Do-It-Yourself Hardwood Flooring

Hardwood floors will always be in style. There is nothing more satisfying to homeowners than laying down a new hardwood floor, sanding and polishing an exiting hardwood floor, or tearing up a gnarly old carpet to reveal the hardwood underneath. Hardwood floors in great condition truly add value to your home. You have no excuse not to have them somewhere in your house, especially since they are so cheap and easy to install these days. If you already have hardwood floors, then it pays to take care of them. Hardwood floors are a great foundation for any household, because you can always cover them with throw rugs if you wish for a warmer interior. However, the reverse is not true. It is much harder to tear up a carpet and return to hardwood floors than it is to make the move from hardwood to carpet. That is why it pays to start with hardwood floors.

Installing wooden floors can be a do it yourself project. You can transform the look of your home over the course of a weekend. You can purchase pre-cut slats of flooring from your local home improvement store. There is a wide variety of styles and varnishes to choose from, so you can customize your floors to your own taste. Once you select your favorite wood and color, then you can go to town laying the slats on the existing floor of your home. Make sure you have a proper, stripped foundation however before you lay the new flooring. If there is already a carpet in place or old linoleum, you have to rip them up beforehand. Make sure you remove any scraps or staples from the floor before you get started.

After you have a brand new hardwood floor, you need to start caring for it. Most new floors come with manufacturer's directions on how best to keep your floor in superior shape. If you do not find care instructions when you buy your floor, consult the manufacturer's website or an expert at the store where you made your purchase. Most new flooring can be cleaned with soap and water, but older flooring might benefit more from wax cleaners. New flooring typically is already varnished and has a synthetic coating that will keep it safe from harm. Older flooring needs a little more work to keep it sparkling.

Whatever you do, make sure that your hardwood floor has some kind of protective coating. Sometimes the coating is as good as a wax-based cleaner that will prevent the wood from being stained by day-to-day traffic. If the floor is old, you could try sanding it and then varnishing it with a modern substance that has been proven to protect your floors. Hard wood flooring is typically easier to clean than a rug, because a rug requires constant vacuuming and spot cleaning. A hardwood floor can be vacuumed regularly and mopped occasionally, and stay in beautiful, polished shape. If you take proper care of your floor, it will maintain its luster for years to come.

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DIY Solar Panel Plans - Instructions For Building a Solar Panel, Cheap and Easy

Its no surprise that green power sources, such as solar panels, are sweeping the nation. After all I cannot think of a single American who doesn't want to get free electricity and help to negate their negative impact on the environment at the same time. While you can expect to pay thousands, even tens of thousands, for an installation the new growing trend of DIY solar panel instructions is helping to bring this alternative energy source mainstream, and for only hundreds of dollars.

New plans are popping up all the time, when choosing your set of solar panel instructions be sure to look for some key points that indicate a solid set of plans:

Novice friendly, make sure they're built for a first timer and not an engineer Good materials list, a good set of instructions will include a materials list that even provides locations for acquiring all materials as cheap as possible Guarantee, a money back guarantee is usually a sign that plans are so good the author knows you will not ask for a refund Bonuses, the plans that I used even included instructions on how to build my own wind turbine; this was a pretty pleasant bonus

Don't hesitate, getting solar panel plans and producing your own power for the rest of your life, free of monthly electric bills and negative impacts on the environment is the wave of the future. You're investment will pay off with electricity savings in no time, there's nothing to lose and a big world of energy independence to gain!

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A Do-It-Yourself Whiplash Claim Calculator Guide

Sarah's Story

Sarah had parked her car at a signal when suddenly another car banged into her car from behind. The violent jerk resulted in injuries to her neck. Later, Sarah thought of filing a claim for compensation for her injuries. She believed that her compensation amount would not be more than £2,000. Then she consulted a solicitor who helped her calculate the real worth of her claim. He also advised her on how to file a claim for compensation.

The result: Sarah won £4,000.

To calculate your compensation amount, you do not need a solicitor (though you need one to help you file a claim). Use this easy whiplash claim calculator to know how to do that.

