Painting – The Tools of the Trade, Make the Trade

Last time we talked about the importance of purchasing good tools for your painting project. So you’ve gone out and spent $20 on a good brush, and $8 on a good roller. The other tools don’t matter as much, but I still wouldn’t go to your local dollar store to get them. These other tools include a roller cage, a roller tray, and, here it is, a 6 in 1 tool. This last tool is the secret sauce for painting efficiently and keeping your tools clean for the next coat and for months, even years to come. So, like promised, we’ll talk about this amazing tool.

The 6 in 1 tool, made by Richard (there are others, that one is just my favorite), is not a tool that looks like it could make that much of a difference, but trust me on this one – it does. The tool is sort of hard to describe, but it’s got a flat surface on the top, with a point on the right side (I guess it depends which way you hold it though) and another flat spot on the left side. It then has a large round inside curve that comes down to meet the handle. At the bottom of the handle, is a solid piece of metal. Nothing special, that’s all there is to it. But instead of calling it the 6 in 1 tool, I recommend they rename it the 100 in 1 tool. Here’s why.

There doesn’t … READ MORE >>>

You never want any distractions during the holiday season, so tackling any and all home improvement projects on the agenda beforehand is recommended. Take a major sweep of your home and think of what could go very wrong in those yuletide moments. Would you be able to survive an HVAC breakdown or a faulty refrigerator? It is unlikely, so you could have your work cut out for you. Make sure you have the following five home improvement checks out of the way so the holidays will play out in style.

1. HVAC gut checks. If you don’t know the status of your heating and cooling center by the time Santa is warming up his crew, you are playing with fire. Make sure there aren’t any surprises when you settle in for the winter. Can you imagine what it would be like dealing with a broken system while everyone is gathering around the tree? Needless to say, it would not be a big hit with the in-laws or any other guests you might have.

2. Kitchen renovation. You should also head down to the center of cooking and cleaning to see where you stand as the holidays approach. A problem with your stove could very well spell disaster when you are about to cook one of the big feasts with which we associate the holidays. Pull out a thermometer and see how your oven is performing, while seeing just how cold your refrigerator is as well. These things don’t … READ MORE >>>