Home & Garden Projects

Telescoping Flagpole Kit

Handyman — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 13:54:53 +0000

Think of the possibilities if you own a telescoping flagpole kit. If you are patriotic or even if you are a huge sports fan, sometimes you just want to fly a flag in your yard. Some of my neighbors fly flags for many different occasions.

Sundays are game days for pro football and what is better for showing support of your team than flying the team flag in your front yard. I have some neighbors who are huge Pittsburgh Steelers fans and every Sunday during football season, they fly the flag high and proud. I think it’s a very cool tradition to start at your home.

You can fly flags about anything you want. High School sports, company flags, country flags, it just doesn’t matter.

This residential flagpole kit is made to withstand all the elements of Mother Nature.

If you are not looking to spend a ton of money on a telescoping flagpole kit, I have one featured below that I think you should consider. The Amazon reviews on this flagpole kit are quite good and there are a lot of satisfied customers.

If you are looking for a flagpole kit that is easy to install and inexpensive, this is what you are looking for.

A great gift idea would be for the U.S. Armed Forces veteran that is special to you. Imagine the pride as they fly the flag in their yard or the flag from the branch of service they served in.

Since this is a telescoping flagpole kit, I would recommend that you only fly one flag at a time on this flagpole. The great thing, is since it is a telescoping pole, you can adjust the height to suit your needs.

This flagpole will make a great addition to your landscaping. Plus, it comes with 2 American flags included and the flagpole kit is rust-proof.

Overall Rating:

Total Customer Reviews: (17)

Sale Price: $59.99

Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days

Our American Flag Pole Kit with nylon 3′x5′ flag is made to last for many years with large diameter heavy gauge pole and bright gold ball finial.

A big 2″ diameter 16 gauge heavy-duty, matte finished, rust-proof aluminum 20′ pole.

A 3-1/2″ diameter powder coated bright gold metal ball finial.

Pulleys and nylon rope for raising and lowering the flag.

A weather resistant 3′x5′ nylon American flag.

Includes PVC ground sleeve.

Total pole Height: 20′

Package dimensions: Height 56″, width 4-1/2″, depth 6-1/2″.

Mini Patio Heater

Handyman — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 23:46:22 +0000

If you spend anytime outside on your patio you will love the addition of a mini patio heater. Our mini patio heater has allowed us to enjoy our backyard even longer into those cool evenings. It’s very stylish and compact and does a great job of heating the area around our patio table.

Overall Rating:

Total Customer Reviews: (0)

List Price: $182.00

Sale Price: $126.09

Availability: Usually ships in 3-4 business days

Don’t move your party inside when outdoor temperatures begin to drop. Quickly heat up your deck or patio with the compact PC-TT portable tabletop patio heater from Patio Comfort instead. Perfect for smaller outdoor dining areas, balconies, or even camp sites, this tabletop patio heater provides a 360 degree radiant circle of heat in a six to seven foot heating circle and features a maximum heat output of 11,000 BTUs. Featuring sleek stainless construction that ensures durability, the Patio Comfort PC-TT is built to withstand the elements in a variety of outdoor settings. This tabletop heater is completely self-contained and[Read More]

Weber Smoky Mountain Cooker

Handyman — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 22:12:27 +0000

The Weber Smoky Mountain Cooker will make a great addition to your backyard for year round outdoor cooking. The name Weber means quality and long lasting life of your smoker.

I love slow cooked meat. I cook year round. There is nothing like slow smoked BBQ.

Features of the Weber Smoky Mountain Cooker:

The Smoky Mountain Cooker is built to last.
The cooker has a porcelain lid and bowl.
The fuel door is made of aluminum.
The cooking grates are heavy duty.
Comes with a water pan.
Built-in thermometer.

All of the components are heat and weather resistant. I enjoy quality outdoor products that last for years and Weber has knocked this one out of the park.

If you are an outdoor cook and grill master, this is the smoker you have been looking for.

Check out the smoker reviews and comments below. You can’t go wrong with this Weber Smoker.

Check out the Smokey Mountain Cooker video for a better look at this cooker.