What You Should Know

What Sarah suffered is known as a whiplash injury, or in simpler words, a neck injury or sprain that occurs after a sudden, violent jerk. Several factors influence the compensation amount for such injuries including:

o Extent of injuries suffered

o The duration of your suffering (physical and mental)

o Loss of income due to inability to perform work, medical bills, damage to car, etc.

Whiplash Claim Calculator

The first thing to do after an accident is go to a doctor and seek medical help. Your doctor will diagnose your injuries and document them in a medical report, which serves as vital evidence in a whiplash claim. After you have spoken to your doctor to know the severity of your injuries, use the following whiplash claim calculator to know how much you can claim for.

In general, all whiplash claims can be classified by their severity as:

o Almost Negligible: Injuries are negligible and you recover completely within a few weeks or months of the accident. Compensation amount: £800 - £2,500.

o Minor: Recovery takes a couple of years for minor neck damage. Compensation amount: £2,500 - £4,000.

o Moderate: If there is recurring severe pain, difficulty in movement, stiffness, etc. but complete recovery is eventually possible, then your whiplash can be classified as moderate. Compensation amount: £4,000 - £8,000

o Serious: The accident has resulted in cervical spondylitis, recurring severe pain, and difficulty in movement, needing further treatment. Complete recovery may not be possible. Compensation amount: £8,000 - £14,000.

o Severe: The accident has caused fractures or damages to soft tissues that impair your ability to move or work. £14,000 - £30,000

o Very Severe: This includes severe disabilities such as paralysis of the neck or other parts of the body that may cause a permanent inability to work. Compensation amount: £30,000 - £90,000

Remember, all cases are unique and the figures given here may not necessarily match your case. This whiplash claim calculator can only tell you how much your claim MAY be worth. To win a claim for that amount, speak to a solicitor with experience in whiplash injury claims.

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Do it Yourself Sump Pumps - An Expensive Pain in the Back

So you want to install a sump pump yourself? Fantastic! You'll be saving a lot of money! At least, for the first month or two! But before you decide to take this route, consider the chore you're about to take on.

Selecting the Best Sump Pump

Before you install your sump pump, you'll need to decide if you want a cast iron sump pump or a plastic one. Balance out whether or not the money saved on a plastic pump is worth the risk of a flooded basement. A variety of sump pumps are available, and whether you decide on a submersible, water-powered, floor sucker, or pedastal/stand sump pump for your basement and which brand name you choose will decide whether or not your basement floods.

Sump Pump Options

No sump pump is an island. There are numerous options that can make or break the sump pump installation. The size of the sump pump must fit the job- a pump that's too large or too small (and is overwhelmed) for the work is going to fail to keep the basement dry. When sump pumps are too large, they remove water faster than it fills the sump pit, causing them to turn on and off repeatedly and shortening their life. Additionally, your sump pump pit must be large enough for the pump or it will short cycle, or run continuously, which can also potentially shorten its life. Other sump pump installation questions include the following:

How will I keep my sump pump from clogging on the bottom of the sump pit?
How will I know where the lowest part of the basement is so I can install my pump there?
What will I do if my basement has two low spots?
How will I know if my sump pump fails?
Who do I call for help if my sump pump fails?
How will I know if my sump pump isn't strong enough to keep up with a heavy storm?

Sump Pump Woes

Unless you find a sump pump product with an airtight, soundproof lid, you're going to have an ugly, exposed, potentially dangerous, and loud sump pump pit lurking in your basement area. Odors and humidity can freely pass into the home year-round, and the entire house will be less comfortable and energy-efficient.

Beware of sump pump companies that offer warranties that last for too many years. They convince you to choose their product by offering free replacements if the pump fails. Unfortunately, you won't know when it's time to cash in on that warranty until the pump fails and your basement floods! When it does, you may be paying straight out of your pocket to clean it up, as many insurance companies will not cover groundwater flooding. Floods are expensive, damaging to your property, and the first stage in basement mold problems.

Your discharge line can also be a problem. Make sure that your sump pump isn't pushing more water into the discharge pipe than it can hold and that your discharge pipe doesn't freeze in the winter, causing the sump pump to back up. As a final precaution, you'll need to be sure that you're not discharging the water straight into the next yard, or you'll have them to deal with angry neighbors as well!

