Well, it’s not new, but additional Dead Sea scrolls have been located in a previously unexplored cave. Archaeologists have discovered (even before recorded history) when people lived in caves, that they had an area in their dwelling dedicated to food preparation. Traditionally known as “The Kitchen”, the name lived on and over the millennium this specialized subdivision of the home has developed from a simple stone work surface to the exciting kitchens of today. And, one of the most exciting parts of a novelty for this room is the countertop.

The countertop and its upright counterpart, the backsplash, can add distinctive style to your kitchen, but choosing a surface material isn’t as easy as it was a thousand years ago. There are so many types of countertops available today that it can be very confusing when you decide to buy a new one.

While certainly a factor, your kitchen work surface shouldn’t be chosen solely for its aesthetic value. When you’re ready for a new counter, find a contractor who will take the time to review your specific needs. What kind of food do you prepare? How much do you cook? Have children? The answers to these questions will help determine the appropriate counterpart material for you.

Referred to by many as “Formica,” laminate countertops are the most affordable of all options, and with proper care, they can last a long time. Easy to clean with good stain resistance, it has limitations: it scratches easily, cannot be cut, and will burn if you place something hot on the surface. Once damaged, it is difficult or impossible to repair it.

The most popular countertops today are those made of stone, which, by the way, is just what archaeologists found in kitchens of yesteryear. The most demanded stone materials are granite, marble and the new crushed quartz countertops. Granite, the traditional resource, is considered by many to be the most beautiful surface available because it shows movement. Movement is the suggestion of movement in the elements that make up the finished surface. The swirls and patterns created by nature cannot be completely duplicated in a stone that is manufactured. Both granite and marble are porous and must be sealed when installed, and at least annually afterward, to prevent staining. If you’re a little careful with these stones, you can have a work surface that will last until some archaeologist excavates your house.

Quartz (traded under the trade names Cambria, Viatera, Caesarstone, Silestone, etc.) is the second most abundant mineral on earth and is a basic component of granite. In a typical quartz countertop, raw quartz is crushed and combined with pigments to give it color and resins (sticky material) to hold it together. The resulting process creates one of the most durable counter surfaces on the market today. It is harder than granite, more resistant to scratches and stains, and non-porous. For geologists who follow K&B Insider, quartz ranks number 7 on the Mohs hardness scale. Only diamonds, sapphires, and topazes are harder.

The newer offerings in countertops are green, which is great for the environment; however, as with most “green” products, they are often more expensive than their traditional counterparts.

As with all home improvement decisions, don’t be too rushed into choosing your countertop. Investigate all the possibilities with your advisor and select a surface that is not only pleasing to the eye, but also suits your needs. And maybe it will last until your place is dug up a thousand years from now!

It’s easy to look at a small kitchen and think “Oh great, I’ll just never cook again. Or have friends over for dinner.” It does not have to be like that. Your small kitchen can have any of the things that large kitchens have. You just can’t have all the things that big kitchens have. But if you really want a dishwasher, there are more options than you might think, and you don’t have to empty your savings account.

So, let’s talk about dishwashers (regular size dishwashers) before we narrow our focus to the little ones. A standard size dishwasher is 24 inches wide, 24 inches deep, and 35 inches high. Any dishwasher 18 inches or less is considered small. A standard dishwasher can wash 12 place settings at a time, and this same size is considered large enough for a family of four.

Before you buy a dishwasher of any size, you need to make sure there is room to install it, even if it is only 18 inches wide. Dishwashers should almost always be installed next to a sink. But even if your kitchen is set up so oddly that you can’t fit a dishwasher next to the sink, you can still opt for a countertop dishwasher. More on that in a moment.

So now that we’ve defined the standard, let’s talk small. Small dishwashers (dishwashers 18 inches or less) are pretty common these days. Amazon.com has a few for sale, as do Sears, Best Buy, Lowes, and others. You can get them for $400 or less. The thing to keep in mind is how tall they are. If the dishwasher you want is a different height than your counter, it’s not the end of the world, but you’ll have to make some adjustments if you want your counter to stay level. It’s easy if the dishwasher is shorter than the counter: the installer simply places the dishwasher on a small platform to level it. But if it’s taller than the counter, you’ll have to get used to having a bit of counter space a few inches higher.

