Fairy lights have gone through a bit of a dramatic change in recent years. Technology has progressed somewhat and now those fiddly filament bulbs that seemed to break with the slightest touch and trip the electricity as soon as a toaster was used at the same time have been replaced with a funky and efficient collection of LED lights. Not only are these types of lights much more energy efficient saving up to 90% of energy used by the previous filament bulbs but they last much longer and the glow they give out is much brighter too. They are also able to be handled without the threat of being broken! The way fairy lights are powered has changed too and nowadays it is possible to buy solar operated lights as well as battery operated packs. Battery powered lights in particular dramatically cut the amount of wires on display and enable the lights to be placed anywhere at all as there is no need for a power supply to be close by.

One of the nice things about fairy lights is that they are so variable. There are a whole host of different colours available and plenty of different types of illumination too. Flashing, flickering, pulsing or a mixture of all are just some of the different lighting effects available. Often the surrounding bulbs are different shapes and sizes too. Fairy lights encased in stars or angels or icicles or even fairies themselves are just some of the most popular types of LED Christmas lights that people choose to display.

LED lights and fairy lights should not just be saved for Christmas however. They look great in the home throughout the year and can even be used in the garden to provide a social and party atmosphere. In the home, small golden lights look amazing when wrapped around furniture, strung from the beams or used to line mirrors or pictures hanging on the walls. They can also be used behind pieces of fabric so at night a mysterious and warm glow softly illuminates a room. They also look fabulous when weaved in amongst indoor shrubs and plants in much the same way as they do when on the Christmas tree in fact.

In the garden it is important to get special outdoor LED lights as traditional indoor wiring and rain do not mix well. Fairy lights can be used in trees to provide illumination against the night sky. They can also be used to highlight certain aspects of the garden such as plants or ornaments. One innovative way to use fairy lights is by weaving a battery operated selection amongst the branches of some trees to provide a starry canopy underneath which to sit. The next time you are entertaining guests you should seat the dinner table underneath the tree for a romantic and stylish atmosphere.

The wonderful effect that fairy lights and LED lights have on the home and garden make them a year round decoration. LED Christmas lights continue to be the most popular type to use, although this is a shame as fairy lights can bring style and elegance into the home and garden all year round at very little cost.

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Originally posted on he Htome Lighting Blog

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Lighting is often overlooked when it comes to home decor, however it is one of the most important aspects. Not only is it crucial for creating the right atmosphere, it can also be used to highlight specific features and even make the room look larger when cleverly combined with mirrors. Battery fairy lights can look particularly good in a home. They can be used to provide a sophisticated feel to the room and by no means need to be saved just for Christmas. They can be wrapped around pictures or mirrors on the wall, or entwined around furniture or other pieces of decoration. A particularly lovely way to incorporate fairy lights in a stylish and sophisticated way is to place them behind a thin piece of material. During the day the wall is adorned with a beautiful piece of fabric, and at night the lights softly shine through providing a pleasant glow in the room.

Battery lighting is great also for kids’ bedrooms. Totally safe to use, battery lighting can be left on all night which makes them fantastic for working as night lights. Often children don’t want total darkness when trying to go to sleep, so leaving on some battery lights can provide the perfect solution. They are great fun too and when strung up around the room can really bring it to life. They too can be displayed behind material or look good up against the wall or wrapped around a piece of furniture. Experiment with some lights to see what works best.

The garden is another part of the home that can benefit from battery fairy lights. Wrapped around a tree trunk not only highlights the tree but also creates a fun and sociable atmosphere in which to sit with friends and family. They can be partially hidden from view behind plants and bushes for a slightly unusual and dramatic effect, or they can be placed in the branches of a tree to provide a beautiful starry canopy, perfect for entertaining guests and enjoying a meal underneath.

Fairy lights are particularly useful for when entertaining and having parties, because they provide instant decoration and style. Decorations for parties can become quite an expensive affair, particularly if they cannot be used again. Flowers for example will wilt, balloons will deflate and special party props will not be useful until the next party. Lights however, in particular fairy lights, can continue to be used long after the party has finished and can be used in and around the home in ways as described above.

Christmas of course is a time when fairy lights truly come into their own as they provide an instant Christmas atmosphere in the home. Many choose to dust off the lights only at this time of year, but there is room for fairy lights at other times too. They can be used at Christmas time to frame windows or even be used to frame the entire house.

Fairy lights and battery lighting in general is an incredibly versatile form of lighting. As well as being completely safe, it perfectly highlights features and decoration in the home and garden and can be used to create just the right calm and atmospheric ambience in the home.

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Wedding lights can be used in a whole variety of ways. Small LED lights can be hidden amongst the flowers on the table for example to provide that extra something special in the centrepieces. Rope lights are another way to provide a romantic ambience and can be wrapped around tree trunks, weaved through bushes and flower beds or used indoors to help create a true party atmosphere. The versatility of both LED lights and rope lights make them ideal for use at a wedding or other party. Other popular lighting ideas at weddings are to have a starry canopy underneath which people can either enjoy a meal or dance the night away. Alternatively how about writing the bride and groom’s names in lights? This can really add something unique to a wedding!

Candles could also be used at a wedding to provide a romantic atmosphere, however wedding venues don’t often allow candles because of the fire risk. It is important to bear in mind that fronds from flowers or the other table decorations are highly flammable and so it is often not worth the risk of having candles. Electrical lighting can easily take the place of candles, providing all the atmosphere but none of the risk.