What will you do if the power goes out? If you plan on using a generator to power your sump pump, you'll need to be there, or the basement will flood. Cheap do-it-yourself batteries aren't the answer either- they often run down sitting on the basement floor, and their charge is rarely strong enough to pump enough water out to keep the basement from flooding.

Installing a sump pump is back-breaking work! It will take a single person many days to install a sump pump and perimeter drain. And if you don't have access to a jackhammer, it'll be even more work! You'll have cement and dirt to remove from the basement, dust to deal with, and an exhausting and sometimes frustrating job on your hands. And if you don't have a jackhammer, how do you plan to break through the floor?

To make matters worse, many sump pump installations are done illegally or against building code ordinances. If you're planning on a do-it-yourself sump pump installation, make sure that you check with local building ordinances first. Otherwise, you might find yourself facing fines and legal hassles.

Your Basement Waterproofing Answers

Sump pump installation is, simply put, a professional job. Pumping a basement out is too expensive to take a chance with, and there are too many ways a do-it-yourself sump pump installation could go wrong. Find a basement waterproofing specialist (not a plumber) who has been in business for five years or more to do the job for you. They can offer you a sump pump and perimeter drain installation that will keep your basement dry all the time with a professionally designed top-quality sump pump system. They've spent years, sometimes decades, working to find the best solution for you, and you can count on them to keep it maintained and working properly maintained. Their reputation depends on it!

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Blow Away Your Friends, Shotgun Special, DIY Tutorial : ...

This week BFX brings you it's "Shotgun Special"! We'll show you how to make a double and 4 barrel shotgun. For those of you who are lazy or stinky at building things we'll show you where to buy a cheap shotgun prop too!Indy Mogul's Backyard FX features cheap, DIY filmmaking tips and tutorials including special effects, props, and camera equipment. Build episodes on Mondays and Original Short test films on Tuesdays featuring the build. Website: www.indymogul.comsubmit

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Top Gear - Reliant Robin space shuttle - Richard Hammond and James May - BBC

Top Gear's Hammond and May try to make a Reliant Robin into a space shuttle, BBC Worldwide.

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How Plans Can Help to Build a DIY Shed

Having a shed can be very useful. Apart from a place to escape to when the noise and energy in your home starts to fray your nerves it is also an excellent place to store household items that you do not use to often, for example old children's toys and clothes. Of course it can even be used as a workshop for lots of home projects that you are thinking of carrying out. Whatever the reason for wanting a new shed you can save yourself a few thousand dollars by locating plans to build a DIY shed.

If you have recently visited your local hardware store you may have been put off by the expense of buying an already made shed. As long as you have some basic DIY experience and access to a few basic tools you should be able to build yourself a shed that is more than adequate for your requirements.

The question is where to get a good quality plan from. There are various books and journals that contain such information but for convenience sake the best place to look is on the internet.

The net is a wonderful resource when it comes to DIY Shed plans. You can find very affordable plans for almost every type of project imaginable. There are a wide variety of shed plans available, you will need to decide which best suits the idea you have in mind. It is important to consider its size, number of windows, and distance from your house.

Remember that any plan you find can be altered to better suit it to your requirements. Always think about your future needs as well as those that you currently have. In five years time will you be wishing you made a bigger shed? It often helps to provide extra space for future needs in any shed design.

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DIY Bathroom Tile - Quick Solution For Home-Makers!

It is considered as a perfect alternative to traditional tiling such as ceramics - DIY Bathroom Tile remodeling. Unlike other tiling options available, it seems like these nature-made panels truly provide a natural look and feel to any surface you choose to coat. If you search for new ideas about easy do-it-yourself tiling options - read the following article.

Introduction

It is considered the most 'Natural' tiling method simply because Diy Bathroom Tile redecoration is made of grouping seamless smooth stones fixed onto a sq/ft mesh backing. The largest source of these special tiles is undoubtedly the exotic islands of Indonesia, and to be more precise, it is the Island of Bali. You can practically tile anywhere and for any purpose: Shower bases & backsplashes, kitchen walls & countertops, sink walls, and floors.

Important benefits

What is in it for us?

* Easy to be replaced if needed.