The ideal size for a small dishwasher is whatever the width of the cabinets next to the sink. Standard cabinet widths are 12, 15, and 18 inches. There are plenty of 18-inch dishwashers for around $400 each. They typically fit eight plate settings, which would work for a family of three. 15-inch dishwashers are very few among them, none of the major retailers carry one. So if the cabinets next to your sink are 15 inches or less, you might want to skip an undercounter dishwasher and try one of the newer dishwashers instead.

Countertop dishwashers are also called “portable dishwashers.” If you’re working in a really small kitchen, it might be nice to be able to pack up the dishwasher and store it in a cupboard when not in use. Otherwise, you’ll have to sacrifice some of your already tight counter space for the dishwasher. The good news is that these countertop dishwashers are around $250 and typically fit four place settings, which is enough for two people. So if you can find even 24 inches of counter space in your small kitchen, you can still get a dishwasher.

When it comes to choosing the right kitchen cabinets, this decision has a lot to do with how much you can do yourself, how much you want pre-built for yourself, and how much you can spend on cabinets. In addition to these options, you also need to choose what type of materials you would prefer to use, what style you want them to be in, and the hardware you want to finish them with.

If you want to save money on a project, you can choose to make your own cabinets, refinish your existing cabinets, or purchase unfinished kitchen cabinets. If you don’t know how to build kitchen cabinets and you’re not a big DIY person, then you might want to consider one of the other options. You can refinish your cabinets or strip painted kitchen cabinets and then stain or repaint them. If you want to buy unfinished kitchen cabinets, you can paint or stain them yourself, which will save you some money on your purchase. When choosing the right cabinets, you really need to consider all of the options available to you.

If you have a larger budget, you can purchase your cabinets from a retailer. You have many options to choose from, as well as dozens of brands. With names like IKEA, Thomasville, Timberlake, Brookhaven, and more, you’ll have a variety of different price ranges and materials to choose from. You will have to choose whether you prefer to install your cabinets yourself or have a professional do it for you. Again, if you’re not into DIY projects, then you’d be better off letting a professional do it for you. It would be terrible to go through the process of choosing the right cabinets only to create a problem during installation.

There are also the materials to consider when choosing your cabinets. Naturally, you have traditional options, like cherry, maple, or oak, but you also have less traditional options, like plastic, particleboard, or even metal kitchen cabinets. It’s important to choose cabinets that suit your taste and style, but you also want to make sure there’s some flow with the rest of your home. Choosing the right kitchen cabinets is all about what you want and also about making your kitchen beautiful.

Collecting die-cast model cars can become addictive. So if you’re spending big bucks on die-cast model cars, it’s important to protect your investment. You could leave the cars in their boxes tucked away in your attic, this would protect them, but since some of these models are miniature feats of engineering, they deserve to be displayed and admired by all.

Display of your die-cast car models

If you’re just getting started in the world of model car collecting, then a quick way to display your model is to buy a ready-made 1:18 scale display case. These consist of a wooden or plastic base and a transparent plexiglass top that forms the lid. You must unscrew your car from its original packaging and place it in the plinth of the showcase. There are no screw holes in the plinth so the display case needs to sit on a flat surface and you can use a small amount of double sided tape under the tire to prevent the model from rolling if it hits the display case. All you have to do now is simply place the lid on the base. Your model is now protected against shock and dust.

As your collection of model cars grows, a cabinet can become a good idea to store your investment. Some of the model makers like AutoArt produce a variety of wall mounted units with sliding doors. Some of these cabinets have mirrored shelves and backs to give a different view of your model without having to touch the car.

If you need even more space for your collection of model cars, you may be looking for a custom unit. Remember that large cabinets with multiple shelves may need lighting to make your models shine. LED lights are always a good choice, as they don’t have the heat of a tungsten bulb, so you won’t risk melting your car collection.

It’s important to place your cabinet out of direct sunlight, as it can cause the paint on your model to fade.

Cleaning your die-cast model cars

Keeping your die cast model in a display case will avoid the worst of the dust, but you will need to clean your models from time to time. Avoid washing your models to clean them as they are difficult to dry properly. Instead, the best way to clean them is to use a can of compressed air and a paint brush. The seats can be cleaned with a damp cloth. If the paint seems a bit flat, using an auto detailing wax on a soft microfiber cloth will add a little extra shine. Take care not to rub the model too much, especially around the stickers and badges.

Hopefully, by following these simple steps, you’ll keep your die-cast model cars in excellent condition and still be able to enjoy your collection.

Check out more information on our website about caring for your Diecast model car collection.

