I may have never seen my wife so upset as the time when I came through the door with an old stray dog I found. She wasn’t too happy that I took it upon myself to make the decision about our newest family member. With the right words I managed to get her to agree to keep him but only as long he stayed out in the backyard. I didn’t like the idea my new pal being subject to the harsh conditions of the outdoor while I slept nice & cozy indoors. I knew right away it was my new job to build him a place to live and I began looking at various dog house plans.

I was in utter shock at how many different directions I could go with my four legged friend’s new home. I made sure to pick out the best dog house plans. With all of that in place I put my tool belt on and got started.

When building an outdoor home for your pet it is very important that it is built with high standards. The right selection of materials will play a huge role in the life expectancy of your dog house. You really need to put your heart and soul into this and build it the right way. I’m sure you’ll at least be putting a few hours if not a few weekends into this and it couldn’t be any more painful to walk outside and see your dog house in ruins. You’ll know deep inside that you’re the one to blame, that is why it so important to do a quality job. If you can afford pressure treatment, I wouldn’t go without it. You would be surprised at how fast the weather can tear up untreated lumber. Building with pressure treated materials will give your dog house a much longer life time.

With a dog you never know what it’s going to get into next. I used to have a dog that would chew up anything he could get a hold of. It is certainly something to consider when selecting the right material to use. Yes pressure treated wood is the best option but if your dog likes to chew the chemicals on pressure treated wood pose a dangerous threat to your dog. If your dog is a chewer I would highly recommend that you find a different means of building material.

You really want to be sure that your dog house can stand up to the seasons as well. Not just structurally but internally too. If it is getting hot outside it’s a sure thing that it’s getting hot inside the dog house as well. It is important to use a design that incorporates an air flow to keep your dog cool during the summer. With the colder months you won’t want your dog freezing to death either. Put a blanket or two so he can snuggle up and keep warm.

Reduce your carbon footprint AND Reduce your Electricity Bill. Our Review on the best Manuals on Home Solar Power reveals this secret.

Homemade Solar Panels are a hype……and fairly so!

Solar energy saves the environment and saves your energy bill. Don´t bother asking a estimate from a professional contractor. Their quotations are too high and the energy savings won´t make up this initial capital outlay. Take into consideration homemade solar panels guidebooks as they allow you to make the panels yourself for not more than $200.

But are these systems really as easy to make as they say? Yes….they are right, it is not very difficult. A lot of people like you have done it already.

We have investigated the 8 best-selling guidebooks for Homemade Solar Panels and we have chosen for you the greatest guide and those handbooks that score highest marks on important features like: clarity of instructions, customer service, bonuses, etc.

And the unsurpassed manual for Home Solar Power is…Earth4Energy

Earth4Energy: The Best Instruction manual for Homemade Solar Panels

Rating: stars-5-0

CNN and The New York Times are some sources where this guidebook too comes out best and they recommend it highly.

The reason why everybody wants to have this instruction manual for Home Solar Power is actually very simple, the illustrated step-by-step instructions and the high-quality video explanations making it so easy to install your own solar panel. Some good bonuses that are especially useful are where to purchase all the materials for a good price.

All the manuals offer:

* The costs are less than $49 and you will have a membership for a lifetime with free updates;
* They give you all of your money back if you decide within 60 days that you don’t like it;
* Bonuses comes with the package, although some offer you more than others

These other guides are also VERY good and worth checking out:

GreenDIYenergy: They offer the video information with the most quality

Rating: stars-4-5

The video information with this manual is truly high quality and will help you enormously. More than 120 minutes of excellent step-by-step video information that will explain to you in great details how to make your first homemade solar panels.

Power4Home: Really useful extra material regarding Home Energy Saving Tips

Rating: 4 (out of 5)

You will receive similar information and videos with this guidebook for homemade solar panels, though not to the same level of excellence as in GreenDIYenergy or as in Earth4Energy. There is one thing with this guide which is very good. Two bonus books (“83 Ways to reduce you home energy needs” and “Advanced Power Saving Technologies”) which you get for free and are very useful. They contain information on the subject of renewable energy and decreasing your energy needs.