When it comes to wedding decoration ideas, there are plenty of ways to create just the right look and feel. Flowers are a popular way of bringing colour and style to a wedding. As well as centrepieces for the tables, flowers can surround doorways or be fixed to columns or beams inside. As well as looking beautiful they smell nice too. Flowers can also be used throughout the church and even displayed on the altar during the service itself and there is no doubt that flowers at a wedding are traditional, stylish and extremely elegant. In order to keep costs to a minimum, select flowers that are in season at the time of the wedding. By choosing exotic stems or flowers that are not native to the area in which you live, the price will increase dramatically.

If you want to choose decorations that are a bit more modern, balloons can be used. There is no reason that bright colours need be used either, as these often say kids party more than elegant wedding. Gold, silver, black, white, pink – choosing the right colouring can be all that is required to make balloons look stylish at a wedding. The trick to any good decoration at a wedding is to first decide on the colour scheme and then go from there. By not sticking to an overall theme, decor can often look poor so spend time deciding on what will look best in the venue you have chosen.

The decoration at a wedding is very important to get right. The best way to approach it is first to decide on a colour scheme and then have a think about what type of decoration will fit best in the venue you’ve chosen. Consider wedding lights and lighting first as this provides the perfect backdrop in which to then add other decorating ideas.

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Most of the electric circuits in your house have three wires going to them, a black wire (normally hot, or energized), a white wire (normally neutral), and a bare copper wire (always ground).  The larger left slot in an outlet is connected to the neutral wire; the smaller right slot is connected to the hot wire, and the circular slot beneath them is ground.

In the electrical panel for your home, all of the neutral and ground wires are connected together on a single bus.  That’s right, neutral and ground are equivalently grounded. So why is it necessary to have two wires going to each appliance?

The reason is safety.  The bare copper ground wire is connected the metal box of an appliance.  The ground wire ensures there is a path for electricity to get back to the breaker box if there’s a short circuit in the appliance that bridges the hot wire onto electric-conducting parts of the containing box.

Why Grounding is Necessary in Electrical Circuits

If you didn’t have this safety feature, bad things could ensue.  Consider this situation: Let’s say the hot wire comes loose in your washing machine and makes contact with the metal box.  The box is sitting on rubber feet so there’s no exit path for the current.  Since the electricity has nowhere to go, the box remains charged.  You unsuspectingly touch the washing machine and the current suddenly finds an exit point–through your body and out your feet to the floor.  You get a terrible shock.

Now, consider the same scenario except that the box is grounded. When the initial short circuit occurs, a rapid amount of current flows through the ground back to the electrical panel. Since there’s almost no resistance across the ground, the circuit overloads and the breaker trips almost instantly, sparing you a hair raising experience.

Next week, I’ll explain how special ground fault circuit interrupt (GFCI) receptacles work and what extra protections they offer.

Originally posted on One Project Closer

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Knowing where you want to use your lights is the crucial first step towards decorating your home with lights. Are the lights going outside or inside? Are they being used in a tree or to illuminate something in particular? Once you have a plan you can begin to measure up. Nothing causes more frustration than a set of lights that doesn’t quite reach far enough or is too long and has been clumped together at one end. Use a tape measure or other measuring device to find out more or less the exact length and size of area that is going to be decorated with lights as this will help you choose enough lights or a string of lights that is the right length. It is also crucial that the electrical sockets being designated for the Christmas lights are included in the plan as their location and distance from the area being illuminated need to be factored in.

If the lights are going to be used outside, it is crucial that outdoor lights are purchased for this. Using lights that are designed for indoors for this purpose can be very dangerous indeed as rain and indoor electrical wires do not mix well. Furthermore, outdoor lights are tougher and will withstand bad weather conditions. Indoor lights would be much more likely to break when banged around in the wind or battered by the rain.

The size of the bulbs and the lights themselves should also be considered early on. A very small tree lit up with very large light bulbs is not generally a great look and vice versa. If you are lighting up your house or an outside tree perhaps, you may want to choose lights that are fairly large as too small bulbs just won’t provide much of an impact or dramatic Christmas effect. Sometimes a mixture of sizes can work very well for example the top of a Christmas tree can look good adorned with small, dainty bulbs whilst the bottom of the tree can look great with slightly larger bulbs with a more intense colour.

When choosing lights, pay close attention to the wattage as nothing is worse than a constantly tripping power supply in the home. You don’t want the lights to go off every time a toaster is put on or a hairdryer is used. Make sure there is enough electricity to go around with the addition of Christmas lights around the house. Christmas lights generally come in a series circuit of a parallel circuit. If you are using a large number of lights then a parallel circuit may be better to use as when one bulb goes out the remaining lights stay illuminated. With a series circuit when one light goes out, they all go out until the offending bulb is found and replaced.

Indoor Christmas lights and outdoor Christmas lights are a great way to decorate the home at this time of year. By following the advice above, your home will look fantastic and undoubtedly get the neighbours talking! One final word of warning – If you are using a large number of outdoor Christmas lights to highlight your home, it may be wise to seek out the services of a professional electrician who will ensure everything is safe and functioning well.

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Call Before You Dig

Homeowners, professionals, and do-it-yourselfers all need to make the call to have underground utility lines marked before you begin a project. It could be something as simple as planting a tree or building a deck- either way you need to make the call. The depth of utility lines varies and you might be surprised to learn what’s buried in common areas. Damaging underground lines can disrupt service for entire neighborhoods and result in fines and repair costs. There’s no reason not to call. It’s the law and a free service!

