Archives: Home Improvement

Bruce Laminate Introduces New Tropical Exotic and American Exotic Wood Looks

By Todd Fratzel on Flooring

TROPICAL EXOTIC & AMERICAN EXOTIC WOOD LOOKS FEATURED IN Bruce® Laminate Taking its lead from the most popular hardwood trends, Bruce Laminate offers hand-touched Sapele Long Plank in its Reserve Premium® collection. This is a floor that commands attention. The tropical exotic Sapele laminate, in rich reddish- brown colors and a grand seven-foot long plank,…

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Backsplash Tile Layout

By Todd Fratzel on Kitchens

Laying Out A Tile Backsplash As I pointed out recently we’re going to be writing several articles about how to install a tile backsplash for kitchens. Our first article focused on selecting a tile backsplash so for this article I’d like to discuss how to lay out a tile backsplash. In a perfect world that…

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Kitchen Backsplash – Selecting Materials

By Todd Fratzel on Kitchens

Selecting Materials For Kitchen Backsplash We’re going to write a series of article in the coming weeks on how to tile a kitchen backsplash. We’re going to cover everything from choosing materials to installation of an actual tile backsplash. Installing a backsplash in your kitchen is a fairly straight forward DIY project that can add…

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Expanded Variety of Irwin Vise-Grip Groovelock Pliers

By Todd Fratzel on Hand Tools

EXPANDED VARIETY OF IRWIN VISE-GRIP GROOVELOCK PLIERS PROVIDES OPTIMAL VERSATILITY, 2X SPEED AND UNMATCHED STRENGTH New Straight and Smooth Jaw Designs Added to Best-In-Class V-Jaws Huntersville, N.C. [August 2, 2010] — Because having the right tool for the job is every tradesman’s demand, IRWIN® Tools is introducing two new jaw configurations to its line of…

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Craftsman NEXTEC 12V Lithium-Ion 4 Piece DIY Combo Kit Review

By Todd Fratzel on Power Tools, Product Reviews

Craftsman 12 Volt Lithium-Ion 4 Piece DIY Combo Kit The folks at Craftsman recently sent us their 12V Lithium-Ion 4 Piece Combo Kit to test. We’ve previously tested the Auto-Hammer and Multi-Tool which are all part of the Craftsman NEXTEC 12-Volt Lithium-Ion Cordless System. The entire line of NEXTEC tools is designed around their 12-volt…

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Pump Jacks For Siding Installation

By Todd Fratzel on Safety, Siding & Trim

Pump Jacks Make Siding Installation Safer Pump jacks make siding installation much safer and productive. One of our crews recently installed James HardiPlank Lap Siding on a three story addition for a private school with the assistance of pump jacks. You can buy pump jacks from most building supply companies and some online specialty stores.…

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Lead Paint Certification

By Todd Fratzel on Painting and Finishing, Safety

Update: This article ran several months ago but we’re running it again because several states have now adopted their own training and certification programs. See the last paragraph of this article for additional information. Lead Paint Certification If you’re a contractor that performs renovations and remodeling you’re running out of time to get certified with…

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HardiPlank Lap Siding Butt Joint Flashing

By Todd Fratzel on Siding & Trim

HardiPlank Lap Siding Field Butt Joint Treatment HardiPlank Lap Siding is a fantastic siding material that we’ve been using for years on both residential and light commercial building projects. HardiPlank Lap Siding is a fiber cement siding product that looks like wood clapboards but outperforms it when it comes to weather resistance and finish performance.…

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