* Provides unique atmosphere and contemporary look and feel to any surface.

* Quick & easy installation that doesn't require any special skills or professional background.

Tips you want to remember!

* Order a small sample of the desired tiles prior to making a complete order - just to make sure it answers your expectations.

* Use only high quality materials such as grout and sealer - you don't want your tiles to fall apart after few months just because you wanted to save a few dollars.

* In order to maintain these natural stones properly, it is recommended to apply sealants every two to three years.

There are probably many other great benefits provided by this fun & easy coating technique simply because it is versatile like no other tiling method available today.

Conclusion

Many home-makers quickly discover how this Diy Bathroom Tile technique easily opens their imagination as the possibilities for adding beauty and value to any home are endless. For a successful installation it is advised to use the following tips & advices once you prepare for installation.

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Tutorial: Brine Shrimp Hatchery

Simple method to make a homemade brine shrimp Hatchery.

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How to tint car side-window | DIY-sidewindows

Tihs is a tutorial on how to tint a car side-window using window tint film, spray bottle, rubber squeegee, single-edge razor blade or utility knife , distilled water, lint-free cloth, baby shampoo or FILM AID Application Concentrate.

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DIY Bud Light alcohol stove part 1

A DIY video showing how I make a double wall side burner alcohol stove from a Bud Light aluminum bottle. Part 2 will finish up the stove and show a burn demo.

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How to Use a Do-it-Yourself Machine for Spot Removal

I'm going to show you an easy way to remove spots 95% of the time. It works every time as long as you get to the spot as soon as it happens.

Why would a professional cleaner tell you how to clean spots yourself? Well, there are a few reasons. First, if you have kids or pets in your home, you MUST do some type of interim cleaning.

Most people who have pets get their carpet or rug cleaned once or twice every year. If a pet stain sits in your carpet for six months, it will be more difficult to remove. Carpet needs to be maintained on a regular basis.

Yes, carpet manufacturers recommend professional cleaning at least every year. Some manufacturers actually demand it be done in order to comply with their warranty. Failing to have professional cleaning may void your warranty.

But professional cleaning is only part of the maintenance. Carpet is kept beautiful by vacuuming at least twice per week and taking care of emergency spots IMMEDIATELY after they occur.

What type of machine should you purchase? The brand isn't really as important as making sure you have some type of machine for an emergency. Get a small, hand-held type. The smaller it is, the more likely you are to get it out of the closet. Because let's face it, these happenings are never convenient.

Even a shop vacuum that extracts liquid will do the trick. You can go to the Carpet and Rug Institute's site for machines that are certified by the Carpet and Rug Institute. Bissell, Little Devil, Little Green Machine, etc.

Here's the trick:

1. The first thing you'll need to do is extract all liquid matter from the fibers.

2. Next, treat the area with a neutral PH spot remover (call us or stop by for purchase)

3. Gently blot the spot with a cotton towel

4. If the stain is still there, repeat the process above

5. Last, rinse the spot with water from your spot machine

That's it. It really is that simple.

Now, where people usually go wrong is they skip STEP ONE, which is the most important step of them all. The initial extraction is where you remove the bulk of the spill or accident. Then, the spot remover is used to take care of what's left behind.

As well, you can use a shop wet vacuum to remove the liquid matter. The only difference is you can't rinse with the shop vacuum. Instead, take a glass of water and pour it over the area for a final rinse. Then, extract the rinse water with the shop vacuum.

That's the magic tip. Try it. It works. And if you don't already have a small spot machine or shop vacuum, go out and get one today.

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Homemade Solar Hot Water Heater Plans - A Simple Way to Build a DIY Solar Powered Hot Water Heater

The need for hot water is an essential part of a human being's daily activity, with importance running in different ranges such as that from bathing to cooking to first aid and medicine. Electricity and consumption of resources are readily consumed to fulfill this necessity, in the United States of America alone, each household consumes an average of 1000 to 2000 gallons of oil every year just to heat up water and with an almost depleted source of fossil fuels in the earth's crust using hot water in ones home may sooner or later be considered a thing of the past. However with the development, innovation, and simple homemade diy solar hot water heater plans, life in terms of water heating can never be the same again.