HomeMadeEnergy: Best Client Support

Rating: stars-4-5

HomeMadeEnergy will offer you high-quality step-by-step information with illustrations included. But there is no video support with this manual. The HomeMadeEnergy email support service on the other hand, was fastest to respond and they gave really logical answers. Wonderful helpline!! More than ever if you don´t believe yourself a DIY specialist. This is how HomeMadeEnergy effectively differentiates itself from the other instruction manuals available in the market.

We recommend as the best Homemade Solar panels guide: Earth4Energy

Check our site for the latest Review of the Best Guides for DIY Solar Energy.

About the author: Marly Kester is an expert in renewable energies and energy efficiency for Enerfy. Enerfy is an energy consultancy company advising their business customers on energy and ESCo contracts. Via BestEnergySaving, Enerfy gives energy efficiency and renewable energy tips and tools to DIYers interested in reducing their energy bill and their carbon footprint.

Many of the houses built these days always have good parking space, plenty of compound and the most definite thing that seems not to lack these days is a backyard.

It is quite evident that by the move of technology that even houses are being built with new and great ideas. Nothing tends to be the same old same old; they are changing by the day.

The one thing that people do not know what to do is with the space that comes as the backyard. That is why even backyard shed plans have been structured in order to help people in building and in the beautification of their yards.

Most of the backyard shed plans are available via the internet and are there at very affordable prices. But before one gets to purchase on it is best to consider some few questions that will lead them to choose the best.

The first thing is to know the amount of space they have in their backyard that they are planning to build on. It may be that they only want to build a certain sector and not just the whole yard.

This is because there are backyard shed plans that are designed for large yards and others are designed for small ones.

After this is to consider how much one is willing to spend in the backyard plan.

You would find that the backyard shed plans are all drawn in different forms and the more complicated it gets the more on will spend on building it. It may also tend to be simple but the materials that are required to build it are quite expensive.

The last thing is to know how you want your shed to look like at the end of the day. Should it be simple or sophisticated?

When it comes to backyards people tend to pay less attention because they tend to be at the back of the house there fore no one gets to see them.

But the one thing to know is that it is your house and your neighbors can tell what kind of a person or family you are.

You would find that most people’s backyard and full of garage stuff and a lot of garbage and this does not paint a good picture. Things have been made easier as they are constructors that you can call in order to have your backyard done.

And they come as a package sometimes; the backyard shed plans and the person to do it. It may cost you but at the end it is all to your benefit.

If you are looking for more backyard shed plans, I highly recommend My Shed Plans elite guide by Ryan Henderson. Learn how to build your own shed at my site.

How To Install Formica Counter tops

First, prepare the surface to accept the laminate plastic:

The best material for this job is plastic laminate 1/16″ thick for the flat surfaces. For the vertical surfaces, 1/32″ thick can be used. Sanding and cleaning the surface that you are covering is very important. Make sure you remove any paint or varnish. The counter top you are covering is probably made of strong particle board, but standard particle board and even plywood are fine as underlayment for plastic laminates.

Next, cut the laminated plastic:

Using a circular saw, a saber saw, a back saw or a utility knife, cut the laminate material. Make sure the saw blade is very fine toothed. Place a strip of tape (masking tape or duct tape) along line to be cut on the laminate to stop chipping and to have a line that is easier to see.

If you are using a power saw, cut on the reverse side of the laminate. Since these types of saws cut on the upstroke, cutting from the back will prevent chipping. If use a hand saw, you can cut from the front at a low angle. Make sure you cut the sheets a little wider and longer than you need to allow for trimming.

Then, apply the laminate plastic:

It is recommended that you apply the laminate with contact cement, although you can use epoxy adhesives. Using coarse sandpaper, roughen the surface to be covered. Lightly brush off the residue, or better yet, use an air compressor to blow it off. Be very careful when you lay the sheets. It is important to know that 50 to 75% of the bonding strength of the cement is present in the first contact, so you have to make sure the pieces are accurately positioned before you put them down. On vertical surfaces, you can position the sheets directly on the surface without using any wooden strips or paper.

