Kitchen Cabinet Designs

Brad Foster writes about kitchen cabinets at http://www.economykitchencabinets.com

LOWES INTERIOR

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Identify Stakeholders on Your Project - Why Bother?

Stakeholder identification, a new PMBOK® Guide project management process, is most important for establishing an early foundation toward subsequent planning, executing and monitoring and control of your project communication information and achieving project success. This process should be done early in in the initiation phase of your project so that key outputs of a stakeholder register and stakeholder strategy will be used associatively in the associated project management process, also within the Project Communications Management, which is Manage Stakeholder Expectations.

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First, let's review some basic facts to understanding stakeholder management:

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- Stakeholders are those parties who may be positively or negatively impacted by the completion of the project
- Stakeholders stand to gain or lose through the success or failure of the project
- Stakeholders may possess different authority levels which will affect how they exert their influence over the project and its deliverables
- Stakeholders are affected by the outcome of the project

It is imperative to identify all people and organizations impacted by the project and subsequently documenting relevant information regarding their interests, involvements and impacts on project success. PMBOK® suggests using two inputs early in the project for stakeholder identification:

- The first one available is the output from Develop Project Charter, the only other process within the initiation process group. It is the project charter. The project charter may list customers, sponsors, executives, the project team, or public entities that are external to the performing organization participating in the project. It is recommended to hold a separate meeting with those identified in the charter and ask them if they knew of others who should be listed with stakeholder responsibilities.
- If the project is the result of procurement activity or based on an established contract, use the procurement documents to identify all parties within the contract that may be key project stakeholders. Suppliers, participating in the contract, could also be considered for the identification of project stakeholders. Using a contract make the process a little easier as the various contract interfaces should be listed.

These project charter or procurement documents stakeholders' indications may only yield a normal set of stakeholders. So, let's further define other stakeholder possibilities and what you need to know about these stakeholders. PMBOK® suggests using a stakeholder analysis tool and technique for gathering information to determine whose interests should be considered throughout the project. Stakeholder analysis helps to place definitions to stakeholders and their roles. The stakeholder analysis power grid is a classification model tool that helps you identify and plot the impact or support of each stakeholder could generate and then is used to classify them to define information to the stakeholder management strategy which is one of the outputs of this process.

What do you need to know about stakeholders? You need to know various levels of data about your identified stakeholders so you can properly manage your relationship with them and set your communications planning. Here are key things to gather:

- Who is the stakeholder by name? Don't identify any stakeholder as a class of people, such as functional manager or senior executive. Gather their name, contact information and organizational position.
- What is the nature of their stake in the project? Is it personal or professional? Identify what will they gain with success or lose with failure, by clearly stating how much and in what way. Capture their major requirement, main expectation and potential influence in the project or phase within the life cycle.
- What does the stakeholder expect from you? The best way to determine this is by having face-to-face meetings with the key stakeholders, such as clients or project sponsors. This can work out any differences between what they expect and what you believe they should reasonable expect.
- What to expect from the stakeholder? This is the flip side of the previous question. It is definitely needed to set expectations and realize that this is not telling the stakeholder what to do or how to act. If done correctly, you are providing the stakeholder with a description of the support you need.
- What are the stakeholder's watchdog priorities? This means which of the major elements of success and control the stakeholder most wants to monitor: schedule, cost, performance and/or quality.

Next, perform stakeholder classification on internal and external groups, and their roles within a project.

Internal stakeholders - Most of the key stakeholders are internal people within your organization:
- Internal customers - Normally these are people for whom you're doing the work and have a particular need that your project can address. Often, the internal customer pays for the project and therefore receives the business impact from the project deliverables.
- Project sponsor - Normally, this is not ordinarily a specific organizational position, rather it is a role played on project. The role of the project sponsor is typically a representative of upper management who has a high stake in the project outcome. This role can be invaluable for you when you face problems or issues that lie beyond your sphere of influence. The sponsor can facilitate decisions and assist with resource assignments. If a sponsor is formally identified on your project and it is large or complex, go and get one! Seek out a member of management who has a stake in the success or failure of the project. Describe to them their role and your expectations. After all, your organizational management should be quite willing to help you succeed!
- Core project team - Core team member roles often tie closely to the work to be done. In most cases, the core team is a relatively small group of people composed from the various departments of work needed to complete the project.
- Functional resource providers - Securing your resources can be dependent upon the functional, matrix or projectized type of organizational structure base of your project. In matrix organizations, you 'borrow' resources from other departments by your request to the appropriate functional manager.
- Project Manager's Supervisor - Your boss is a stakeholder has a big stake in you and your project success. Keep your boss informed at all times and protect him or her from being blindsided.
- Various support groups - These groups exist within your organization such as legal, accounting, data processing and human resources. Their role to your project is more supportive than active depending on the specific needs of your project. Remember to consider if any of these groups should have a representative on your regular core team meetings. When Y2K projects were implemented, a legal representative should have been considered to attend core team member meetings.