Who to Call

Around Maryland, Delaware and DC, Miss Utility is the company that will mark underground lines. In Massachusetts, New Hampshire and surrounding areas, Dig Safe Systems will handle your needs. If you’re not sure who to call, check out 811. They maintain a quick lookup by state or province.

Underground Utility Line Color Code

Different underground lines will be marked by different colors. Here’s the universal color code.

• Red – Electric power lines, distribution and cables
• Orange – Communication, telephone/CATV, etc.
• Blue – Potable water
• Green – Sewer and drainage
• Yellow – Gas, petroleum, oil and gaseous materials
• Purple – Reclaimed water, irrigation and slurry lines
• White – Proposed excavation site

Digging Guidelines

Things like how long the marks are good for, weekend availability, and necessary notice times vary by state and county. Here in Baltimore County, they require 48 business hours from the time of the request and 18 inches of hand-digging to expose utility lines. Check local guidelines for your area.

What do you think? Have you risked it in the past?

Originally posted on One Project Closer

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I ran into this job while prepping our guestroom to be painted.  The prior owners had swagged lamps hanging from hooks on the ceiling in that room.  Not our style.  So I got rid of the lamps and took down the hooks, but it left me with round holes.

Here’s how I fixed them.

1.  Using drywall compound, put a layer in and around the hole.  (I prefer the “goes-on-pink” kind because it’s fast-drying as well as making it pretty obvious when it’s dry enough to be painted.)

2. Using tape, bind the bristles of an old paintbrush into a round or oval shape.  (I used a 3″ this time because I found one that was all “crispy” and no longer useful for painting, but ordinarily, I wouldn’t have chosen one that wide for this small a space.)

3.  Load up the bristles with more compound.

4.  Apply the compound from the bristles in a quick up-down manner around the whole newly-patched area, turning the brush different ways to keep the texture from being too uniform and adding more compound as you move around.

5.  EXTRA STEP IF YOU DON’T WANT SHARP POINTS:  Gently graze the tips of all the points with a spackling knife to take them down.  (Note: if you mess up and scrape it too flat, just immediately re-do step 3 and try again.)  You can skip this step if the “pointy” look is what you have everywhere else.  We sanded everything else, so that’s why I added this step.

 6.  When dry, paint the whole area to blend to the rest of the ceiling.

That’s it!  It cost me nothing to do:  used very little compound, a bit of tape, and a brush that was headed for the trash anyway.  (Though if you don’t have an old brush, you can also clean the compound off any brush you plan to use again.  Just clean it immediately after use, so nothing clumps up in your bristles.)

Originally posted on One Project Closer

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Whatever the cause windows are becoming as highly stylized as they are technologically advanced. Windows as they are built today far surpass the standards of minimal environmental insulation provided by their predecessors. When to Romans first created glass windows in 100 AD they meant to keep the hoary chill of the Aegean in winter out of their stately Alexandrian homes, indisputably these crude, barely translucent experiments – while state of the art – could not even begin to compare with the insulating properties of today’s most advanced sound-proofed, multi-paned, triple glazed top of the line windows available today.

Advancement, however comes with a price. The overall thickness of today’s modern ‘stormproof window’ – while steadily decreasing – is still many times that of windows in vogue only thirty short years ago. A common problem with renovation of older homes springs from this difference of thickness. Homeowners looking to install the most ecologically-minded windows find it necessary to completely reframe and upgrade the quality of the window casings in older homes. Until recently renovators had limited choices when it came to the merger of classical design features such as window boards, set mullions, and other architecturally integrated features such as decorative sills and shutters.

With the materials best suited to economy, ecology and mass production being metallic and plastic in nature many renovators spent an excess of time and money crafting their own solutions to the challenge of hiding or disguising modern window fixings to suit a classical design aesthetic.

In the area of new home construction, builders – familiar and proficient in the installation of many types and designs of advanced technology and modern-featured windows – have recently noticed a demand for windows of the same technological benefits but in a design form more accustomed to the periods prior to modern window construction. Customers began to frequently request features not in common use for decades or more – a window board for example – in an attempt to capture what soon became dubbed the ‘classical home feel’. Again, adapting the modern window to the classical home design was a job often left to the creative workmanship of the builder.

Now however window fixings manufacturers have caught up with the trend and modern fixings manufactured to meet the specifications necessary for the proper installation today’s modern technologically advanced windows while being suitable and adaptable for classical design choices are becoming commonplace and preferred. Using the most advanced manufacturing practices, window fixing companies now produce fixings of a previously unimaginable variety of practical design implementations.

Reduction of cost is of course foremost in any good manufacturers mind, and window fixing manufacturers are no exception to this rule. By creating fixing solutions to order through a quick assembly line factory practice, inexpensive fixings are available for almost any design use with all the modern technological benefits and at a speed suited to the pace of modern home construction.

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For being this week’s Before and After winner, Michael gets a $50 gift card to Lowes, Home Depot, or Amazon. Plus, we will also make a $100 donation to Habitat for Humanity in Michael’s honor. Check out this great story and this week’s Habitat Quick Fact.

A Better D.I.Y. Deck

This past spring my wife and I tore down the original deck that was attached to our house. It was 8×10, large enough to fit a table and chairs but no grill and not much else. While this isn’t a reason to tear down a deck, the rotting wood, untreated lumber and Carpenter Ant infestation really put the proverbial nail in the coffin (or in this case – the deck).