Now, finish the job:

Once the laminate is positioned correctly, take the dowel rods out one at a time as you bond the two pieces together Using a roller, press down the laminate sheets you have just laid down. Roll the whole surface thoroughly to get rid of any pockets of air and to assure that the plastic sheet is very strongly attached to the surface at all the points of the sheet. If you have a large surface and one piece is not large enough, you will have to make a seam. First, bond the two pieces into place. To finish off the edges, clean the base of the router so that anything stuck on the base will not scratch the laminate. You can usually remove any small debris with a piece of tape and don’t need power tools and table for such trivial tasks. Remove any surplus contact cement with acetone. Ordinary polish remover for nails can be used if you do not have acetone.

How to build a shower pan is an interesting topic, especially if you have a leaky shower.

When I noticed a wet spot on the bedroom floor next to the shower, I knew I was in trouble. I hadn’t notice that the grout had deteriorated at the bottom of the shower. A trip under the house confirmed the leaks and damage to the floor under the shower. I paid close attention when Mr. Davis finally got there, because it looked like this would be an interesting do-it yourself project.

After watching the whole job, I still think a handy person can learn how to build a shower pan.

Here’s how you do it.

Repair damage.

Damage is usually to the sub floor below and around the shower pan. Remove rotted material and replace it. If water has damaged walls or ceilings in floors below, you could be looking at big repair bills. Avoiding these problems is why you want the job done right.

Install the drain base.

Tile floors are not water-proof. The mortar that’s exposed to water absorbs some water. If you don’t mix the mortar properly, it will crumble and fail. Install the drain properly so whatever water weeps
into the mortar finds the drain. Now rough in the drain base.

Build a sloped mortar base.

Build your slope in here. The slope moves all the water to the drain preventing standing water. Build a two inch thick base that sloping to the drain. Let this bed cure before the next step.

Install the shower floor pan liner membrane and drain top.

A flexible, waterproof membrane goes over the mortar base. The membrane is a rubber-like material that’s waterproof. The membrane goes up the sides of the wall a few inches. One of the tricks is properly folding the liner in the corners.

Install the top mortar bed.

A second mortar bed is installed over the liner and reinforced with wire.

Build the threshold.

Build any threshold forms and pour mortar mix to establish the correct shape.

Install tile.

After the second coat of mortar cures, install a coat of thinset. Then install tile. Let thinset cure then grout.

Shower floor pan tricks.

There are several places to make mistakes and many questions can come up.

• Like how do you build the threshold?
• How do you get the right amount of fall in the floor?
• How is the pan attached to the drain?
• What kind of mud is best and how do you mix it?
• How do you get the liner in the corners?
• How do you run the pan up the walls?

Have you ever known anyone that collects wine bottles? While there are many beautifully shaped and colorful wine bottles, there does not seem to be many uses for them once the alcohol is consumed. People have been known to use the wine bottles as candleholders; the candle wax melting down the sides of the bottles make for a very unique indoor decoration. Often people just collect the bottles and add them to their shelves. In this case the bottles are more like dust collectors.

One great idea for empty wine bottles is to use them to create an outdoor garden fountain. Not only will you be creating an uplifting and almost spiritual design, but also you will be helping Mother Earth by recycling what otherwise would be a dumpster contribution.

The Basics

In order to create a wine bottle garden fountain you must first decide on where you want to dig the hole that will accommodate a minimum of 18 bottles, a spray fountainhead, water pump, a sump, rocks, bricks and some pavers. All of your materials are going to be submerged.

The wine bottles will be turned upside down so that the bottoms are at the top. You want to find traditional wine bottles in a variety of colors, as their bottoms are concave. The dipped bottoms catch the water as it sprays from the fountainhead and create magical, tiny, colorful pools. The reflection from the tiny pools that this creates in the sunlight is spectacular and inspiring.

