Halon Fire Extinguisher - There are four classes of fire extinguishers. Each one is designed for a specific type of fire. Modern fire extinguishers use a picture and labeling system to designate which types of fires they are designed for. Older units use colored geometrical shapes with letter designations.

Class A and B fire extinguishers have a numerical rating based on tests conducted by Underwriter’s Laboratories. These ratings determine the extinguishing potential for each size and type of extinguisher.

Class A Extinguishers will put out fires in ordinary combustibles such as wood and paper. The numerical rating refers to the amount of water the fire extinguisher holds and the amount of fire it is designed to extinguish.

Class B Extinguishers are used on fires involving flammable liquids like grease, gasoline, oil, etc. The numerical rating states the approximate number of square feet of a flammable liquid fire that can be extinguished.

Class C Extinguishers are for use on electrical fires. This class of fire extinguishers does not have a numerical rating. The presence of the letter “C” indicates that the extinguishing agent is non-conductive.

Decorative Ceiling Tile - Planning and good layout are the most important parts of a successful ceiling tile job. Once everything is laid out, the project should go smoothly. And it's also one of those tasks that adds a lot of appeal to your home.

Selecting the Tiles

Most ceiling tiles are made of fiberboard. Standard tiles measure 12" by 12", although tiles are also made in 12" by 24" and other sizes. Acoustical tiles are made from the same type of fiber with an additional manufacturing process to help absorb sound in a room. A well designed acoustical tile absorbs up to 70 percent of excess noise.

Ask the supplier to help estimate the materials you need for installation. Most manufacturers provide charts to determine the number of tiles, the amount of furring, and the gallons of adhesive needed (if adhesive is used) based on the room size. Tiles are typically packed as follows: 12" by 12" ceiling tiles in cartons of 40, 12" by 24" are packed 20 to a carton.

Ceiling Tile Installation Methods

The most common methods of ceiling tile application are adhesives, stapled or nailed to wood furring strips, or a metal grid suspended from the overhead floor joists. For ceilings made of plaster, sheetrock, or other materials that provides a smooth, continuous backing, use adhesives to apply the ceiling tiles. If the ceiling has cracked plaster or other defects, apply furring strips and nail or staple the tiles to the furring strips.

Basic Rules

• All cut tiles should be used for the edges of the room where the ceiling meets the walls.

• Cut tiles at opposite ends of the room should be the same size.

• If at all possible, cut tiles should not be less than half a tile wide.

Determine the Size of Border Tiles

Measure the distance from wall to wall on the longer side of the room. If the length measures exact feet, you will not need to cut border tiles for that direction. If the distance does not come out in exact feet, add 12 to the number of inches remaining and divide by two. This gives you the width of your border tiles. For example, if the room is 10′ 6" long, add 12 to 6 (18) and divide 18 by 2. The result of 9" is the width of the border tiles for each end of the run. Do the same thing for the shorter side of the room. Confused? Here is the result of the calculations:

• 10′ 6" = 126 total inches of the run (10′ x 12" to the foot = 120") + 6" = 126"

• 6" + 12" = 18" (to make sure each end tile is at least 1/2 tile wide)

• 18" / 2 = 9"

• 9" on start of run + 9" on end of run = 18", so 126" (total length of the run) - 18" = 108"

• 108" / 12" (size of standard ceiling tile) = 9 tiles in middle of the run

• 9 tiles x 12" = 108" + 9" start of run + 9" end of run = 126"

• 126" / 12" = 10′ 6"
  

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Cottage House Plan - So you have decided to build your own home. Although it can be very rewarding, you must be ready - financially and emotionally - to deal with the myriad or problems that will occur. And if you are going to actually do the work yourself instead of acting as general contractor, you must have time, determination, and tons of patience.

Just dealing with local building inspectors can be maddening. Answer this question; If a building inspector is actually good enough to build a home, then why doesn't he/she do that for a living instead of inspecting them? There is a far greater profit potential to building verses inspecting. So you will be up against ridiculous and unnecessary change requests from inspectors that know less about the project than you. In some cases, a lot less.

I personally witnessed one inspector that demanded all screws be removed from a new deck and replaced with nails. Now really, how much sense does that make, especially when every other deck in the area was built with screws and passed final inspection. Unreal. If you can't handle this type of lunar logic, then find someone that can.

Don't count on anybody to do their job right. Just because an architect has a nice office and a good reputation doesn't mean the drawings will be done properly. The contractor that comes highly recommended might end up ripping you off with shoddy work. You absolutely must stay on top of the entire home building project to prevent losing money or getting a house that you hate. It's amazing how many contractors can't even read a simple set of blueprints. And don't let them talk you into changing something unless you really want the change. In some cases, the contractor is simply trying to swap cheaper materials to increase the profit margin.

