MyFurnitureOK.com

Did you know? Consider Cane, Manufacturers of fine handcrafted Cane Furniture and Wicker baskets is situated in the rural surroundings of the village Magaliesburg in the North West Province of South Africa.

1. Did you know? The use of Cane Furniture in home furnishings is not new. It dates back to the 1700’s in Asia and the Philippines where cane was used to craft many household articles.

2. Did you know? That cane is a vine that grows in jungle terrain in the mountain regions of the Malacca Straights and the East where the rainfall normally exceeds 1000mm annually. Cane is exclusively grown there and is not found anywhere else in the world.

3. Did you know? Cane is pliable and easily bent and curved (with the aid of steam ovens) to form many shapes for frames. Although cane is highly flexible, it is one of the strongest timbers available. Cane is as strong as wood for making a variety of Cane Furniture, it’s much lighter in weight and will withstand tough daily use.

4. Did you know? That all wicker is cane. Although many consumers use the terms “wicker” and cane (rattan) interchangeably, they are the same. Wicker, which means woven, is a by-product of Cane (rattan); hence all Wicker is Cane, but Wicker is a term for smaller stems from the cane plant and is obtained during the harvesting process, which is used for weaving.

5. Did you know? That cane and wicker are two of the most maintenance-free furniture materials you’ll find. However neither should be exposed to sun for extended periods of time; or left out in the rain. To keep it looking its best and to protect the finish, wipe occasionally with a damp cloth, followed with an application of a good furniture polish.

6. Did you know? That it takes a craftsman 10 years to become a specialized weaver of cane furniture and wicker baskets. Weaving cane furniture is very specialized and labour intensive.

7. Did you know? Cane and wicker furniture has managed to stay in fashion for decades. A lot of people still have old cane furniture that they have kept for years and years, even passed on to friends and family and become heirlooms. Antique Cane Furniture is highly sought after and in its original state can fetch good prices.

CONCLUSION
Did you know? Consider Cane has a wide selection of trendy stylish cane furniture and wicker baskets to suit everyone’s unique style and tastes - offering a 10-year guarantee on Cane Furniture frames.

http://www.considercane.com

[tags]Cane Furniture,Wicker Furniture,Rattan Furniture,Cane Baskets,Wicker Baskets,Interior design[/tags]

How well do you know your nutrients?

There are many different plant nutrients on the hydroponics market today. Their function is to provide the optimum mix of Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium, Calcium and various other trace elements, in order to sustain growth, improve yields and allow the plant to achieve its potential. The plants requirements will vary to some extent as it develops. Concentrations and plant food components may also vary with differing growing mediums. The food is absorbed through the plants roots and transported to the leaves, where it is converted into the sugars that the plant needs for energy.

The most important thing to remember about plant nutrition is that the NPK, (Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium) Calcium and trace element ratios are correct. There can be a wide variation of ingredients in the various mixes for sale.

Because the plant will take whatever it requires from the elements available and leave the rest, the balance will alter as unused elements build up in the solution. If left unchecked this will result in a toxic build up of salts and a subsequent drop off in growth followed eventually by the death of your, well loved and nurtured, plants. This same result will occur if the water content is not replaced and the mixture strength increases. If the plant transpires 50% of the water from the supply tank, the concentration of elements within the solution will become dangerously high.

The concentration of salts in the feeding solution is measured using an Electrical Conductivity (EC) meter. The EC meter measures the strength of the solution in parts per million. This means that in a 1000 PPM solution there are 1,000 units of dissolved salts to every 1,000,000 units of water. The meter measures the total salt concentration in solution and does not discriminate between Potassium salts say and Calcium salts. It cannot tell the difference between a good and a bad mix, only their relative strengths.

The EC meter works by measuring the speed at which electrons travel between probes immersed in a solution. In distilled water, the electrons cannot find any impurities to use as footholds to cross the water and so the meter returns a 0 reading in mMho or mS (these are units used to measure electrical conductivity). As food is added to the water, the concentration of impurities in the form of salts increases and the electrons can find more footholds, and so cross the water faster. Thus the meter reading rises. Of course this is a very simplified explanation, but it should serve to give you an idea of the basics. One other important thing to remember is that as in all things chemical temperature plays an important part. The higher the temperature, the faster the electrons move and the higher the EC reading. This means that that in order to accurately assess your mixture’s EC you must record the PPM as mMho (mS) at a specific temperature.