It was really bad. I am thankful that the person that previously built it did not attach it to the house for many reasons.

• They used untreated wood and sat it directly on the ground, thus creating a feeding area within easy reach of the wood eating insects.
• Supports (if you can call them that) sat directly on the ground, not below the frost line (which would be fine for a free standing deck, but not when you use wood not rated for ground contact)..
• After the Carpenter Ants ate through the main supports (2×12), they sistered some 1×6 blocks on the bottom of the supports. Which provides no support, but gave them an area to paint and “look” nice.
• I was really scared that it was going to just fall apart that I never let anyone on it except myself. The only thing holding it together was the 2×12 decking boards.

Here are some pictures of deck and destruction. That lean is not supposed to be there. If you look in the background, you can see that the insects have gotten to our fence as well (a future project).

Before Pictures and Deconstruction.

My philosophy is to build it right so you only have to build it once. This means going above and beyond “minimum code”. I really dislike the idea of attaching the deck to the house through the use of a ledger board, but because of the concrete pad (2” thick) attached to my house, it will be more trouble and work to build it freestanding. If I cut up the concrete, then I could create a problem with water in the future which the concrete holds back. If I make a hole large enough in the concrete to put my concrete form (12” diameter), then water may get around the seam where the old concrete meets the new form; thus creating a possibility of frost heaving or other problems in the future.

That leaves only 1 choice of ledger board. After reading this article entitled “Don’t Build Decks that Rot” , it gave me a great idea of using composite decking as blocks for my ledger board. This would create a drainage point as well as keeping the ledger board away from the house by about an inch but still providing the structural strength of a ledger board. It also gave me the idea of using a roofing membrane on every joist and at the post connection to prolong the life of my wood structure.

I also downloaded quite a bit on code for deck building. This includes span charts, joist sizing, beam sizing, etc… Can’t forget about the StrongTie handout for deck building connections that has all of the connections with pictures and uses.

AWC Code
Multi-Level Decks
Strong-Tie Deck Fasteners

The Lowe’s Deck Designer is GREAT for an overview and parts list. It allows you to do some great designs for decks with multi-levels and then shows you what your deck will look like with beams and everything. It was great and saved me a lot of time. Of course I tweaked the design a little bit and played with different joist sizes to see if the Live and Dead Load changes.
Lowe’s Deck Designer (Need Account) .

We removed the electrical and water spigot until we have reinstalled the ledger board.
We removed the vinyl siding and cedar siding and then the sheathing After that, I saw the inevitable it seems for my projects. Carpenter ants decided to eat out some of my rim joist. I prayed that they didn’t cause too much damage. Luckily they only ate out about a 2 foot section of the rim board. They never touched any floor joist or even the sill plate.

I removed 6 feet of the rim board and replaced it with a PT board. I used (3) 3/8” Lag Screws per floor joist to secure it. It shouldn’t go anywhere J. I then put some Ice & Water Shield over the top of that.

We dug our 3 sonotube holes with a post hole digger 4 feet deep, 12″ wide and laid 6 inches in the holes. We put in our sonotubes and used 5000 psi concrete. We waited a couple of hours for the concrete to start curing before we could put our ½” x 12” anchor bolt into the form.

For those that are interested in soup-to-nuts information. Here is the information needed to submit for a permit to add the deck to the house. I have removed all information distinguishing location and address, but you get the idea.

You need quite a bit of information. Then there are the fees. My city charges .01 times the cost of what you are building. In the case of my deck, the cost of materials is $2500, so it is a $25 permit fee plus a standard $25 application fee.

We installed the first 2×12 where the ledger is to be installed as a spacer board to bring the wood up to the same level as where the vinyl siding currently attaches. On top of that we installed ice and water shield. We went up about 12-18”, even behind the vinyl siding and down about 12” below the bottom of the sill plate just to keep things tight. Don’t see a need to cut off the bottom, it will be behind the deck anyway.

On top of the ice and water shield we installed vinyl flashing. On top of that we installed composite decking spacers every 16” on-center.

Then we attached the ledger board. We used 5” LedgerLok’s in a staggered pattern.

I have never had to pull a permit for a deck before. I hadn’t realized that the first inspection was after digging your post holes…OOPS! Lucky for me, the inspector was VERY understanding and just made me dig down the side of one of the posts to verify depth. He approved my posts on Tuesday and so we are officially ready to go! The next inspection will be at the completion and then hopefully we get the Certificate of Completion!

This weekend, it actually started to look like a deck!!

Next, I ran a string to a batter board so that I could figure out the height of my post. I leveled the string with a string level and then measured down 22 3/8” which was the actual distance of my 2×12 joist and 6×12 beam added together. The first 2 posts were almost the same at 5 5/8”.

I originally was going to go with the composite decking, but decided upon cedar. I found some at the local big box store for $1.22/linear foot! Nicer looking than composite, safer than Pressure Treated and naturally insect repellant. Of course, that means maintenance, but sealing the deck every year is not that difficult. I can roll it on relatively easily.

I refuse to use anything but vinyl railings because painting every spindle is ridiculously time consuming…and pressure treated railings are more likely to splinter and I don’t want to worry about that with children…even if they don’t use Arsenic/Formaldehyde anymore.