Most of the time, wood decks are exposed to many forms of elements that could cause weathering and damage. Constant sun exposure causes wood to crack, while cold weather promotes bacterial growth. The water and mist contribute to the rusting of the nails and screws that held the wood in place.

When these things happen, the shine on wood decking wears off, only to be replaced by an unsightly orange tint of rust, as well as mold and cracks. But there is something that can be done to restore stained wood decks. Here are simple ways you can use as a reference to clean your wood decks.

1. sodium percarbonate

Sodium percarbonate is a colorless, hygroscopic, crystalline oxidizing agent. It is commonly used in the manufacture of environmentally friendly laundry detergents. When sodium percarbonate mixes with water, it releases sodium carbonate and hydrogen peroxide. These two components are known safe and effective cleaning agents. Given all of that, baking soda is a surefire way to remove rust stains from wood decks.

• To use, simply mix one part sodium percarbonate with one part water. For a much stronger solution, simply add more sodium percarbonate.
• Dip and soak the stiff nylon brush in the solution, then use it to scrub the stained deck. Do this until all rust stains are completely removed.
2. White vinegar

White vinegar is mainly preferred for removing rust stains. Apple cider vinegar can also be used for this purpose. White vinegar is most effective when it is not diluted. But since vinegar is acidic, it is recommended not to smear the areas that are not stained with rust, so that the unaffected wooden deck is whitened.

• To remove rust stains, soak a clean cloth or sponge with white vinegar, then use it to wipe any rust stains off the wood deck.
• Wipe area immediately with a clean, dry cloth.
3. borax and lemon

Borax, or baking soda, is a common ingredient in many household cleaning products.

• Mix one part Borax with a squeeze of lemon juice.
• Dip a stiff nylon brush or sponge into the solution and scrub the stained wood deck with it.
• Once the rust stains are gone, rinse the treated area with water and pat dry.

If in case, all of these are not effective enough in removing very stubborn rust stains from wood decking, you may want to consider using commercial rust removal products. But do this only when all your safe options are completely exhausted.

For those living with upper respiratory complications, such as asthma or allergies, indoor air quality is a top priority in your home. And luckily for them, there are several options for improving and maintaining a healthy indoor air environment. Homeowners have turned to purchasing and installing humidifiers, hospital-grade air ducts, air purifiers, filters, and more to remove airborne pollutants and stubborn dust. But what many don’t know is that there is also an option for allergy-free floors! Indoor concrete floors are a great option for homeowners who have upper respiratory tracts or children who do. Read on to find out why!

Better than carpet and tile combined

Carpets are among the most common items in a home that trap dust, pollen, mold, dander and more, all of which irritate and complicate upper respiratory conditions like asthma and allergies. They trap these contaminants in large quantities and are not completely removed by routine vacuuming. Tile is just as bad as carpet when it comes to collecting large amounts of dust, dander, and other interior pollutants. Dust and more piles on the tiles, and even with a regular mop, it accumulates within the grout and is difficult to remove without extensive scrubbing and cleaning.

Elegant and Versatile

Concrete flooring is not only a fantastic alternative to allergy-increasing flooring like tile and carpet, but it’s inexpensive and extremely versatile in terms of style! Over the past decade, concrete floors have become so popular with home and business owners; so much so that today there are countless colors, styles, designs, textures and more to choose from. So you don’t have to worry about your kitchen or basement looking like a standard gray warehouse floor! Interior concrete floors can be installed to resemble high-quality items like brick, paver, marble, and more, all for a lower price.

Impenetrable floors, allergy free

Interior decorative concrete floors are impenetrable because they are sealed with a protective clear coat. This makes it impossible for dust, dander, pollen, mold, bacteria, dust mites, and other contaminants to stay inside, causing irritation, allergies, and respiratory problems. It is also much easier to clean and maintain, further reducing its holding capacity for airborne and foot traffic contaminants.

Additional benefits:

• Environmentally friendly
• environmental friendly
• easy to maintain
• Long useful life
• stain resistant
• Waterproof
• High Thermal Mass
• Maintains Constant Indoor Temperatures
• Efficient energy
• Reduce energy costs
• And more!

Choose a trusted contractor for decorative concrete planning, installation and repair. The most important factor for concrete floors is the installation process.