External stakeholders - This stakeholder group has their project stake more focused inwardly, although they are not a part of your organization.
- External customers - External customers are typically characterized by contracts.
- User groups - Consider user groups if your project is developing or producing a product that will be marketed and sold to consumers. You can ask this external stakeholder about likes, dislikes, preferences and choices, of consumers that perhaps their marketing strategy have isolated for future or a similarly produced product.
- Suppliers - Your project may require materials that must be obtained from outside vendor companies. Utilize a preferred supplier list, if your company maintains one.
- Contractors and consultants - There is only difference from the supplier role and that is that you use contractor and consultant stakeholder resources for labor and services, instead of materials. Utilize performance-based criteria and a verifiable track record when selecting these stakeholders.

Once you have performed your stakeholder analysis and created a power/interest grid, you need to complete a stakeholder register that will contain all details related to the newly identified stakeholders. Remember, at a minimum, to provide name, contact information, organizational position, role in the project, their main expectation, main requirement, and potential influence in the project, or phase in the life cycle. Last, include the stakeholder classification as either internal or external.

The remaining output is the stakeholder management strategy which defines the approach that should help gather support and minimize negative impacts of the identified stakeholders. A common way of representing the data is within a stakeholder strategy analysis matrix so that elements such as listing key stakeholders who can significantly impact the project, the level of participation desired for each identified key stakeholder and potential strategy for gaining support or reducing obstacles. Since your stakeholder management strategy can contain some data that is subjective and could be considered sensitive, be sure that you use discretion when doing your communications or sharing the data on the documents with read access or included in a shared document.

The stakeholder register and the stakeholder management strategy will be key inputs to the Plan Communications and Manage Stakeholder Expectations project management processes.

One last tip! Beware of other less-human project interfaces that can't be called stakeholders but can affect your project at least as much as any human interface. These include organizational policies, procedures, culture and politics! Good luck!

Identify Stakeholders on Your Project - Why Bother?

Mary Ann Crow, PMP
macrow@pciglobal.com

The use of the work PMBOK (R) Guide is this article is not a press release submission. This book is the standard for project management processes and is accepted for general practice within the industry. This article is submitted for an expanded view of one of their processes for project management productivity. Thank you for your review.

LOWES INTERIOR

Plastic Roofing - Light, Functional And Easy To Install

Plastic has greatly changed the world when it has been introduced as a material for making things. Now you can find a lot of useful objects made out of plastic and they truly come handy for a lot of situations. One industry that has greatly benefited from plastics is the roofing industry with the great value that plastic roofing can provide in terms of function and style.

lowes interior shutters

Light Weight and Low Cost

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The use of plastic in roofing has greatly increased over the last few decades because of obvious and considerable benefits when compared to other types of roofing materials such as metal, wood, slate, ceramic, and asphalt. What people like about plastic roofing is their light weight, low cost, durability and ease of installation. Plastic roofs also come in different colors and thus are very much attractive especially for structures that have color motifs.

Ultraviolet Stabilizers

The main disadvantage of plastic roofing is their possible sensitivity to light and heat. Plastic can melt or fade with much exposure to the sun and changing weather, but this problem can be addressed with the thermal and ultraviolet stabilizers that have been added to newer productions of plastic roofs. Extreme weather conditions may take a toll on the usual plastic roofs but with the right mix of chemical components some of plastic roofing material's problems can be minimized.