We cut the 6×6 posts and attach them to the post bases. Then we stack the first half of the beam and cut it to length (about 12 feet long). Then the 2nd to be stacked on top of that one. Then we use ½” x 12″ lag bolts to tie the beam together. Then we do the same for the 2nd half of the deck at about 7 feet long. We ice and water shield the posts and attach the beams to the posts. We then cut 2×6 boards to keep the beam from rocking front to back. The beam is SOLID!

We attach the joist hangers at 16” OC (on center) along the ledger board and hang the joists and cut them down to size We attach our Rim Board with ¼” x 3” lag screws. We install the railing posts with 2-Deck Post Ties per post. We install ice and water shield on top of our joists, square up the stringers and block the sides of our posts to reinforce the connection. The final thing to do before we were finished framing was to install our dryer vent. It is located in the middle of the ledger board, so we had to use a 4″ hole saw to cut a hole so that we would still have our dryer vent.

We finished half of the decking boards. We started in the middle of the deck. You are probably wondering why. Well, we were going to start on one of the ends, but we couldn’t tell if the board was straight. I am more worried about the board looking straight to the eye, than of it being square.

So, we started in the middle at the middle post and it looked perfectly straight. The problem we ran into is because it is wood, as it dries it warps, bends, etc. We started with the straightest board we could find. Then we used clamps to persuade the other boards to stay straight. We had to do some minimal shimming to make the boards even.

The problem with the clamp is that we started overtightening it and causing our spacers (8d nails) to cause impressions on the sides of our cedar decking. We used some laminate flooring spacers which helped, but they kept getting stuck. We finished about 5 rows in about 5 hours…not good progress at all!

So, I decided the clamps had to go and since they are 4 foot clamps, we were going to reach their limit very soon. I use ratchet straps in the truck all the time to tie things down, so I figured it was worth a shot. I set up 4 straps across the length of the deck and we ratcheted the boards down and it worked like a charm. Plus, we didn’t have to move the straps which moved things along quite nicely.

We finally completed the decking. This totally transformed the deck into a new beast. It made all of the previous pain worth it. We finally had a 260 sq. ft platform to walk on. After finishing the decking, we moved to adjusting the stairs.

Railings:

I purchased 100″ vinyl post sleeves because I knew that I would be able to cut them in half and therefore buy half as many. We cut them all at 43″ so they would all be the same height. Then we started unpacking the railings. Since the railings had been out in the rain the past couple of weeks, the labels were pretty much stuck on there. We spent an hour with goo gone removing the labels. We didn’t get them perfect because we didn’t want to be stuck doing that all day. We then started the first railing closest to the house so that we could make mistakes and they wouldn’t be as noticeable. Things went pretty smoothly from there and by 1PM we were finished the railings on the main part of the deck. We took a break for lunch.

Then we started the stair railings. Since I am obsessive about perfection, it took us about 5 hours to install the 2 stair railings…constantly making adjustments. Since this is finish carpentry, it takes me longer. This is the part that people will see no matter how much time and energy you spent on the subframe. If it looks funny, it will haunt me the rest of my life.

After completing the railings, I was happy with the deck.

Besides being safer since we have little ones; the finish height of the deck in some areas is 32″ so code says we need to have railings (anything over 30″). Since it was a holiday weekend, I waited until Tuesday to call the inspector to tell him I am ready for the final inspection. He comes by while I am at work and leaves. Tanya finds the paper inside the door.

It says, “failed”. The 2 reasons are:

• Deck not adequately attached. Needs to be attached every 3-4′.
• Stairs not uniform.

Ok…let me talk about #1. The ledger is attached every 16″ with (4) 5″ LedgerLoks as all of you know from my previous post. I e-mail him and asked him to clarify what he meant. He responds “Due to the limited angle for viewing I was unable to determine your means of fastening to the house.” And that he would check upon reinspection of the stairs. So…because you couldn’t see how the deck was fastened to the house, you failed it!!

Let me talk about #2. I knew the stairs were not uniform, but they are only off by 1″. I have walked them numerous times and I don’t see a problem. But I looked up the code and it says that the smallest rise to the highest rise shall be maximum of 3/8″ difference. Well…they are definitely not that. And I guess he needed to come up with something wrong with the deck to justify his position (just a little bitter*).

But there are only 4 stairs and to me they don’t feel that much off. But I don’t make the rules and when you pull a permit you are at the mercy of the inspector.But this whole thing could have been avoided (#1 and #2) by having a framing inspection. The most important part of the deck is the framing.

He would be able to:

• Measure the spacing of the joists.
• The attachment of the ledger to the house.
• Fastening of joists to ledger and to beam.
• Beam connection.
• Stair uniformity.

So…although they aren’t going to change the way things are done, I think they would have much safer decks if they did a framing inspection.

Well…this past weekend we spent quite a few hours fixing the stairs. We chiseled the concrete about 3 inches by 5 feet so we could sink the stairs a little further. They are now only .5″ off. Hopefully he will say it is ok.

Well, I purchased the 2009 International Residential Code (IRC) book. It costs $90, but I probably could have avoided this by having the code book easily accessible. It will be useful in the future. And since my city is still using the 2000 IRC book, I think I should be safe with whatever I do.

HERE Is the Completed Masterpiece (before the lattice work was installed). My wife and I love it. My wife, daughter and son use it daily in the summer.

Thanks from One Project Closer!

Michael, this is a really great story- full of information and how-to! Building a deck is a great project and re-boarding my deck is on the to-do list (maybe next summer).