As the PPM reading is a conversion from an electrical reading and as each addition of a different salt will alter the electrical properties, in order to obtain an accurate EC reading you will have to use a reference solution of a known value. Because the EC meter you are using will not necessarily have been calibrated for the mix used by the people who prepared your reference solution, these values can be quite inaccurate. In view of this, any reference solution that does not show the EC value in mS, or give you the conversion ratio that was used, is of no use for nutrient evaluation purposes.

It is important to note that if the nutrient EC reaches 3,000 PPM (or the meter reads over 4.0mS) your plants will begin to show signs of nutrient deficiency even though they will have an excess. The reasons for this are quite complex, but basically it is because the chemicals dissolved in the solution are competing for the available water and the stronger ones are blocking out some of the weaker ones. This leads to the roots having to work harder to absorb the nutrients. By working harder they have to expend more energy at the expense of growth. If at this time the temperature rises and the water level drops, due to evaporation, your plants will, very probably, die.

Probably the most important factor that will affect your plant growth in relation to nutrient uptake is pH. Different types of plant prefer different pH values and it is important to ascertain which the optimum for the species you are growing is. The medium in which you are growing will affect the cation exchange capacity of the plant. This is the ability of the medium to hold nutrients on call for the plant roots to use. Normal soil has a high cation exchange rate (CEC) of between 100 and 200 equivalent units. A number of growing mediums and of course water cultures have a CEC of 0. This means that once a nutrient has passed the roots it cannot be taken up by the plant, and neither will it have any buffering effect. The nutrients, the gasses, the trace elements, the water and the growing medium all have differing electrical charges and are all exchanging positive and negative charges around the roots of the plant. This ionic battle enables the roots to absorb the nutrients it needs to sustain the plant. If the pH is incorrect it stops the particle exchange. This is because the shapes and sizes of the charged particles will be different from the spaces available within the plant root tissue. The pH can be looked at a bit like a Yale lock and key. If all is correct the lock opens if the plant pH and the surrounding pH differ then the lock cannot open.

Different plants need different nutrients at differing stages of their growth. These nutrients have different charges and so in order to get the greatest nutrient uptake the pH must be closely monitored. If in doubt about the requirements of your plant try asking the manufacturer of your nutrients for help. After all he made the mix in the first place and so should know all there is to know about it.

If your plants are not thriving look at the pH as the primary cause and try to work out which of the nutrients is not being absorbed and why.

A partner in a thriving retail hydroponics supply business, Rickie Haughton is the owner of http://www.hydroponics-gardening-information.com. Your First Choice For Hydroponics Gardening Information, the Hydroponics-Gardening-Information website is packed with good content about all aspects of hydroponics gardening and offers a free Hydroponics Gardening Information Club membership to all subscribers.

Copyright (C) 2004, 2005, 2006, John R Haughton - All Rights Reserved

[tags]hydroponics gardening,hydroponics system,hydroponics,gardening,garden,plants,home garden[/tags]

Redecorating or refurnishing your home? By now you’re probably confused by the wide array of wall coverings, cabinets, furniture styles, flooring, window treatments and other products currently available on the home market. Don’t worry, where there’s a will, there’s a way. There are now interior design programs that let you decorate your home in a multitude of colors and materials right on your PC, complete with 3D renderings of every room, including kitchen and bath.

With these home decorating programs, you’re not designing from a sample book, you’re actually mixing and matching styles and colors in a virtual reality mock-up of your home’s interior. For example, Broderbund’s “3D Home Interiors” is one of the original software releases that proves you don’t have to spend your entire life in a shopping mall, trying to envision how certain colors or styles would look in your home. Just boot up the ole PC.

“3D Home Interiors” is fairly easy to use, although somewhat time-consuming, and has plenty of features. There’s more than enough to get a real sense of how your room or rooms will look with a certain wall covering, flooring or furniture style. You can place objects exactly how you want them, within your home’s exact dimensions, and view the rooms from a variety of angles in full color.

The latest in the 3D Home Design Series, “3D Home Interiors” lets you browse more than 100,000 home decorating products, according to Broderbund, most of which are actual items from leading manufacturers. You even get model numbers. The program lets you choose a manufacturer, then view each product in different styles and colors.