Overall Rating:

Total Customer Reviews: (191)

List Price: $349.00

Sale Price: $299.00

Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours

Free Shipping Available

If you’ve been searching for the perfect addition to your backyard barbeque, look no further than the Weber(r) 18.5-in Smokey Mountain Cooker(tm) smoker. A no-rust alumuminum door with a spring-loaded latch grants you easy access to the charcoal chamber and water pan, and a built-in thermometer allows you to monitor the grill’s temperature.

Portable Generator Review

Handyman — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 18:24:36 +0000

Many homeowners are looking for a reliable portable gas powered electric generators. I recommend a 5000 watt portable generator or higher. There are many different brand generators available on the market. The best piece of advice I can give you is to find a portable generator that is made in the USA or most of the parts being made in the USA. You will be much happier if you do.

I can say I’m a very happy homeowner that does not worry much about power outages these days. I bought a Generac Portable Gas Powered Generator due to all of the bad weather we get here in the east.

One of the big reasons I’m so proud of my portable generator is that it is mostly made in the USA. This generator is pure quality and starts easily. I like it because it’s quiet also. My Generac carries a 2 year warranty that I’m still on but I have had zero problems so far. My neighbor has a generator that didn’t work during our last power outage. He had to put his in the shop. I’m sure he was mad listening to mine generating electricity and running my house while he was dark and burning candles.

I have heard reports of shoddy workmanship on electric generators that have parts made outside the USA.

Portable Electric Generator For Your Home

As a homeowner, I’m looking for standy power in case my home should suffer a power outage. I live on the east coast and hurricanes are common and so are tropical storms. A portable gas powered generator will allow me to keep certain things in m y house going until the power can get cut back on. I have had entire freezers full of food go to ruin because I lost power. In my case, several hundred dollars worth of meat.

It makes sense to me to buy a portable generator as a backup when it only costs about the same as all the food I have stored in my freezer.

A 5000 watt generator or above will run moist of the appliances in your home at once including the refrigerator, freezer, TV, microwave and several lights. You will stay comfortable while your neighbors who do not have a generator will be miserable.

How many watts do you need? Check out the chart below to determine the requirements for a portable generator.

Here are just a few of the great features of this Generac Portable Gas Powered Electric Generator:

Low oil shutdown prevents engine damage.
Low-tone mufflers for quiet operation.
Fuel gauge incorporated for at a glance fuel monitoring.
Circuit breaker protected outlets protect against circuit overload.
Hour meter with maintenance reset determines maintenance intervals.
Fold down handles and never-flat wheels for portability.

This portable generator is the highest rated gas powered generator on Amazon where the customers give great reviews good or bad.

Watch the short video below about this portable generator’s OHVI engine and you will see why this generator will give you years of trouble free service.

Overall Rating:

Total Customer Reviews: (12)

List Price: $779.76

Sale Price: $895.00

Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days

Generac GP Series, 5,000 Running & 6,250 Starting Watt, Portable Generator, Features: 389CC OHV Engine, Hardened Steel Tube Cradle, Locking Fold Down Handles & Wheel Kit, Low Oil Shutdown, Hour Meter With Maintenance Resets, Circuit Breaker Protected Outlets, Low Tone Mufflers, For Generator Cord Use True Value #718-405, Not For Sale In CA.

Poulan Pro PP4620AVX 20-Inch 46cc 2-Cycle Gas-Powered Anti-Vibration Chain Saw with Case

Handyman — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 22:25:54 +0000

I recently purchased this Poulan Pro 20 inch chainsaw and I will say right now that this saw is a beast right out of the box. I really like this saw so I thought I would write a Poulan Pro Chainsaw Review. Hopefully this will help you in your search to make a good decision. Here’s where my story starts. I have a long row of Leland Cypress trees that are all over 20′ tall. One morning a drunk driver took one of my trees out when he ran off the road in front of my house. I had to purchase a chainsaw fast to get it cleaned up. This Poulan’s price was reasonable and I read good reviews and watched some videos. I was not disappointed. This chainsaw tore through the wood like butter and I had my tree mess cleaned up in just a little while. I would most definitely recommend it as a great saw for some very large tree work.

I’m working on getting some photos posted and maybe a video of my new Poulan Pro chainsaw. I like this chainsaw so much that lately I’ve been looking for things to cut around my house. I have recently trimmed a lot of low limbs on a huge magnolia tree and this saw just makes large limbs a breeze to cut. It’s nice knowing that I have a reliable tool to get the job done.