Habitat for Humanity Quick Fact

From the HopeBuilder Page:

HopeBuiders are the foundation of Habitat for Humanity’s housing ministry. Through monthly donations, HopeBuilders provide Habitat with a consistent and reliable source of funding that allows us to plan ahead. When you join Habitat for Humanity’s HopeBuilders, you will join a special group of people reaching out each month to provide affordable housing for families around the world. Together, we can eradicate poverty housing and give families decent shelter and the hope of a better life.

Click here to learn more about the HopeBuilders.

How to Enter Your Own Before and After

Want to win $50 and help a good cause? Send your entry to: beforeandafter@oneprojectcloser.com.

Originally posted on One Project Closer

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You probably know that the center hole at the bottom is the ground wire, but probably don’t know why one slot is larger than the other, or how grounding works exactly.

How Electric Circuits Work

The larger, left slot in a receptacle is neutral and the smaller right slot is hot.  In all electric circuits, electricity flows from a point of higher electrical potential to a point of lower potential.  The hot wire in a house is the source of electrical potential. It’s the one that will shock you if you touch it, and that’s why we call it hot.

When you plug in an appliance or light bulb, the current flows out the hot side of the plug to the appliance or light, and then back out of the appliance on the neutral wire into the left side of the plug, completing the circuit.

Polarized Receptacles

Remember that in order for an electrical appliance to run, a complete circuit must exist through the appliance.  This means a switch could be placed anywhere in the circuit and still prevent the appliance from running.  For example, on a toaster, the switch could be placed either before or after the heating wires in the circuit and it would be equally effective.  However, it would not be equally safe.

Let’s say that we have a toaster with a switch installed after the heating wires.  A piece of bread gets stuck in the toaster and you (unwisely) start rooting around inside of it with a metal fork.  Since those wires are electrified (they are connected to the hot wire), as soon as you provide an alternate path for the electrical current to exit–e.g., through the fork, through your body, out your feet to the ground–you get shocked.

Take the same toaster and put the switch before those heating wires.  Now, when you go rooting with a form, the wires aren’t electrified at all, and you won’t get shocked.

If it isn’t obvious already, the reason one side of a plug is larger than the other (a.k.a. polarized) is to make sure that the switch inside a device is always in the circuit before the motor or heating wires or other electrical parts.  This is a safety mechanism just in case you accidentally provide an alternate exit path for the current.

Stay Tuned

Now you know about polarization.  Stay tuned for how grounding works and why we need it.

(photo: oxymoron)

Originally posted on One Project Closer

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Mark J. Donovan

The new foam insulation sealant from Owens Corning is part of its EnergyCompleteTM insulation product line. The foam sealant is a low expanding air infiltration barrier product that utilizes a flexible seal technology that makes it ideal for using around doors and windows, as well as in sheathing joints and cracks. It is also ideal around duct work and construction joints.

Using a portable sprayer, it is easily applied and foams in places. In addition, it does not require the use of a mask or full body protection when applying it. Also, because of its low expansion level it is ideal to use around doors and windows.

The foam based sealant sets up in less than 30 minutes. Once fully set, batt insulation can then be installed over or adjacent to it.

Insulating with rolled or batt insulation around doors and windows and in construction seams is slow and ineffective in many cases. Using a foam sealant such as this product can save time and insulation installation costs, as well as make for a better insulated home.

Originally posted on The Home Addition Blog Site

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If you want to learn more about this sweet tool, check out the full Black & Decker Cordless Trimmer review. In the end, we only have one winner and today that winner is Stacey! Stacey is a Twitter follower and shared our giveaway online. Congratulations!

What the Winner Gets

Stacey gets a brand new Black & Decker Cordless String Trimmer / Edger (NST1024) delivered to her front door, a retail value of $149.

This trimmer is easy to use and lightweight. The auto-feed feature really works well and the head rotates for comfortable edging. It’s a great tool for medium sized yards.

Entries Received

Here’s a quick breakdown of all the entries. Remember, blog entries must link back to One Project Closer to be counted.

• 253 Comments
• 33 Twitter followers & retweets
• 9 Blog posts

Visa Gift Card Giveaway

Our next giveaway is already on-going. Make sure to enter on the Deck Day Giveaway!

Originally posted on One Project Closer

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1. Cordless Trimmer Winner!
2. Cordless Trimmer Winner!
3. Cordless Trimmer Winner!

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If you want to learn more about this sweet tool, check out the full Black & Decker Cordless Trimmer review. In the end, we only have one winner and today that winner is Stacey! Stacey is a Twitter follower and shared our giveaway online. Congratulations!

What the Winner Gets

Stacey gets a brand new Black & Decker Cordless String Trimmer / Edger (NST1024) delivered to her front door, a retail value of $149.

This trimmer is easy to use and lightweight. The auto-feed feature really works well and the head rotates for comfortable edging. It’s a great tool for medium sized yards.

Entries Received

Here’s a quick breakdown of all the entries. Remember, blog entries must link back to One Project Closer to be counted.

• 253 Comments
• 33 Twitter followers & retweets
• 9 Blog posts

Visa Gift Card Giveaway

Our next giveaway is already on-going. Make sure to enter on the Deck Day Giveaway!

Originally posted on One Project Closer

Related posts:

1. Cordless Trimmer Winner!
2. Cordless Trimmer Winner!
3. Cordless Trimmer Winner!

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

If you want to learn more about this sweet tool, check out the full Black & Decker Cordless Trimmer review. In the end, we only have one winner and today that winner is Stacey! Stacey is a Twitter follower and shared our giveaway online. Congratulations!