When reviewing the software programs, be sure to check out how many manufacturer and product categories are actually in the program. If your favorites don’t appear, that makes it hard to design from your preferences. Check the web sites of the software companies or supplement the choices from the web sites of the manufacturers themselves.

Make sure you have the necessary hardware, too. Graphics programs tend to monopolize lots of RAM so it wouldn’t hurt to install more than the minimum system requirement. Make sure you have up to 64 MB or more, to make the program run smoothly and to avoid freezing up.

American Homeowners Association (AHA)

One of the best ways to increase the value of your home is to improve the bathrooms. Here’s a primer on things to consider.

Sinks

Villeroy and Boch makes a sink that mimics a boulder worn into a bowl by water flowing into it. It can be quite handsome in a minimalist home or a rustic one. You can see it and others at villeroy-boch.com.

Concrete Jungle makes some dramatically simple concrete sinks and vanities that surprisingly look very modern, or very farm-house. Check concretejungleonline.com if that idea appeals.

Walker Zanger’s designs include a perfectly simple sink in white marble for a dressier look. They also have a sturdy dark wooden “table” base that gives it dramatic contrast. You might enjoy visiting walkerzanger.com for more ideas.

Showers

A shower separate from the tub is one of today’s favorite luxuries. Some of them have been designed to feel like rain (at least part of the time). Dornbracht has one called “RainSky M” which can be checked out at dornbracht.com.

Large frameless (or nearly frameless) glass shower enclosures are showing up in more and more homes. MAAX makes a line of showers with features like overhead “waterfall” systems, hand held shower heads, and body sprays coming from the side that work well in a frameless enclosure.

I helped a family sell a home with a very interesting master bath not too long ago. It had a shower much like the one described above, but it was designed for two people. It looked like a glass room “floating” inside the large bathroom.

Tubs

As for tubs. Well. Would you believe a tub in an arched tile niche with a gas log fireplace at its foot? Believe it. Can you imagine a nice long soak while listening to flute music and sipping chilled champagne? (James Bond can keep his martini.)

Then there are the Acryline tubs which employ warm air hydro-massage to counter the effects of the daily rush-grab-dash of life. Explore their therapy theory at acrylineusa.com.

You get the idea. Updated means simple. It does not mean blah. It does mean coddled. It can give you and your family pleasure and comfort while you live in your home. It can increase your home’s sale value. You’ll be tempted, but don’ overbuild your neighborhood with the Taj Mahal of bathrooms if you want to be pleased with the result when you sell.

Raynor James is with http://www.fsboamerica.org - FSBO homes for sale by owner. Visit our “sell my home” page at http://www.fsboamerica.org/seller.cfm to sell your own home yourself with a free 1 month listing.

[tags]home improvements, bathroom, tubs, showers, improve bathrooms, acryline tubs, sinks, maxx, boch[/tags]

Installing a new bathroom vanity cabinet, or adding a vanity table to your bedroom, is a great way to enhance the appearance and function of your home. Bedroom and bathroom vanities add elegance and charm, and provide a special place for pampering. Bathroom sink vanity units with built in cabinets or drawers are ideal for storing all kinds of toiletries and accessories, and are often very attractive pieces of furniture to look at. Whether you’re after an antique style vanity or one to suit a contemporary bathroom, there are a variety of styles and finishes available to match all sorts of d

You’ve just taken some plywood, 2×4 studs, 2×12 header material and some house wrap and transformed them into a wall. Its time to take the fruits of your labor and raise that wall off the deck. Having the right steps in place and making the right moves will make this task go smoothly and safely.

There are a couple of procedures that are done during the framing of the wall that play an important part in raising it. Before an exterior wall is framed, a chalk line is snapped on the deck. If it is a 2×4 wall with 1/2″ sheathing, this line will be 4 inches off the edge of the deck. After the wall is framed and before any wall sheathing is nailed to it, the edge of the bottom plate is brought to the line. The end of the wall is brought to the edge of the deck. Once the frame is put in place, it is toe nailed with 8d nails on the inside of the bottom plate. Not only do these hold the wall in place when squaring up the wall, but also keep the wall on the line when raising it.

