Posts Tagged Broom

Toro Rake N Vac

Posted by outside_voices on Tuesday, 21 September, 2010

Why should you choose a backyard blower vac as an alternative of an everyday leaf blower? Cleaning up the yard generally is a tiring and take up a whole lot of time, significantly when the leaves begin to fall. Raking or utilizing a conventional leaf blower can take a long time, whereas a backyard blower vac could make things quite a bit easier. However which one must you get, and is it actually value it? Let’s take a look at a few of the advantages of an excellent leaf blower vacuum and tips on how to buy the suitable one.

Leaf vacuums work lots like indoor vacuums, however they’ve a lot more energy and are extra specialized. They assist remove all particles and lifeless leaves, accumulating them into just one container. After you are completed, you may empty the container onto your compost pile and turn these lifeless leaves into backyard fertilizer! That is an efficient and efficient method of getting a sexy looking, clean backyard that takes lots less time than a rake or broom. Whereas your backyard blower vac would require energy, the reduction within the amount of time required to wash your yard means it will not really use all that much. Jobs will get finished faster and you’ll have more time to move onto one thing else.

A garden blower vac is a particularly good thought for people who have disabilities or age associated mobility problems. It might make the distinction between having to depend on others to scrub and keep your backyard and having the ability to do it yourself. That can be an enormous difference for many of us. Too many people assume that everybody is in adequate bodily situation to do their very own gardening, when many of us want to avoid wasting up our time and power for what is not a simple task. If you fall into this class, a leaf blower vacuum may very well be an actual help.

Of course, you’ll pay more for a garden blower vac than you’d for a standard leaf blower, and an important deal more than you would for a plain old rake. All of it comes down as to whether you worth your time or the investment in the leaf blower more. If time is the most important consideration, this is the machine for you, making computerized cleanup a lot easier than a traditional blower. Simply suck the leaves up and dispose of them properly.

Make positive you purchase a good leaf vacuum, of course. Meaning taking some time to look at all the choices out there on the market, and evaluating not just their prices and features, but the repute of each one. Take the time to check out a few backyard blower opinions to search out out if a selected model is thought for problems or brief lifespan. That’ll make it easier to resolve which garden blower vac is right for your specific situation. By no means simply buy the cheapest mannequin in the marketplace – it’s a sure option to lose money in the long run. A superb leaf blower vacuum will serve you for a few years to come and make your job a complete lot easier.

At Leafvac.org you’ll learn about toro rake vac and toro rake o vac.

Alexanders Useful Suggestions To Understand If Choosing Above Ground Pool Liners

Posted by outside_voices on Monday, 17 May, 2010

Pool liner are typically made of vinyl plus is put in within the pool’s frame to keep the water inside the vessel. The pool water exerts pressure on the liner, holding it securely in place against the pool’s floor and the walls. Installing a liner is sometimes a two-person job. Although the liners are made to resist tearing, it is just not uncommon for them to develop little leaks as they get older. Holes within the liner may be repaired along with a patch kit. 

Cover up any sharp parts or edges on the pool frame with tape so that no harm or tears are created within the pool liner as it’s being installed. Locate above ground pool liners here.

Lay a protecting layer of sand at the underside of the pool’s frame, build up the sand around the sides of the metal frame plus smooth together with a rake or broom. This may prevent the liner from folding under the metal frame and create a soft protective barrier between the liner and the ground.Unfold the pool liner plus inspect it for any signs of holes or obvious damage. Let the pool liner warm in the sun so that it becomes flexible because a cold pool liner can be rigid plus difficult to stretch. 

Lift the pool liner up plus into the pool frame. This may take several people to accomplish. Pull the liner over the top of the frame plus secure with the plastic pool coping strips. Smooth out any wrinkles on the liner, plus then begin filling the pool with water. Remove the plastic coping strips while the pool fills, and alter the liner where necessary, making certain to take away any apparent wrinkles.Replace the plastic coping strips plus tape the excess pool liner to the pool frame. 