What the Winner Gets

Stacey gets a brand new Black & Decker Cordless String Trimmer / Edger (NST1024) delivered to her front door, a retail value of $149.

This trimmer is easy to use and lightweight. The auto-feed feature really works well and the head rotates for comfortable edging. It’s a great tool for medium sized yards.

Entries Received

Here’s a quick breakdown of all the entries. Remember, blog entries must link back to One Project Closer to be counted.

• 253 Comments
• 33 Twitter followers & retweets
• 9 Blog posts

Visa Gift Card Giveaway

Our next giveaway is already on-going. Make sure to enter on the Deck Day Giveaway!

Originally posted on One Project Closer

Related posts:

1. Cordless Trimmer Winner!
2. Cordless Trimmer Winner!
3. Cordless Trimmer Winner!

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

If you want to learn more about this sweet tool, check out the full Black & Decker Cordless Trimmer review. In the end, we only have one winner and today that winner is Stacey! Stacey is a Twitter follower and shared our giveaway online. Congratulations!

What the Winner Gets

Stacey gets a brand new Black & Decker Cordless String Trimmer / Edger (NST1024) delivered to her front door, a retail value of $149.

This trimmer is easy to use and lightweight. The auto-feed feature really works well and the head rotates for comfortable edging. It’s a great tool for medium sized yards.

Entries Received

Here’s a quick breakdown of all the entries. Remember, blog entries must link back to One Project Closer to be counted.

• 253 Comments
• 33 Twitter followers & retweets
• 9 Blog posts

Visa Gift Card Giveaway

Our next giveaway is already on-going. Make sure to enter on the Deck Day Giveaway!

Originally posted on One Project Closer

Related posts:

1. Cordless Trimmer Winner!
2. Cordless Trimmer Winner!
3. Cordless Trimmer Winner!

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

If you want to learn more about this sweet tool, check out the full Black & Decker Cordless Trimmer review. In the end, we only have one winner and today that winner is Stacey! Stacey is a Twitter follower and shared our giveaway online. Congratulations!

What the Winner Gets

Stacey gets a brand new Black & Decker Cordless String Trimmer / Edger (NST1024) delivered to her front door, a retail value of $149.

This trimmer is easy to use and lightweight. The auto-feed feature really works well and the head rotates for comfortable edging. It’s a great tool for medium sized yards.

Entries Received

Here’s a quick breakdown of all the entries. Remember, blog entries must link back to One Project Closer to be counted.

• 253 Comments
• 33 Twitter followers & retweets
• 9 Blog posts

Visa Gift Card Giveaway

Our next giveaway is already on-going. Make sure to enter on the Deck Day Giveaway!

Originally posted on One Project Closer

Related posts:

1. Cordless Trimmer Winner!
2. Cordless Trimmer Winner!
3. Cordless Trimmer Winner!

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

If you want to learn more about this sweet tool, check out the full Black & Decker Cordless Trimmer review. In the end, we only have one winner and today that winner is Stacey! Stacey is a Twitter follower and shared our giveaway online. Congratulations!

What the Winner Gets

Stacey gets a brand new Black & Decker Cordless String Trimmer / Edger (NST1024) delivered to her front door, a retail value of $149.

This trimmer is easy to use and lightweight. The auto-feed feature really works well and the head rotates for comfortable edging. It’s a great tool for medium sized yards.

Entries Received

Here’s a quick breakdown of all the entries. Remember, blog entries must link back to One Project Closer to be counted.

• 253 Comments
• 33 Twitter followers & retweets
• 9 Blog posts

Visa Gift Card Giveaway

Our next giveaway is already on-going. Make sure to enter on the Deck Day Giveaway!

Originally posted on One Project Closer

Related posts:

1. Cordless Trimmer Winner!
2. Cordless Trimmer Winner!
3. Cordless Trimmer Winner!

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

If you want to learn more about this sweet tool, check out the full Black & Decker Cordless Trimmer review. In the end, we only have one winner and today that winner is Stacey! Stacey is a Twitter follower and shared our giveaway online. Congratulations!

What the Winner Gets

Stacey gets a brand new Black & Decker Cordless String Trimmer / Edger (NST1024) delivered to her front door, a retail value of $149.

This trimmer is easy to use and lightweight. The auto-feed feature really works well and the head rotates for comfortable edging. It’s a great tool for medium sized yards.

Entries Received

Here’s a quick breakdown of all the entries. Remember, blog entries must link back to One Project Closer to be counted.

• 253 Comments
• 33 Twitter followers & retweets
• 9 Blog posts

Visa Gift Card Giveaway

Our next giveaway is already on-going. Make sure to enter on the Deck Day Giveaway!

Originally posted on One Project Closer

Related posts:

1. Cordless Trimmer Winner!
2. Cordless Trimmer Winner!
3. Cordless Trimmer Winner!

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

If you want to learn more about this sweet tool, check out the full Black & Decker Cordless Trimmer review. In the end, we only have one winner and today that winner is Stacey! Stacey is a Twitter follower and shared our giveaway online. Congratulations!

What the Winner Gets

Stacey gets a brand new Black & Decker Cordless String Trimmer / Edger (NST1024) delivered to her front door, a retail value of $149.

This trimmer is easy to use and lightweight. The auto-feed feature really works well and the head rotates for comfortable edging. It’s a great tool for medium sized yards.

Entries Received

Here’s a quick breakdown of all the entries. Remember, blog entries must link back to One Project Closer to be counted.