Once the wall is sheathed with plywood, insulation board, foam board and covered with house wrap you are ready to raise it. In preparation to lift the wall one must be able to get their hands under the top plate. Using a straight claw hammer or a prybar under the top plate, lift the wall high enough to slip a 2×4 flat under it. This inch and a half space gives you enough room for your hands.

If your raising a second story wall it is a good idea to nail stopping blocks to the rim joists. One of the last things you want is the wall being pushed off the edge of the deck. These are scrap pieces of lumber nailed the rim joist with 16d nails. Ideally these should be 16 to 18 inches long and nailed the full width of the joist with 4 16d nails. The balance of the board will stick up above the deck. Put these blocks at each end of the wall. On longer walls you may want to add one to the middle.

Before raising the wall, have all of your bracing material on hand. On a windy day you will want to brace the wall in place as soon as possible. Have enough braces (2×4’s) to have them nailed on about every 10 feet. You will need blocks to nail to the deck to anchor the braces. These need to be about 20″ long and get nailed to the deck through the plywood and into the floor joists with 16d nails. The nails need to go into the joists or there is the risk of the bracing failing in the case of high winds.

Bracing on the ends of the walls can be nailed on before it is raised. Nail one end of a 2×4 (wall stud) about one third of the way down from the top plate, again using 16d nails. Start a nail at the other end of the 2×4 so when the wall is stood up, all one has to do is drive the nail into the rim joist to brace the end of the wall.

With all materials and safeguards in place you can now raise the wall. A good rule of thumb for raising a wall is a set of hands every 8 to 10 feet. This gives everyone a comfortable weight to lift. To save your back, use your legs in the lifting process as much as possible.

Once the wall is raised, nail off the end braces to the rim joists. Next, nail the braces to a stud or window opening about a third of the way down from the top plate, about every 8 to 10 feet apart. Next, nail the blocks to the deck alongside the braces that were just nailed the the wall, being sure to catch the floor joists with the nails. With the wall as close to plumb as possible, nail off the anchor end of the brace to the block on the deck. It is important to use 16d nails for all of these steps.

After the wall is raised and braced, the final step is to nail the bottom plate of the wall to the deck. Push or pull the wall to the chalk line that was snapped on the deck. The 8d toe nails and the stopping blocks should have kept the wall very close to this line. Once the plate is brought to the line, nail it off with 16d nails, being sure to hit either the rim joist or a floor joist. You can now walk away and start another wall.

Remember, homebuilding can be a dangerous and risky occupation or activity. Always exercise caution and safety in all aspects of the construction process.

Mike Merisko (C) 2006

www.sawkerfs.com

About the Author: Mike Merisko has been a carpenter for 27 years. Most of those years were spent in the homebuilding and remodeling industries. He was also in business as a carpentry and general contractor. While that is his forte, he also has experience in bridge building, commercial construction, and exhibit building which is how he earns his living these days. You can browse through articles by him and others at his website http://www.sawkerfs.com or visit his blog at http://www.sawkerfs.blogspot.com

[tags]homebuilding, home improvement, remodeling, houseplans, doors, windows,carpentry,construction[/tags]

The aspiring greenhouse grower who may not have the budget or space for a detached greenhouse, or the proper place for a lean to does not have to despair. A window greenhouse may be just what the doctor ordered. This type of greenhouse is just what it implies, it transforms a window of the home into a plant growing area.

There are some requirements for a window greenhouse. First of all, the window should face predominately south. A southeast or southwest exposure would work, but a north exposure would doom the grower to only some tropical plants and African Violets. And these would probably not get enough light in the dark winter months.

There are three types of window greenhouse options available to the gardener. An exterior, glass or plexi-glass covered box installed over the window itself. A custom made window replacement, or clear glass shelves hung inside the window for the plants to grow on. Any one of these should fit your situation.

The exterior glass window greenhouse is the most common. This can be home made, using molding for framework, if desired. If you are handy with tools, or have a friend who is, this type of greenhouse is an interesting project to build. There are kits available, also, which may suit better if you are not the handy type. This type of window greenhouse cannot be used with casement windows, as the windows would not open after it is installed.

Heat for this greenhouse can come from the house itself, as the window can be opened a crack to allow heat from the house to infiltrate. A small electric heater could also be used. When the greenhouse is designed, be sure to make some provision for ventilation. The top and bottom should both be hinged to allow them to open and let air rise through it on warm, sunny days. Or place a small fan in it and blow the heat back into the home.