Plastic Roofing is usually made of polycarbonate, a standard thermoplastic material that is known for its excellent optical, thermal and mechanical features. The roof often comes in polycarbonate panels, sheets or tiles. What is good about the polycarbonate material is its good resistance to stress. It can withstand impact 200 times greater than glass, meaning that it would not be susceptible to damage when stones or hail fall on the roof. The mechanical properties of this type of roofing are also rather resistant to changes in temperature.

To reinforce the advantages of plastic roofing one can add ultraviolet radiation filters during the co-extrusion process of the sheet or the panel. Special additives may be used to prevent excessive interior heating. Cavity structures may also help increase the load capacity and flexibility of plastic roofing.

Lifetime Guarantee

Plastic roofing comes in varying prices and quality depending on the size, composition, thickness, colors, and profiles. The most common plastic roofing profile that people see is the corrugated one, as it has general better structural properties than flat ones. The cheaper plastic roofs are made of PVC while the more expensive and sturdier ones are made of polycarbonate components. The best quality plastic roofs may come with lifetime guarantees.

Installation of plastic roofing is quite easy, which is why it is usually the roofing choice for projects that have limited time frames. For optimal installation ease, manufacturers often recommend installing plastic roofing on a roof with at least 10 degrees of pitching. Anything lesser than that may require extra weatherproofing measures such as adding flashings or sealants.

Cutting the plastic roof panels for resizing should be easily done with a fine toothed saw or a pair of garden scissors. The better the quality of the plastic roof material, the easier it is to cut. Some installers use disk grinders with carborundum blades for more precisions when cutting plastic roofs, although one sheet at a time may be cut to avoid fusion and welding together.

Installation Tips

A good tip for installation is pre-drilling holes on to sheets before they are installed. Holes usually should be from 8mm to 10mm with some 2mm allowance based on the screw shafts to allow contraction and expansion. Holes should be drilled on the higher part of the roof's corrugation. It is usually easier to do the drilling with the sheet on the ground, upside down. A stick with a hole may also be used as a guide for drilling

Screws are used to secure the sheets of plastic roofing. Special screws are made for this purpose and may easily be bought from plastic roof suppliers. The easiest screws to use are those with hexagonal heads. Majority of the sheets or panels should be secured with four corrugation spaces and at every second when there are overlaps, ridging, and gutters.

Plastic roofing is definitely a staple choice in structural coverage. With its great function, light weight, and ease of installation, it is deemed to remain a popular choice of roofing in the appropriate situations.

Plastic Roofing - Light, Functional And Easy To Install

Ernest Jarquio is a dedicated family man hopelessly addicted to do-it-yourself projects. For more information, visit Flooring2Roof.com/roofing, where he discusses various subjects such as plastic roofing [http://www.flooring2roof.com/roofing/plastic-roofing.html], ABC Roofing [http://www.flooring2roof.com/roofing/abc-roofing.html] and other roofing options [http://www.flooring2roof.com/roofing/roofing-options.html].

LOWES INTERIOR

Counter Top Resurfacing And Refinishing For Affordable Kitchen Remodeling

Countertop resurfacing and refinishing are the perfect solution for the homeowner who is ready to make a change in their kitchens decor on a budget. What these offer besides a brand new look for your kitchen is significant savings when compared to the complete replacement of your old kitchen countertops. You will save not only financially when compared with replacing your countertops completely, resurfacing or refinishing your counter tops will also save you valuable time.

lowes interior doors

If you can save the base of your present cabinets during your kitchen re-decorating project, instead of replacing them, the countertops that you now have are given a new surface or the new finish of your choosing, giving them the modern look of a stone or solid surface finish, complete with styled edges. All the work is done right in your home, avoiding the mess and time involved with removing and replacing them. Simple as that, you can have an entirely fresh new looking kitchen, saving you up to 70% off the cost of replacing your kitchen countertops. The changing of the counter top surface can be exactly what is needed to give your kitchen a new, modern appearance and with the wealth of counter top resurfacing materials, colors and designs available re-decorating your kitchen with a re-surfaced countertop is a breeze. From a simple laminate to a, increasingly popular and sophisticated,'faux' stone counter top material you should have no problem matching or complementing any of your decorating requirements and bringing your kitchen back to life in style.