I really like the hard case the saw comes in. I now have set up my chainsaw kit. I have ear protection, safety goggles, bar chain oil and some rags in it. I can grab it and go. I have 6 acres with a pond and that is a really nice convenience that you don’t really think about until you use it. Poulan really made a winner with this chainsaw. You can buy with confidence, you are not going to be sorry.

Overall Rating:

Total Customer Reviews: (42)

List Price: $179.99

Sale Price: $259.99

Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days

Heavy-duty chain saw can tackle the big jobs. 2.8 cu. in. DuraChrome extended life engine has Super Clean air filter system, dual counterweight crankshaft. Features 20in. long bar, gear-driven automatic chain oiler, quick-adjust chain tensioning system, anti-vibe handle. Includes carrying case. U.S.A. Chain Saw Type: Gas, Engine Displacement (cc): 46, Chain Pitch (in.): .325, Chain Gauge (in.): .050, Bar Length (in.): 20, Oil Pump Flow: Automatic, Low Vibration Handle: Yes, Tool-Less Chain Tensioning: Yes, Case Included: Yes, Tool Weight (lbs.): 10

Getting Rid Of Termites

Handyman — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 15:14:30 +0000

Getting rid of termites is a very scary thought. As you already know, termites can destroy the wood in your home. The good thing, is that termites are very easy to avoid in the first place. If you do suffer from an infestation of termites, after repairs are made, it’s easy to avoid a termite problem ever again.

One of the best ways to avoid these little critters is to use a pesticide that the professionals use. Termidor. Termidor can make your home termite free and it can last for years in your soil. As a bonus, it works on ants and carpenter ants also. Termidor is for use outside your home in the soil along the edges of your home.

You can use a garden sprayer to spray the insecticide. You mix the water with the termidor. Even if you already have a termite infestation in the wood of your home, termites will find the Termidor and be killed. You may or may not have to do a lot of restoration. The termidor can last 7 to 10 years in the soil around your home. You do not have to pay the high prices a professional termite exterminator charges. You can save a lot of money by doing the work yourself.

Browse the full range of Termite Products HERE, or click any product below for reviews and current low prices.

All orders processed through Amazon for the best possible service.

Termites cause up to 5 billion in damages to American homes each year it is estimated. Unfortunately, most homeowners insurance does not cover these losses. Doesn’t it make sense to protect hyour home even if there are no signs of termite damage? It’s always better to be preventive against insect damage.

If you spot even a few termites, you can be assured that there are many more because termites live in colonies. They are a very social insect. A colony can consist of over a million termites easily. Their main appetite is for wood. Termites are found across the entire United States. Not one of us live in an area that is known to be free of termites. Make the necessary steps today to rid your home of wood damaging termites. Spend a little bit of money now, to save thousands later on.

How To Use Termidor To Get Rid Of Termites Video

Dominion 2l, Professional Termite Control,termidor,termiticide Concentrate

Termidor SC

Bayer Diy Termite Killer 9 Lb

How To Win Your War Against Termites

Flying Ants

How To Control Flying Ants

Handyman — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 19:56:18 +0000

Browse the entire range of Flying Ant Solutions HERE.

There is nothing more aggravating or even worrisome as a swarm of flying ants while you are trying to enjoy the great outdoors. To me, they are pretty scary because the first thing I think of is termites. Luckily I have had no trouble in the termite department but I have fought flying ants. A lot of times, if you are working in the yard or around your house, it’s common to disturb a colony of flying ants.

Kill the queen and you can easily kill the colony of ants. When the ants swarm, there is usually no danger associated with it. I mean, the ants are not going to swarm and attack you in case you come across a swarm. If you see a swarm coming from around your house or even see the ants going into your house, it’s time to call an ant exterminator. I have heard of instances where a swarm of ants will sometimes fly inside your home. Again, they are not dangerous, but you need to get pest treatment immediately.

Winged ants can be controlled. One way is to use an electric bug zapper. You have seen them hanging in trees and when an insect flies into it, you can actually hear the zap as the insect is killed. Sometimes you see a little spark. Winged ants fly into the tiny holes and are executed. It’s actually pretty cool to sit outside in the evening and listen to the bugs and flying ants get zapped. These bug zappers are especially effective at killing mosquitoes.