Get a firm estimate, put everything in a contract, and hold everybody to it. Don't allow excessive monetary draws. While it's customary to have an initial draw, make sure it's for actual building expenses and not some kind of "fee" to get work started. Every dime should go towards actually building the house. While material costs vary, and there is usually a clause in the contract that allows for this, don't fall for the "I'm not making any money on this project" scam three quarters of the way through. Unless you have made changes to the original plan that increase the cost, or supplies go up more than anticipated, don't pay any more than stated in the contract. Pay a dollar for a dollar, nothing more, nothing less. If you have been keeping the draws under control you can fire the contractor if necessary and find someone else. Remember that it's your house, your money, and you are the boss.

Kitchen Backsplash Tile - Ceramic tile backsplashes are a great addition to your kitchen of bath. They provide a barrier against spills, are easy to clean, and provide a nice, finished touch to your counter or range.

Before starting, review the features of the area. What color are the walls, countertop, floor and appliances? Are the cabinets light or dark? What type of lighting is present, and what does it illuminate? What color and type are the fixtures? If your cabinets are dark, you may want to lighten-up the area. If you have under-cabinet lighting, the backsplash could probably be done in a medium color tone so it doesn’t contrast with the cabinetry.

Surface Preparation

Tile can be installed over most substrates if they are clean, smooth and dry. Check with your supplier to see if the tile you have chosen requires a specific underlayment. Repair and level any damaged or uneven areas. Make certain your countertop is level. If not, insert shims between the lower cabinets and the countertop. Turn off power and water to any outlets within or near your work space. Be careful! Electric wires and plumbing run between studs in walls. Don’t make the mistake of cutting into either while they are still live.

Paint Supplies - All house paints are either water based latex or oil based. Latex is the most commonly sold paint today. It covers well, cleanup with water is fast and easy, and it is durable.

Water based latex paints offer significant performance advantages. Compared to oil based paints, top quality exterior latex paints have greater durability, color retention, and chalk resistance, so they continue to look good for years. Since they are less brittle and more elastic than oil based paints, they have better resistance to cracking. Latex paints also dry much faster than oil based paints, which allows for a quicker second coat. When compared with other latex paints, those with 100% acrylic binders are especially durable and highly flexible. They tend to adhere extremely well to a variety of exterior surfaces, and have greater resistance to troublesome paint failures like blistering, flaking and peeling.

Bathroom Tile Grout - In order to achieve a professional and attractive look, be sure to take your time during the planning and surface prep stages. The substrate to be tiled has to be clean, smooth, and free of defects. Any damaged areas must be repaired and smoothed before work begins. Even small high spots will make alignment nearly impossible.


The horizontal lines are drawn first. Make sure all lines are accurate and easy to see. The way to do this depends on whether your tub or shower pan is level or not.

Level Tub or Shower Pan - If the tub is level to within 1/8″, measure and mark your horizontal line from the high point of the tub. The 1/8″ difference (if there is a difference) can be hidden with grout. Measure up from the lip of the tub, the width of a tile plus 1/8″. Make a line using a level and a straight edge, along the back wall and the two end walls.

Out of Level Tub or Shower Pan - If the tub is not level to 1/8″, mark your horizontal line from the low point. Determine a level line just like for a level tub and run a batten along the bottom of the line. It is usually best to nail a straight wooden batten so that the top of the batten is set to the horizontal line. This provides a level surface for the tile. After all the tile is laid, remove the batten and install the bottom row. You will have to cut the bottom row of tiles to fit along the uneven top edge of the tub or pan.

Vertical Working Lines

Setup the tiles so each edge (border) tile is the same width on each end, and more than half a tile wide. To do this, first locate the mid-point on the back wall and mark it on the horizontal line. Then place a row of loose tiles along the back of the tub, making sure that a joint matches up with the center mark. The distance left at each end gives you the dimension of your border tiles. If the end tiles turn out to be larger than half a tile, make the vertical center line all the way up the wall using a level and straight edge.

Precast Concrete - Cracked sidewalks and driveways can have a negative effect on the look or your home. And the damage tends to worsen with time due to water getting under the structure. Fortunately, repair is not too difficult.

Cracks in Sidewalks

Enlarge the crack along its entire length with a cold chisel and hammer. Use gloves and eye protection! Make the crack wider at the bottom than at the top, a process known as undercutting. It helps to bond the new concrete with the older concrete. After the crack has been thoroughly undercut, remove all loose material and brush the area with a wire brush.

The new concrete patch will hold better if a concrete adhesive is used first. This will both assist with bonding and prevent old concrete from absorbing moisture from the newly installed patch. Brush the adhesive into the undercut area and allow it to dry until it becomes tacky.

Use one part Portland cement to 2 1/2 parts of fine, clean sand. Heavier concrete patch jobs call for one part of Portland cement to two parts of sand and three parts of gravel. Building supply centers sell pre-mixed concrete for this type of job. All you add is water and it makes things much easier than buying and mixing the ingredients yourself.