• 253 Comments
• 33 Twitter followers & retweets
• 9 Blog posts

Visa Gift Card Giveaway

Our next giveaway is already on-going. Make sure to enter on the Deck Day Giveaway!

Originally posted on One Project Closer

Related posts:

1. Cordless Trimmer Winner!
2. Cordless Trimmer Winner!
3. Cordless Trimmer Winner!

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

If you want to learn more about this sweet tool, check out the full Black & Decker Cordless Trimmer review. In the end, we only have one winner and today that winner is Stacey! Stacey is a Twitter follower and shared our giveaway online. Congratulations!

What the Winner Gets

Stacey gets a brand new Black & Decker Cordless String Trimmer / Edger (NST1024) delivered to her front door, a retail value of $149.

This trimmer is easy to use and lightweight. The auto-feed feature really works well and the head rotates for comfortable edging. It’s a great tool for medium sized yards.

Entries Received

Here’s a quick breakdown of all the entries. Remember, blog entries must link back to One Project Closer to be counted.

• 253 Comments
• 33 Twitter followers & retweets
• 9 Blog posts

Visa Gift Card Giveaway

Our next giveaway is already on-going. Make sure to enter on the Deck Day Giveaway!

Originally posted on One Project Closer

Related posts:

1. Cordless Trimmer Winner!
2. Cordless Trimmer Winner!
3. Cordless Trimmer Winner!

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

If you want to learn more about this sweet tool, check out the full Black & Decker Cordless Trimmer review. In the end, we only have one winner and today that winner is Stacey! Stacey is a Twitter follower and shared our giveaway online. Congratulations!

What the Winner Gets

Stacey gets a brand new Black & Decker Cordless String Trimmer / Edger (NST1024) delivered to her front door, a retail value of $149.

This trimmer is easy to use and lightweight. The auto-feed feature really works well and the head rotates for comfortable edging. It’s a great tool for medium sized yards.

Entries Received

Here’s a quick breakdown of all the entries. Remember, blog entries must link back to One Project Closer to be counted.

• 253 Comments
• 33 Twitter followers & retweets
• 9 Blog posts

Visa Gift Card Giveaway

Our next giveaway is already on-going. Make sure to enter on the Deck Day Giveaway!

Originally posted on One Project Closer

Related posts:

1. Cordless Trimmer Winner!
2. Cordless Trimmer Winner!
3. Cordless Trimmer Winner!

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

If you want to learn more about this sweet tool, check out the full Black & Decker Cordless Trimmer review. In the end, we only have one winner and today that winner is Stacey! Stacey is a Twitter follower and shared our giveaway online. Congratulations!

What the Winner Gets

Stacey gets a brand new Black & Decker Cordless String Trimmer / Edger (NST1024) delivered to her front door, a retail value of $149.

This trimmer is easy to use and lightweight. The auto-feed feature really works well and the head rotates for comfortable edging. It’s a great tool for medium sized yards.

Entries Received

Here’s a quick breakdown of all the entries. Remember, blog entries must link back to One Project Closer to be counted.

• 253 Comments
• 33 Twitter followers & retweets
• 9 Blog posts

Visa Gift Card Giveaway

Our next giveaway is already on-going. Make sure to enter on the Deck Day Giveaway!

Originally posted on One Project Closer

Related posts:

1. Cordless Trimmer Winner!
2. Cordless Trimmer Winner!
3. Cordless Trimmer Winner!

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

If you want to learn more about this sweet tool, check out the full Black & Decker Cordless Trimmer review. In the end, we only have one winner and today that winner is Stacey! Stacey is a Twitter follower and shared our giveaway online. Congratulations!

What the Winner Gets

Stacey gets a brand new Black & Decker Cordless String Trimmer / Edger (NST1024) delivered to her front door, a retail value of $149.

This trimmer is easy to use and lightweight. The auto-feed feature really works well and the head rotates for comfortable edging. It’s a great tool for medium sized yards.

Entries Received

Here’s a quick breakdown of all the entries. Remember, blog entries must link back to One Project Closer to be counted.

• 253 Comments
• 33 Twitter followers & retweets
• 9 Blog posts

Visa Gift Card Giveaway

Our next giveaway is already on-going. Make sure to enter on the Deck Day Giveaway!

Originally posted on One Project Closer

Related posts:

1. Cordless Trimmer Winner!
2. Cordless Trimmer Winner!
3. Cordless Trimmer Winner!

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

If you want to learn more about this sweet tool, check out the full Black & Decker Cordless Trimmer review. In the end, we only have one winner and today that winner is Stacey! Stacey is a Twitter follower and shared our giveaway online. Congratulations!

What the Winner Gets

Stacey gets a brand new Black & Decker Cordless String Trimmer / Edger (NST1024) delivered to her front door, a retail value of $149.

This trimmer is easy to use and lightweight. The auto-feed feature really works well and the head rotates for comfortable edging. It’s a great tool for medium sized yards.

Entries Received

Here’s a quick breakdown of all the entries. Remember, blog entries must link back to One Project Closer to be counted.

• 253 Comments
• 33 Twitter followers & retweets
• 9 Blog posts

Visa Gift Card Giveaway

Our next giveaway is already on-going. Make sure to enter on the Deck Day Giveaway!

Originally posted on One Project Closer

Related posts:

1. Cordless Trimmer Winner!
2. Cordless Trimmer Winner!
3. Cordless Trimmer Winner!

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.