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Because you won't have to do a complete demolition of your kitchen cabinetry the time required to resurface or refinish your kitchen countertops is kept to a minimum and so is the disruption to your household. Think about it, no weeks or months of waiting for completion, typically within twenty four or forty eight hours a counter top resurfacing or refinishing job can be completed allowing you to quickly enjoy and use your redesigned kitchen in no time. This can be a do-it-yourself project or you can find a qualified kitchen design professional that will refinish or resurface your countertops as an alternative to counter top replacement. Should you decide to do the job yourself make sure you have all of the required tools and that you commit to the necessary time for completing the project.

An extra added benefit is an increase in your homes value. Should you be planning to list your home for sale, one huge selling point will be a well organized, clean and modern looking kitchen. Resufacing can increase the value of your house aesthetically and financially. Surely a prospective buyer will have more reasons to make an offer on a home when the kitchen is appealing to them. If selling your home is part of the plan you can't go wrong with the value that will be added by this low cost kitchen make-over.

You can get the benefit of a sleek, new modern looking kitchen without the high cost of gutting your kitchen completely. Since you are looking at about a couple of days at the most to complete the job, you save in down time from your kitchen not to mention the aggravation that comes with a completely wrecked kitchen. So, instead of a complete replacement project, counter top resurfacing and counter top refinishing are definitely the affordable choices for homeowners to consider.

Counter Top Resurfacing And Refinishing For Affordable Kitchen Remodeling

Want more specific information, such as the countertop materials qualities and care/maintenance requirements? To help you select the best countertop material for your kitchen Click here at Kitchen.Countertops-And-Cabinets.Com to recieve what you need to make informed decisions in one place.

Also, to get or share kitchen design ideas and to see what is happening in kitchen design today go to http://Countertops-And-Cabinets.Com

LOWES INTERIOR DOORS

Friday, September 23, 2011

3 Fun & Creative Boys Bedroom Ideas

If you're looking for boys bedroom ideas to redecorate your son's bedroom, then you need to read this article. We're going to look at three popular choices for bedroom themes for boys of various ages.

lowes interior shutters

For infants, bedroom designs are really more for the parents' sake than for the boy. There are lots of great ways to design a nursery, whether you choose Pooh Bear, Noah's ark or some other design.

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At this age, it's really up to you how to decorate the room. A trip to your local paint store or a home improvement store like Lowes or Home Depot will give you lots of ideas for themes for young boys. Just keep in mind that if it's too babyish, you might find yourself with a 2 or 3 year old who wants his room redecorated because he's not a baby anymore!

For toddlers, up to about 9 or 10 years old, one of the most popular designs is Disney's Cars movie. Most boys love cars anyway, and Disney performs their usual movie-making magic with this one to make it even more popular.

Lightning McQueen, 'Mater, Doc Hudson and the gang can all be part of your son's room with a bit of work. As with most of the things Disney creates, they sell a ton of different products with Cars on them, including several things you can use to decorate a bedroom.

You can buy Cars wallpaper borders, wall decals, bedding and even a Lightning McQueen bed. Disney even offers a couple of patterns on their website for designing a Cars bedroom, right down to the specific paint colors to make it as authentic as possible.

For older boys, 10 or 11 years old on up through their teenage years, there are lots of options. Their favorite movies, music, video games, and TV shows are all potential themes for their bedroom.

The important thing to consider at this age is how quickly their tastes may change. All these things can change from one year to the next, and you don't want to have to redecorate their room every time they decide to want something new.

The best way to design a theme for older boys is to use colors and decor that are fairly general and then use things like posters, wall decals, etc. to "theme" the room. That way, when their favorite band/movie/etc. changes, you can change the bedroom without a huge amount of time or money invested.

3 Fun & Creative Boys Bedroom Ideas

Ron LaHeche writes about the pros and cons of a blow up mattress and related topics at http://themattressguide.wordpress.com/

LOWES INTERIOR

Advantages of Pre-Hung Interior Doors

Pre-hung interior doors are very easy and quick to install. If you are remodeling or building a new home, using these doors will save both time and money. Most of these types of doors swing like, French doors and double doors. Installing pre-hung doors is easy even for a beginner.

interior doors home depot

Types of Doors

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Hollow core pre-hung doors are the most common type of doors on the market. They are lightweight and can be very elegant in appearance. One drawback to the hollow core type is that they are not soundproof. Noise will filter through a hollow core easily. This hollow cores come in many wood veneer types, and can be stained to match existing woodwork or painted.