Your water fountain will be circular as the bottles dictate an automatic circle design when put together. Start with a six-bottle core and then each ring after that will double your need for wine bottles (i.e.: six for the core, 12 for the second ring and if you desire a larger garden fountain you will need 24 bottles for the third ring). The first six bottles will be strapped around the rainwater pipe held together with waterproof tape. Be careful when handling the bottles, as the sheer weight of them will make them difficult to carry. Use goggles or protective eyewear when working with glass.

Basically, you want to cover the hole with plastic sheeting to ensure proper drainage. You will then fill the plastic lined hole with bricks to hold the bottles in place, the submersible water pump, armored piping to channel the wiring under the lawn or pavers and small cobblestones and gravel to arrange around the bottles, serving as more support. The spray nozzle fountainhead will obviously rise above in the center. After you arrange some larger, decorative rocks atop the fountain to hide all the hardware, you will finally add the pavers to hold everything in place and hide the plastic sheeting.

You will want to consult with a home and garden center expert if you have any questions about the specifics on setting up your wine bottle garden fountain. You may also do some research online for specific instructions as well as thumb through any fountain project literature.

Delightful Sight

Indeed, the combination of colorful wine bottles, decorative, smooth, river rock and cement pavers is a magical sight. Wine bottle garden water fountains lend themselves well to many different themed gardens. It is a definitely conversational piece as you can talk about how you were able to collect each wine bottle and how you are proud of your recycling efforts. Wine bottle spray water fountains are beautiful and eco-friendly.

Of all household appliances, electric water heaters use the most energy. About one quarter of all the energy used by a typical family, is used to heat water. In an average-sized family that accumulates dirty dishes by the ton, and with four or five bodies that need washing, this can add up to quite a lot. Cutting costs and saving energy is a major concern, especially with the cries of “energy crisis” ringing in our ears. Home-owners can save a whopping 85% on their electricity bills by installing a solar water heater, and gain peace of mind with the knowledge that they are doing their bit for the well-being of the planet.

Solar water heating systems perform three basic functions:

• They collect solar radiation via a solar collector.

• They transfer the energy collected to a storage tank, either naturally, using thermo-siphon systems or with a circulator, such as a low-head pump.

• They store the heated water until it’s needed.

Evacuated tube solar collectors are one of the most common methods used in solar heating. The system consists of two strong borosilicate glass tubes, the transparent outer tube allows light rays to pass through to the inner tube, which has a selective coating that minimises reflection and maximises the absorption of solar energy. The tubes are fused together at the top. The air in-between them is pumped out to create a vacuum, which serves to insulate the inner tube and curb the amount of heat that is lost from the environment.

Thermo-siphon systems are becoming increasingly popular because they’re the most natural and the easiest to maintain. The system consists of a storage tank, which is placed above an energy collector. It makes use of a vertical closed-loop that uses gravity and natural convection to heat large amounts of water. The liquid in the loop is heated, causing it to expand and rise upward in the system until it reaches the tank, where it is stored. Cooler liquid from the bottom of the system, rushes in to fill its place and the cycle is repeated.

A good solar water heater should provide over 20 years of uninterrupted service, although as with conventional, electric heaters, they do require some maintenance. The insulation on the pipes needs to be checked regularly to ensure that energy isn’t unnecessarily lost to the environment and the tank may need periodic flushing. The pump may need to be serviced and will probably need to be replaced after about 10 years, as will the tank, but this is no more than what electric water heaters demand to remain in good working order.

The initial cost of installing a solar water heater may be daunting, but when you compare it to replacing a broken geyser and leaking pipes, you’ll find that the difference isn’t so great after all. And when you consider that you’ll be slicing 85% off your electricity bill every month, solar power becomes even more attractive. In times when every cent counts and a penny saved is almost literally a penny earned, solar water heaters are worth their weight in gold.