I have also discovered that standard aerosol cans of wasp and hornet killer will effectively kill the ants also. Especially if you can find the nesting space where they are living and hibernating. Douse the entry hole with a long spray of insecticide. I did this 3 days in a row at my house and after 3 days, the flying ants were gone or they moved somewhere else. Most likely, any spray that kills winged insects will do the job.

Using Borax is a very effective way in controlling any type of ants you may be infested with. Pour the Borax powder around openings where you suspect the ants or on top of ant mounds. Borax is cheap and you can find it in most grocery stores. Some people will mix honey with borax because the honey attracts the ants. When they take the mixture back into the mound, the deadly combination of honey and borax will kill all of the ants when they feed.

Here is a bug zapper I bought from Amazon and it has served me well. It’s reasonable in price and the reviews on it are great. Check it out and it will help you control the flying ants and a lot of the other insects around your house that fly.

Buy a bug zapper online at Amazon:

Overall Rating:

Total Customer Reviews: (183)

List Price: $49.99

Sale Price: $34.95

Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours

Free Shipping Available

Electronic Insect Killer 40-watts: 1 Acre Radius

Yard & Garden

How To Install Vinyl Flooring

Handyman — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 16:46:13 +0000

One of the easiest home improvement projects to tackle is installing a vinyl floor in your home. Installing vinyl flooring does not take a tremendous amount of skill and that’s why I like it. I have installed vinyl in 4 of the homes I have built and also in one beach house I own. It does not take a lot of time, just takes some effort. If you are a do it yourself project person, you can tackle this job without fear.

If you are installing vinyl over an existing floor, first remove all of the existing flooring. You must remove all of the little bumps and trash from the floor. Use a scraper of some kind to remove all debris. You want a smooth surface to lay the new vinyl. You can lay vinyl over a wood or concrete sub-floor.

The first thing you will do is lay the vinyl out and dry fit it to your room. You will do that before you ever start glueing it down. A little side note here. Since I have done some of these projects before, I have discovered through the years that quality does matter. I prefer Mannington Vinyl Flooring over the other brands. The price is usually in line with the competition and Mannington Flooring is easy to work with. On the occasion that I have called Mannington customer service to ask a question, I have always received good customer service from them. You can of course use a discount flooring place where you live, but remember, you get what you pay for.

It’s a good idea to purchase a vinyl flooring paper template to lay down and help you with your cuts. Paper templates are cheap and will be of great help if you have a lot of intricate cuts in the vinyl. Once you have your template cut, the rest is much easier. You lay the template over the vinyl and then cut out the vinyl floor based on the pattern you established.

Roll the vinyl out and get it very close to the walls to get in your first cut. You will use a small razor blade with a hook blade to make cutting the vinyl easy. On the first cut, leave plenty of material and room for mistakes. You will go back to make the final cuts later. Once you have fitted the vinyl flooring, it’s time to glue it down.

You will glue the vinyl in sections. Roll up half the floor and lay your glue. Roll the vinyl back down and the roll up the other side and repeat the process. You only do half at a time because once glue is on the floor, it’s quite difficult to move the vinyl around. You will be using a water based vinyl glue and spread it with a trowel. After spreading, let the glue set up for about 10 minutes before placing the vinyl down. Repeat the process for the next side.

The last step is to go over the vinyl floor with a floor roller. This will remove any air bubbles. Good luck on your vinyl floor project. I know you can do it.

Below I have listed some of the tools you will need to install your vinyl flooring. All of the products are available on Amazon.com.

Q.E.P./Roberts 10-950 Linoleum Roller

6 each: Ace Solvent Free Cove Base Adhesive (32105)

Adura Vinyl Plank 4″ x 36″ Spalted Georgian Maple in Honeytone

Mannington Vinyl Flooring

How To Grout Ceramic Floor Tiles

Handyman — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 14:09:04 +0000

Recently, I wanted to install a new tile floor in my bathroom. I wanted to learn how to grout bathroom floor tiles. If you do a little research, you can easily learn this yourself. I went to Home Depot and bought all of my ceramic floor tiles. The method basically works the same even if you want to grout porcelain floor tiles.