Solid core pre-hung doors are more than a hollow core but less than a solid door. Solid core doors generally have a veneer exterior also. They are a little more work to install and are much heavier. They are also more sound proof then hollow core.

Solid doors are also heavy and are even more expensive. They come in all wood varieties and can be stained, varnished or painted.

Some pre-hung doors come pre-trimmed. This saves time, energy and money. If the door you choose does not come pre-trimmed, you may want
to buy casing for it and pre-trim it first before installing. This makes installation quicker and easier.

Decisions to be Made

Before you purchase a pre-hung door, you will need to make some decisions. You will have to choose which way the door will swing. Most people make this decision by where the light switch is located. When swing is opposite of the light switch it will make it difficult to turn on the lights. Other choices to be made include the size of the doorway, whether flooring or carpeting will be added and what style would fit the room best.

Size

Determining the size you will need for the doorway is easy once you understand how to measure. A basic framed doorway is generally two inches wider than the door should be. Many newer houses have standard sizes. Framed bedroom doors tend to be two feet and six inches wide, which means the door should be 30 inches. Bathroom doors are most often two feet and four inches making the door itself 28 inches. Handicap doors are always three feet to allow easy access for wheelchairs. Older homes may have larger or smaller doorways so measure the doorway before making a choice.
Hanging a Door Basics

A pre-hung interior door comes complete with hardware. Carefully unpack the door and check it carefully. Doors should be closed when hanging. Place the pre-hung door in the opening. Starting with the swing side first check to make sure it is level. If not level, you can use shims to make it level.

If you plan to add carpet later, you will need to set the door on small blocks. One half inch blocks will provide enough room for the carpet and allow it to swing freely.

Stand on the inside of the room and set the pre-hung door carefully into the opening. Be sure that the casing is tight against the drywall. Nail the casing about two inches above the floor. This will hold the door while you check to make sure it is level. Shims can be used to support the door while you lift it slightly to achieve perfect plumb. Once the door is level, you nail the casing near the hinges. Open the door and nail the top of the casing. You will be using a nail or two per side until you have checked the door again to ensure that it is level. Once you are sure you will put nails near the hinges and at regularly spaced intervals.

Finishing your home yourself and installing pre-hung interior doors is a way to save money. The time required may translate into more capitol for other projects or that special flooring for the room.

Advantages of Pre-Hung Interior Doors

Pat Fisher is a professional carpenter and woodworking craftsman. For more information on finish carpentry and household carpentry projects and plans, visit http://www.finishcarpentryhelp.com.

INTERIOR DOORS

Repairing Interior Pocket Doors

Interior pocket doors are a great feature in a home. With limited space you can have a door disappear into the wall. Need to close the door? Just slide it back and you have privacy. It is that sliding and disappearing feature that causes some special problems. In this article we will identify the problems you may encounter with a pocket door. Most problems can be repaired without too much difficulty. Can you fix a door that has gone off the track? Do you need to replace the rollers? How do you get inside the wall to fix a problem? Can you lubricate the rollers? These are all questions you may be asking. The following paragraphs will address them.

louvered interior doors

The majority of the issues with pocket doors will be related to the roller-hanger assembly. The rollers keep the door on the track, provide adjustment for the alignment of the door and carry the weight of the door. No mystery then that most repairs will involve doing something with this assembly.

INTERIOR DOORS

Lubricating Interior Pocket Doors

For doors that are stiff and difficult to operate, lubrication is probably the answer. The door rollers are a moving part with bearings that can get stiff. Lubrication can loosen them up and save your back. A word of caution, this needs to be controlled lubrication. Don't go out to the garage and get a grease gun, you will be sorry. Remember that this is a finished portion of your home and grease or oil running down the door will not be pretty.

Get a good quality silicone spray lubricant. You should be able to get one suitable for this purpose at a home supply or hardware store for around . This type of spray usually comes with a narrow plastic tube that allows you to surgically apply the lubricant. It should say on the can that it is suitable for interior home hardware applications.