Often when redecorating, it’s the little things that make a big difference. Whether you choose to add a trim to brighten your curtains or throw some new slipcovers over your chairs, a little change can refresh an entire room. And one of the easiest things to change is the drawer pulls.
Drawer sweaters come in many shapes and sizes. Get a woody look with branch-shaped pulls or a Victorian look with elegant scroll pulls. Try a clean European look with straight silver bars, or add the finishing touch to your ocean-themed bathroom with seahorse-shaped pulls. From whimsical fun to worn-in elegance, you’ll find drawer pulls to match any motif.

Big and small, curved and straight, you can change the entire feel of a room when you change your drawer pulls. Complement a farmhouse fresh look with white porcelain pulls or try cup pulls for a nostalgic appeal. You can rejuvenate a room or a piece of furniture with some new sweaters. Instead of buying new furniture, try giving the pieces you have a facelift with a coat of paint and new drawer pulls. Take a vintage table and make it modern with silver paint and shiny silver knobs or take an old dresser, paint it white and add some fun butterfly knobs for a girl’s room or try some horseshoe knobs to complete your little cowboy’s room .

The selection of drawer pulls and other accessories is huge, especially when you shop online. It’s never been easier to find all the pulls you need, whether you’re redoing all your kitchen drawers or just a chest from the flea market. Sure you can shop around, but you’ll have to deal with stores that don’t have enough of the design you want or the right sizes. All it takes is a few clicks and you’re on your way to updating a room or piece of furniture to your specifications.

Copper, nickel, pewter, oil rubbed brass, clear and milky glass in a rainbow of jewel tones, animals, leaves and everything in between, these are just a few of the colors and varieties of sweaters available. So whether you want to complement your decor with crisp clean lines or the vintage appeal of a lion’s head, you’ll find it in a pull.

When you close your eyes and imagine the house of your dreams, you probably see colors and furniture, a warm kitchen or a comfortable bedroom, but do you see the details? What is decorating the walls? Are there wooden floors? What makes the kitchen so warm and welcoming? Is it the buttery yellow walls and white trim, the bright white round table that brightens up the center of the room? Or is it the way the room is really held together by the smallest details? Sure they’re not the most noticeable things, but if you really carry the look down to these little decorative essentials, you’ll find that they pull the room together. Sure, you touch them every day to get something out or put something away, but these little works of art deserve credit for being the glue that holds your décor together.

Kitchen silicone is one of the most important finishing touches you can use in your kitchen, simply because there is a lot of water in a kitchen. Silicone caulk can protect the edges of your countertops, where water can collect, without creating a ‘ripple’ in your design – kitchen caulking may be transparent and protects like any other caulking on the market, but, what is More importantly, it is also treated to ensure that food and other materials used in one kitchen cannot be used elsewhere. Used effectively, sealant can create an area that is easy to clean and will not mar over time, can protect the edges of your surfaces, and create an area where you can be sure to sanitize and care for the surface. while still being able to prepare food on it.

Kitchen Sealer 101

One of the most important things about silicone caulk is to remember that it is meant to seal the edges of the surfaces between the sink and the unit in which it is installed, tiled areas and surfaces in use, and several other key areas.

Serves as a barrier to protect areas behind installed units and other areas from water and other spills while allowing easy cleaning of all areas without fear of damaging unprotected surfaces.

Kitchen caulk is one of the last things to be applied to a kitchen setup. The best kitchen caulk is hard to damage, yet easy to clean, making it a must-have in any setting.

Install or replace kitchen sealant

Kitchen sealant is easy to install or replace; one of the most important things to ensure is that the surface is dry, clean and free of dust. If not, you should dry it or clean it well, with something that won’t leave a layer of material that prevents adhesion. Apply the sealer following the instructions, being careful not to stick it to anything else or place it anywhere that could damage it. Carefully smooth out the provided tool, soft cloth or other applicator and allow to set before using the surface, then clean and trim. At that point, you should have a clear joint between the countertop and the wall, or the sink and the wall.

Silicone caulk also comes in strips, which can be applied with a special tool that gets into the corner and forms an L, or it comes in a “v” shape that can be simply applied to the wall. These are usually not transparent and are white and clean.

Consider the width of your front door for appliances, bathroom shower, tub and toilet, furniture, and mattress to avoid surprises. Can you imagine if one of the most important things on your “wants and needs” list didn’t fit? Make plans by measuring furniture for small spaces as well.

And how about buying a trailer for your Tiny House. Here are some steps to help you plan a bit more before you get started:

1. Trailer – Is it the length and width I need?
2. Do you have a site?
3. Do I have to level the ground?
4. If it’s an existing Tiny House, does any roofing need to be removed to relocate it?
5. Do I need anchors?
6. Do I need to build a base?
7. Do you have blueprints/blueprints and a builder?