Solar hot water heaters capture the sun's unlimited light energy and convert them to heat energy which is responsible for warming up the water source. Home made solar hot water heaters are usually built with aluminum window designed panes lined up with glass windows which act as solar panels or the catchers of the sun's radiant power. Within this glass made container are pipes and tubes which contain copper wires. The copper wires are used to turn the heat it receives to heat-up the stored water in the tank. The lacking step to finish off making a do it yourself home made solar water heater are connections between the device and the storage tank where one keeps the water which needs to be heated up.

The heating panel assembly is usually located below the tank; this is, so that natural movement of water is used to move around the water, need for pump to drive water is thus not needed lessening installation, manufacturing and processing costs.

The heated water initially found near the heated port goes up in the tank and pushes the cold water down replacing it in the system, giving this time a chance for this water to be heated up. This cycle continues until most of the water system has gained thermal equilibrium.

Buying a solar hot water heater is already available in local market stores however building instead of purchasing a personal solar hot water heater is not only good for one's electric monthly consumption (by making the cost of heating water halved or totally eliminated), the environment (it is ecologically friendly giving off lesser pollution directly or indirectly) but also personal satisfaction in knowing that it was through one's own toil, sweat and hard work that such household apparatus was made. Initial cost is also much cheaper when making one as compared to buying, especially if one uses old, recyclable or about to be thrown away materials found hidden behind the shelves of the attic or the garage door.

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Elektor Wheelie, DIY self-balancing vehicle.

The elektorwheelie balances the driver by moving. Lean forward and you will move forward and lean backward to brake. - The maximum speed is approx. 11 mph (18 km/h) - over a range of approximately 5 miles (8 km) Inside you will find: - Two 500 W DC drive motors - Two 12 V lead-acid AGM batteries, 9 Ah - Two fourteen-inch wheels with pneumatic tyres - H-bridge PWM motor control up to 25 A - Automatic power off on dismount - Fail-safe emergency cutout - Battery charge status indicator - Invensense IDG300 (or IDG500) gyroscope - Analog Devices ADXL320 accelerometer - Allegro ACS755SCB-100 current sensor - atmega16 (motor control) - attiny25 (current monitoring) - Weight approximately 35 kg All under control of BASCOM-AVR Basic compiler. So you see - Elektor keeps you on the move! More info on the wheelie at www.elektor.com/wheelie

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How to Sharpen a Lawn Mower Blade

How to sharpen a lawn mower blade, step by step.

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What Is DIY Plumbing Repair

Do it yourself plumbing. Many of us have run into a problem with our plumbing. If this is the case, you should know some basics about plumbing, before that nasty old problem surfaces. Have you ever gone to turn off the water by the toilet when it is over flowing and broke the water shut off valve? If you have, you know that these things wear out after a while, especially in older homes.

Performing DIY plumbing requires that you know what plumber's tape is, what a pipe wrench is and looks like and of course, knowing how to replace the pipes and fittings in case you need some new materials. Older pipefitting and pipes may not always match today's plumbing materials.

What DIY Plumbing Entails

When you have a plumbing repair project and you need to fix the problem quickly, think about the problem and what you need to correct it before jumping into the job. Some things to remember about plumbing repair are, first, access the problem. Where is the problem coming from and how will you go about gaining access to the area. Find the area and then see what materials you will need to correct the problem before to much damage occurs.

Now that you know where the problem is, you can turn off the water, and then disconnect the faulty part of the plumbing. In most cases, it is the pipe or the fitting. As you disassemble the piping and fitting, check each piece to ensure no other pieces will become damaged soon. I always, replace everything, because the cost is not bad at all.

Once you buy the materials, you can then start putting your plumbing back together. Do not forget the plumbers tape for the fittings. This assures a tight fit with no leakage. DIY plumbing will benefit your home if you have a leakage problem, but also will save you money on calling a plumber to fix the problem.

What most of us think is a big project

turns out to be a relatively small project with just a little money and some hard work. You will find that fixing the problem is not as hard as you thought it would be. Therefore, access the problem, disassemble the area, then gather your materials, and fix your own plumbing problem. It does not get any easier than that.

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