Determine the location of the leak. Swim beneath the water with goggles on plus look for visible holes within the liner, or look for wet areas or puddles outside of the pool.Obtain a pool liner patch kit. There are patch kits that may be used underwater plus others that’ll be used on dry areasbut, dry patches can hold better.

Drain some of the water from the pool if the hole is close to the surface, but do not completely take away the pool water. Apply the patch kit.

 

Staining and sealing concrete — it’s easy!

Posted by outside_voices on Friday, 6 November, 2009

A while back, in another feature on concrete, pavers, and stone, I touched on staining and sealing concrete. I recently had another great opportunity to stain and seal a 1300 square foot floor and, because of the advances in technology, it was a lot easier than last time. (If you need to repair the concrete first, take a look at Diane Rixon’s great article here.)

Take a peek at the gallery; it will give you a sense of just how easy the process is, and we’ll continue.

First off, safety: the cleaning/etching material is a mild acid. It’s formulated to take the top “skin” off a concrete surface so it will surely do that to you, as I discovered when I slopped some on my leg. No major harm, but I knew immediately what happened. The major problem, I’m guessing, is if you got some of this stuff in your eyes — that clearly should be avoided. So … eye, hand, and foot protection are all recommended, along with long pants and long sleeved shirts (neither of which I wore, naturally). Also, as you might imagine, a smooth, wet floor might readily lend itself to slips and falls. ‘Nuff said.

Tools: We had all of these on hand. If you had to purchase them, it likely would run a couple hundred dollars.

Broom for cleanup and spreading the etching liquid; no metal parts, please, or you’ll see them go up in fumes.

Vacuum to get all the dirt from the corners and under the door thresholds.
A 5 gallon bucket to mix the acid with the dilution water.
A hose and nozzle for wash-down.
A mop (optional) for getting the acid into the corners — wasn’t a problem for me.
A scraper (optional) for use if you have concrete lumps on the floor — we did; it was very helpful.
Painter’s tape and masking paper to protect the baseboard and lower portions of the walls.
A floor squeegee for easy removal of the surface liquid.
A paint tray and a 1/2″ nap roller with a long handle to apply the sealer.
A sprayer, to apply the stain.
Time: It took two of us about four hours, in total, from cleaning to finishing the first coat of sealer.

Materials:

One gallon of the diluted solution (one gallon acid to one gallon water) will clean and etch about 350 square feet of concrete. If your concrete is very smooth, and ours was, you use the stuff straight up (undiluted) to cover about 175 square feet. One gallon of acid costs about ; we bought 7 gallons of Behr concrete cleaner/etcher for about 2 (taxed.)

We used Behr semi-transparent stain at $23 per gallon; seven gallons cost us about $169.
We used Behr sealer at the rate of about 150-300 square feet per gallon; because we had a surface that was reasonably smooth, we were at the high end of the application rate. We bought 5 gallons at $25 a gallon for a total of $131.

For the bathroom floors, we used Behr non-skid floor finish additive; a $5 bag is mixed with each gallon.
The process: Our surface was smooth interior concrete but I have seen this process applied successfully to exterior concrete, pavers, and stone; if you do that, take care to protect your adjacent plants and other sensitive items. Although I have no personal experience with it, this procedure may also be used on vertical surfaces. Depending on the manufacturer, the process may vary, so pay attention. Remember, when all else fails, read the instructions.

As with just about all else in life, preparation is everything, so thoroughly clean the target surface; failure to do so will leave little-bitty (or maybe great big) lumps in the final product. A problem for us was bugs landing in the stain and sealer, and we surely didn’t want Jurassic critters under the seal coat. You just have to be observant and pick the little rascals out as you see them.

Tape the paper to the baseboards, lower portions of the walls, and the doors. If you’re concerned about splashing acid or stain on something, paper that area over.

If you have smooth concrete, as we did, use the cleaner/etcher at full strength; anything rougher (your determination) and the diluted stuff is good.