There are a few steps that you need to take before you lay grout to your ceramic floor that you have installed. Different installers use many different methods of grouting but this method I will describe to you today is the way I usually do it. The first thing to do is take a wet sponge and go over the ceramic tile and get it slightly wet. This will actually lubricate the ceramic tile and prepare it to accept the grout. You will have much less chance of scratching the ceramic tile if you wet it first. Grout has silica sand in it and it is very sharp and can easily scratch the ceramic tile.

Mix your grout to the consistency of brick mortar. Place it on the tile in small amounts and I use a rubber float to spread it. It has very stiff rubber. Don’t forget to also get your float damp also by dipping it into water before you start. By getting it wet, you will find it much easier to spread the grout.

Spread the ceramic tile grout at an angle. Try not to drop the edge of the float into the seams of the ceramic tile. You want to push the grout down into the joints. It’s perfectly ok to get the grout all over the tile. There is no way to avoid this. Don’t worry about it. It will all clean up in the end. Be consistent and push the grout into the seams and take your time to spread it evenly. To get the excess grout off, use your float with about a 45 degree angle and you will remove most of the grout from the small area in which you are working. Make sure you fill the tile joint with grout and there is no depressions.

It’s a good idea to only spread grout in an area of about 3′ x 3′ at a time. Don’t grout more than you can reach at a time. You do not want to walk across the tile in places that you have not sponged.

Spreading grout is actually very simple once you get the hang of it. Just take your time on this initial phase of the ceramic job and your joints will look perfect. Good luck with your flooring project.

How to grout ceramic tile floors video

Buy a ceramic tile installation video and you will always have instructions as close as your TV.
Ceramic Tile, Step-by-step Video Instructions, Project Guide Included, Complete Installation Procedures, From Under-layment to Grout, Includes Three Different Ceramic Tile Projects, Brought to You By Chevrolet

Ceramic tile grout must be sealed. Here is a very good sealer for tile grout.

Aquamix 20372 Penetrating Water Based Sealer for Ceramic Tile and Stone, Quart

Forget about mixing your own tile grout. Buy pre-mixed grout to speed up your job and be confident the mixture is correct.

Savogran 12860 Ready-To-Use Tile Grout

Related:
Ventless Gas Fireplaces

Ventless Gas Fireplaces

Handyman — Thu, 27 May 2010 23:29:54 +0000

I’m thinking about installing a ventless gas fireplace in a room addition I’m building. I’ve been doing some research on fireplaces in general and this seems to be a good choice. In the winter, I really enjoy the warmth of gas logs. I do not like conventional heat pumps only.

A gas fireplace and gas logs just make a room more inviting and cozy. I’m doing a lot of work myself but I’m not sure I want to tackle installing the fireplace myself. Some of the work may require a permit anyway because gas pipe will have to be installed.

I went to the local outdoor hearth store last week and took a look at all of the ventless gas fireplace logs available and some actually look very real. I’ll probably have to drop at least $500 to get a decent setup that looks nice. Oh well, no one said that remodeling would be cheap.

Where I live it doesn’t get extremely cold and I do not want to spend my time cutting or buying firewood. I don’t want to burn any firewood so I can actually cut my installation costs by not building a chimney. So overall, this is a good alternative for me to provide supplemental heat to my new room.

Click any of the fireplaces below to read customer reviews or make additional product choices.

Real Flame Ventless Georgetown Gel Fireplace – #2400 in Dark Walnut (Dark Walnut) (42.5″ H x 48″ W x 12″ D)

Real Flame Stonewood Fireplace – in your choice of colors

Walter Petite Gel Fireplace – Black

Below, I have listed one of the highest rated ventless gas fireplaces available on Amazon.

Overall Rating:

Total Customer Reviews: (1)

List Price: $859.59

Sale Price: $486.00

Availability: Usually ships in 2-3 business days

Handome pillars with curved supports create an understated elegance in any room. Enjoy the warmth and ambiance of a real crackling fire from clean burning Real Flame easy-to-use Gel Fuel (sold separately). 9,000 BTU’s per hour provide plenty of heat to any room. Safe and easy to use with no venting required, and never affected by power outages. Each can of fuel burns up to three hours. Includes mantel, firebox, hand-painted cast concrete log, and screen kit. For shipment within the 48 contiguous United States only. No shipping to APO/FPO, Hawaii, Alaska, or Puerto Rico.

Home Improvement