Helping you build projects without a big shop using Japanese hand tools and power tools
Behind the Logos:Understanding Green Product Certifications does a good job of making sense of the different: Forestry certifications Indoor air quality certifications Energy performance certifications Multiple attribute certifications
I recently wanted to resize an existing Windows NTFS partition to install Kubuntu Linux on a laptop. The problem I was running into was I didn’t want to pay $50 for Partition Magic or some other software for maybe 2 uses. Back up anything you want to keep. Never trust any partitioning software to maintain Read More …
I’m still looking for a way to increase the energy efficiency in my attic roof-line. Sherwin Williams has a product called E-Barrier Reflective Coating that acts as a radiant barrier to the surface it’s painted on. Here are some specs from the site. In summer, e-Barrier reflects radiant energy from the sun In Read More …
Residential Concrete has a good article on polyaspartic polyureas as an alternative to epoxy on garage floor surfaces. The article goes over some background of the material and the application process. These are some of the unique properties of polyaspartic polyureas. When cured, they tolerate temperatures up to 350 ° F Resist stains Read More …
One of the most effective things I’ve done in the name of trying to conserve energy and make my older home more efficient is seal the outlets on the outside walls with spray foam insulation. These are the reasons a latex foam was chosen over the polyurethane type. There were too many warnings on the Read More …
While we were looking around for gifts this year we came across a really neat antique wooden box. Using it as a recycle bin for inside the house immediately came to mind. The only problem was it would scratch the wood floors in the kitchen. Here’s what I did to make the old box wood Read More …
During the inspection for air leaks in our home I came across a drafty fireplace. The previous owner put a glass door in front, but that didn’t seem to stop the draft completely. Because we won’t use the fireplaces, we have two, I decided to seal both up with rigid foam insulation. Drafty Fireplace The Read More …
This is a portion of getting our house to be more energy efficient by decreasing the amount of cold / warm air that leave the inside of the home in summer and winter. Expandable foam is a great product for sealing larger gaps that can’t be filled with caulk. I kind of had an idea Read More …
I recently ran across a blurb in the October issue of Construction Concrete that talked about the effects of pet feces and urine on concrete. The smell apparently comes from bacteria growth within the matrix. The solution is to wash the concrete throughly and apply a product like StableCrete. StableCrete is absorbed into Read More …
I want to better winterize the home. I’m going to work from the cheapest solutions to the more expensive ones. My goal is to get all of this done within a month for the first two sections. The more costly options will have to be done over a longer period so we’re paying cash for Read More …