You can apply the acid out of a plastic bucket (as we did) or sprinkling can, but a sprayer is not recommended.

Spread the acid with a broom, covering all the surface, to include the corners and adjacent to the baseboards and door thresholds. Let it sit a few minutes, then scrub the area vigorously with your broom. A problem we had was that the humidity was so very low that the acid would tend to dry too quickly and that’s a big no-no. Fortunately, with two guys working, we could keep the process going, but you’ll have to really keep moving.
Without letting the acid solution dry on the floor, wash the floor thoroughly with fresh water, scrubbing the surface as you do so. If you have the ability to pressure wash the area, you’re golden. We then used a floor squeegee to get rid of the surface water.

After the surface is dry, it should have the roughness of medium grit sandpaper; you may have to repeat the process if it doesn’t.

Let the floor dry thoroughly before you apply the stain. We used the time to re-tape the protective paper on the lower walls.

Now we applied the stain with the sprayer, spraying in a circular motion, for a “mottled” appearance. (If you want a more uniform look, you’ll have to roll the stain after application.) We applied the stain at a rate of about 300 square feet a gallon. Let the stain dry for four hours and then make a decision on a second coat, which we decided to apply. We let that coat dry overnight.

OK, getting close to the finish line. Apply the sealer with the roller and pan; it may go down “milky”, but will dry clear. Let it dry a minimum of four hours, then apply an additional coat. After it dries, you may apply up to four additional layers.(Keep in mind that, at some future point, you’re going to have to apply more sealer for protection of the stain.) We used a non-skid additive, in the sealer, for the bathrooms.
Most sealers will be dry to the touch in about an hour; check the manufacturers directions as to how soon you can walk on it, move furniture, or drive on it.

You can see that the process, while some time consuming, is pretty easy. You can do the job for a bunch less than you’d pay someone else. Why not give that old garage floor or back yard patio a new look? You know it would be really, really nice. Good luck.

 

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The Most Essential Fireplace Accessories That You Need To Build A Fire

Posted by admin on Thursday, 8 October, 2009

Hearths are quite popular nowadays as they not only provide warmness to homeowners but are used for beautifying reasons as well. The popularity has also led to a greater demand for fireplace accessories and fireplace tool sets. Individuals who are willing to set up fireplaces in their homes should pay a visit to home improvement stores to see what the various types of accessories and tools they have. In order to light a safe fire, it is important to possess the correct fireplace accessories and tools.

To name a few, the most essential fireplace accessories are log cradle, fireset, fireplace screen and flame repellent gloves. A wood cradle is used for transporting wood from outside to the fireplace. This accessory can be found in a huge selection of colors and styles. It is a place where owners can store wood inside the home till they are used.

Other fireplace parts such as fireplace screens protect the carpet from getting blemished by the sparks coming out of the fire. These sparks does not only create stains but they can also create fires which can even burn down the entire house. This is one of the reasons as to why fireplace screens need to be purchased as soon as hearths are installed in the house.

Furthermore, there are other important fireplace tools which make sure that homeowners are safe while enjoying the attractiveness of the fireplace. Fireplace tools comprise of spade, poker, brush and grippers and these are used for cleaning purposes. Additionally, while cleaning the hearth, homeowners should make sure that they are wearing gloves to protect their hands and arms from the heat.

A fireset has everything which homeowners need to keep their hearth looking good and uncluttered. Firesets comes in decorative styles and usually consists of a broom and stand. Additionally, there are many websites and home improvement stores that sell firesets consisting of three to five parts. Fireplace sets can also contain all the essential fireplace accessories and tools that are needed by homeowners. This is surely a great product to hold all the basic tools and avoid making the area look messy.

Fireplaces are a central point as well as cozy places to get together during chilly months. Perfect selection of fireplace accessories and fireplace tools can transform fireplaces into showpieces which enhances the overall attractiveness of the house. Fireplace accessories make a big difference in conserving the safeness of the home and household members and beautifying the overall interior decoration. This is the reason they should be chosen carefully.

fireplace parts