Recommended sites:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/87983/the_advantages_of_of_a_solar_water.html?page=3

http://www.solarenergy.com/ws400CS.cgi?category=info_solar_water_heating.html&cart_id=1080421045809550&page=water_heating.html&dci=

http://www.solarenergy.com/ws400CS.cgi?category=info_using_sunshine.html&cart_id=1080421045809550&page=water_heating.html&dci=#1a

If you’ve spent several hundred dollars for a matching set of furniture for your living room (otherwise known as a suite, and consisting of two chairs and a couch), the last thing you want is for one of those three items to become stained by drink, food, or pet accidents.

The logical thing to do is put slipcovers on them.

Slipcovers of the past – made from plastic or vinyl – are definitely in the past! These days, slipcovers come in a vast variety of designs and colors, as well as fabrics, so that you are sure to find something you like. So, you’ll be able to protect your suite with these slipcovers, maintaining that matching upholstery look, while the overall design of the furniture matches as well.

What kind of slipcovers should you get?

Well, that depends entirely on how much use your living room suite will have to bear. If you have a lot of visitors who use the living room, or kids that spend a lot of time jumping up from the chair or couch, you’ll want a sturdier fabric than if the room is used in a sedate manner.

Fabrics

Fitted slipcovers come in a vast array of fabrics. Cotton, denim, damask and leather are only a few of the choices. Visit your local home furnishing stores to see and feel these fabrics in person, but if you don’t see anything you like don’t hesitate to surf the web to see what’s available.

Colors and Patterns

Slipcovers are so popular that there are a great many colors and patterns available. So much so that it’s highly doubtful that you won’t be able to find something you like. Again, if you don’t see anything you like in your local stores (and you should always support your local stores if possible) then surf the web, as you’re sure to find something.

Color and pattern are important considerations, of course, as you want them to blend in with the decor in your living room.

Why slipcovers

You may be asking yourself why, if you just purchased a brand new suite because you liked the pattern and color of the fabric, you should cover it up. Well, you might be able to get that fabric in a slipcover as well, so you’ll just be putting an extra layer on those pieces of furniture!

It’s not necessary to put your slipcovers on your new suite and leave them there. Slipcovers are made to be removable, after all. Use them only at certain times – when you’re having a party, for example, and take them off when done. In that way you’ll protect your new furniture and keep it safe for a long time to come.

Quilting has long been an art with the earliest American women creating beautiful quilts to adorn their homes. However, there is much more to it now than there was then. Today’s quilters can take partake in the massive technological advances sine then to create he most beautiful pieces. Instead of using a needle and thread, most individuals that quilt have a good sewing machine for quilting at home. Manufacturers have catered for the demands of the modern seamstress and made several good sewing machines for quilting. You just have to be able to choose the right one!

Good sewing machines for quilting will have a great feeding mechanism so that the head is easy to thread. The quicker you can thread it, the quicker you can complete even the most intricate of quilts. Of course, the choice of stitching options also makes a difference in this respect. The wider the choice of stitching on a good sewing machine for quilting, the more appealing it is. These are all factors that need to be taken into consideration.

The bar length of a machine will also determine which models are good sewing machines for quilting and which are not. The general rule is the more room between the motor and the needle, the more options you have as far as the size of the quilt you can produce is concerned. The motor is of course is one of the most important parts of a good sewing machine for quilting. Although most sewing machines are designed for continuous use over a longer period of time, the heavy going that a quilt can bring is notorious for making the motor overheat. A good sewing machine for quilting is resistant to this for the most part and will offer you good value for money.

The needles that fit in the good sewing machine for quilting will also be an extremely important point for consideration. High quality needles will make all the difference to your work. Number 14 needles are the best option for quilting, but not all sewing machines will hold them. As soon as the needle is blunted, you should replace it with a new one, so ease of changing needles should also be a priority that you look for.

Good sewing machines

for quilting can really help you to enjoy your hobby rather than hindering it. A poor machine will leave you frustrated so it is well worth taking the time to research and choose from one of several good sewing machines for quilting. They may be a tad more expensive but they are worth every penny.