Other tips to keep in mind are to talk to other tiny home owners, attend workshops, and even sign up for tiny home newsletters to learn more. Have you seen the construction plans and do you know what you would like to live in? Some sites have complete construction plans that include electrical and plumbing.

Communicating, chatting, and blogging with sites like these will open your eyes to many things you might not have thought of otherwise. For example, one of the newsletters opened my mind to seeing a bed slide down from the raised kitchen floor. The kitchen floor was about 3 steps up, on the left side I had the bed hidden under the floor and on the right side is where they placed the 3 steps to access the kitchen. How cool is this idea? It would never have crossed my mind, since lofts are what you usually find in a small house.

Instruments:

• air compressor
• Measuring tape
• hammer
• shocking driver
• Nail gun
• Electric drill
• Circular and jig saws
• Table
• carpenter’s square
• Level
• wall framing
• Windows (style, quantity and size)
• Skylight (style, quantity and size)
• Doors (style, quantity and size)
• Hardware (bits, nuts, nails, staples, misc.)
• roof (type)
• Sidings (type)
• Exterior trim work (style)
• Gas lines if necessary
• Electrical (outlets, lighting)
• Heating
• Plumbing (faucets, toilets, showers, sinks)
• isolation
• Floors (style, type)

By now, you will find yourself deeply committed and looking forward to the outcome of all your planning and hard work. Moving on to my next article where we will go over the steps to plan the interior of your dream tiny house. Now that we’re sure everything fits through the front door, it’s almost time to kick back with pride. Everyone involved in making the dream come true will experience the satisfaction of hard and smart work.

Most of us don’t think twice when we grab something from a kitchen drawer. But that simple movement would be much more complicated if the drawers do not have handles. A simple knob in raw wood does the job, but lacks the style that other options provide. You can find drawer pulls in many unusual styles and in dozens of finishes and materials.

One popular style is the barbell pull. A bar, available in a variety of lengths, is attached to the face of the drawer with a bolt at each end. The bolts lift the bar off the surface and allow you to get a firm grip on it.

You have likely seen a wide range of options in this popular style of cabinet hardware. Do you want rods that are round or square? Simple or elaborate? A single material or mixed materials: metal with wood, acrylic, crystal, enamel, glass, ceramic or stone? Although the drawer handles are completely metal, you can find them in stainless steel, aluminum, bronze, copper, brass, nickel, polished or matt chrome, aged or painted, traditional or contemporary.

If you’re looking for drawer pulls for reproduction furniture or traditional cabinets, take a look at bar pulls. When a pull is attached to the drawer, it swings off a back plate or a pair of rosettes and lies flat on the surface of the drawer front. When it’s time to open the drawer, the drawer safety pulls the swings forward, then falls back flat on the drawer front when released.

A mug pull evokes the casual feel of a general store or country kitchen; it is a raised sphere, usually half an oval. Installs in drawer front with open side down. You slide your fingers up into the open “cup” and pull forward to open the drawer. Simple mug drawer pulls can be found in almost any metal finish. But you can also find them with details such as shells, floral and animal motifs, and even shapes other than the usual sphere. Compare prices and you can also find ceramic and glass cup handles.

A toe flip is a style that lends itself to both traditional and contemporary looks. A flat back plate is attached to the front of the drawer, with a hook protruding from its top. Slide your finger under the hook to pull the drawer forward. Once again, the shape of the back plate and the hook add to the style of these drawer pulls; It can have elaborate details, but the finger pull can also lend itself to elegant geometry. Once again, the material and finish contribute to the style of this type of hardware.

Another category of drawer pulls looks a bit like a piece of jewelry. Hanging drawer pulls install on a single post on a drawer front; they look like a big dangle earring. Like bail pulls, they rotate from the connecting stud (think of the stud as the earring post) and hang flat over the drawer front. Pick up the pendant and pull to open the drawer. When you release it, the pendant falls flat on the drawer front. Like jewelry, dangling drawer pulls can be delicate and detailed, or bold and substantial. Various finishes and materials make this a versatile and decorative option.

Another style of cabinet hardware that resembles pendant is drawer pulls. Instead of a dangling pendant, you have a dangling ring. You can also find a ring pull that can be recessed into the surface of the drawer front for a sleek look.