For interior pocket doors, the roller-hanger assemblies are located on the top of the door near each end. You will need to have the door closed to see both of them. There is a narrow gap between the top of the door and the track. Use a flashlight if you need to, but you should be able to see the rollers. Most pocket doors have four rollers for each hanger. With a rag in hand, judiciously spray the rollers with the lubricant. You will probably need to get on both sides of the door to get at all of the rollers. Work the door back and forth until the rollers move smoothly. Add a little more spray as required, until you are satisfied with the operation.

Adjusting Interior Pocket Doors

Another major problem with interior pocket doors is alignment. Is the door rubbing on the floor? Does the latch refuse to catch? Is there a gap along the side of the door when it is closed? Yes to any of these questions means you have some alignment problems. Adjusting the pocket door hangers will solve most if not all of these problems.

You can see the hangers in the gap between the top of the door and the track. The hangers are threaded and will have an adjustment nut at the bottom, near the attachment to the door. The hardware that came with the door probably had one of those thin special wrenches in it. Got any idea where that wrench it now? No, don't feel bad, it's probably in your builder's warehouse. A thin profile adjustable or open end wrench should work.

You will need to have the door closed to see both hangers. Keep in mind that any adjustment to the hangers will affect all four sides of the door. Adjusting the front hanger up will cause the bottom of the door to move toward the strike side of the frame. The two hangers will work against each other. An adjustment to the rear hanger will work opposite of the front hanger.

So are you confused at this point? Don't feel bad, it's common. You just need to get a mental picture of what you are trying to do. If the door is straight in the opening and you just need to pick it up? In this case you adjust both hangers up the same amount. Is the door hitting the door frame on the bottom before the top? For this situation you want to adjust the front of the door down or the back of the door up. You only have so much adjustment on each hanger. Sometimes you will need to adjust a little on one hanger and a little in the opposite direction on the other hanger.

Putting Interior Pocket Doors Back on Track

Obviously, you need a way to take an interior pocket door off when necessary. As a result a removal feature is built into the hanger assembly. The down side to this is that the pocket door can come loose and pop off the hanger. Putting them back on is not too difficult.

Again we need to go to that narrow space that is between the top of the door and the track. The door will have a hanger clip that is attached to the top of the door. This clip has a preformed pocket in it that allows the door to slide onto the threaded hanger. There should be a retaining feature next to it. Release the retainer and then pick the door back up and slide the clip onto the hanger. With the door in place you can reset the retainer.

Wait a minute, is it the rear hanger? Is it lost somewhere in that cavern that you can't get to? Take a breath, it is not that terrible. It is, however, a bit more work. You will need to take the door completely off to solve this problem. The door should not be that heavy, but help is a good idea. Release the retainer on the front clip. Slide the front of the door off the hanger and set it aside for a minute. Lean it against the wall where it won't get knocked over.

The other hanger is somewhere inside that pocket that you thought was a great idea until now. Fortunately, the other hanger is on rollers and you can use something to slide it out to a location you can get to. A broom handle or some other fairly thin, long stiff object will work. Try to find the end of the track with the broom handle and then slide it in the groove until you come to the roller. Keep coming forward until you can get to it.

To re-hang the door you release the retainer on the back hanger first. Put the door onto this hanger while employing the services of a helper. Slide the retainer back into place to secure it. Align the door with the opening in the wall and slide the door several inches into the pocket. Attach the door to the second hanger and secure the retainer. The door should slide back and forth now.

Repairing Interior Pocket Doors Summary

This article covered three interior pocket door repair topics that should cover the majority of problems you will face. Lubrication is a big factor, keep the rollers lubricated and your door should work smoothly. Door alignment can also cause troubles. Adjusting the hangers is not hard, it just takes some patience. Finally we discussed a door that has fallen off the hanger. None of these repairs should be that difficult or require the services of a professional. Hopefully, you saved yourself a few dollars.

Repairing Interior Pocket Doors

Gerry Barr is the webmaster for Commonsense Home Repair, a website designed to help homeowners save money on home repair problems. This website includes informative and in depth information that individuals can use to make their own repairs.

INTERIOR DOORS