Custom made replacement windows are another option. This would be the expensive route. Measurements must be carefully made, and installation is definitely for a professional carpenter.

The third option is to just have some glass shelves made from a glass sheet. Shelf supports installed along each side of the window will hold the shelves securely, providing a wonderful place to grow plants.

A window greenhouse can allow gardeners who lack the space or need for a full fledged greenhouse. There are a number of options, providing an answer for just about every need.

© 2006
Paul Wonning is the owner of
Gardens and Nature.com a web site about gardening, hiking and other nature related topics.
Our blog about gardening is located here:

Abes Beer Garden - Blog about Gardening
Our hobby and craft related blog, Hobby Hobnob, is located at this link:
http://hobbyhobnob.blogspot.com/

[tags]window greenhous ,[/tags]

Many forms and varieties of cutlery products are offered on television, in catalog’s and on the internet. Different price ranges and quality exist for these products. There are different variations of steel offered that can result in a wide range of product life. Most kitchen cutlery is offered in variations that fit the curvature of the hands. Handles are usually manufactured in forms that are dish water safe. Cutlery comes in many configurations dedicated for the task at hand. The blades are offered in designs that offer solutions for different cutting situations. There are shears and butcher knives that are meant to be used for large tasks. There are bread knives, fillet knives, utility knives, paring knives, vegetable knives, boning knives, cake knives and cleavers. There is cutlery made for every occasion and situation. Many of the variations that are offered by manufacturers today are easy to use and keep a keen edge for long periods of time. The blades are offered in many blade types. Serrated and hollow ground blades are but just a few of the choices that are offered.

There are inexpensive sets that are offered by companies that are built for the most rudimentary of tasks. The more expensive sets are usually better made and have higher quality components in them. They are usually built with better grades of steel. Stainless steel is a better choice in the kitchen setting because of the inherent exposure to water and different elements that can degrade the steel. All steel will rust but the stainless variety resists rust to a greater degree. Ceramic blades are also offered by manufacturers. These blades keep their sharpness longer but are prone to breakage due to their brittle nature. The higher grades of steel will last longer and will give better product life.

The companies that offer a superior grade of cutlery are numerous. J.A. Hhenckels,Westhof, Global, and forschner are but a few of the companies that offer high quality products. If cutlery is going to be subjected to heavy use one of the above companies or one of their counterparts should fill the bill and give you a quality product designed for years of service. If cutlery is only going to be used intermittently a cheaper variety might suffice. If you have had much experience with cutting products you have come to realize that sharper and better made products are safer and easier to use. A dull knife is an accident waiting to happen. Sharper instruments need less force to do their intended job. Excessive pressure and force exerted on cutting instruments often have the end results of causing cuts and abrasions on the user.

A full compliment of kitchen cutlery can handle most jobs in the kitchen. Knives designed to fillet fish or cut bread or vegetables will do their intended tasks better than with an instrument that is not designed for that purpose. You will save time and avoid frustration by using the correct cutlery in your kitchen. Using the correct cutlery designed for it’s intended purpose in your kitchen will give favorable results and will enhance the preparation process for your cooking endeavors.

Stephen Graham: Writes articles from his own life experiences.

http://huntn-n-fishn.blogspot.com

http://buckskinnews.blogspot.com

http://goodstuffintexas.blogspot.com

[tags]cutlery products, cutlery, shears, butcher knives, blade types, cake knives, cleavers, vegetable[/tags]

Thinking of remodeling or renovating your kitchen? Here are a few tips for preparation and avoiding common pitfalls.

If you have a large kitchen remodeling project you will need to set up a temporary kitchen a different part of the house. It’s important that the location you choose is convenient and have unrestricted access to water and allow you to keep foods refrigerated as well as heat foods up. It’s also a good idea to have easy access to portable cooking appliances such as a microwave, electric wok and electric frying pan. Daily life must go on and you don’t want to be eating take-out every night or running to the neighbour’s house every time you need something from the refrigerator.

Here are the Top 5 Most Common Mistakes in Kitchen Remodeling:

1. Damaging the wall as you remove old cabinets

2. Damaging bench tops, cabinets or floors you plan to re-use

3. Not shutting down utilities before starting your project

4. Allowing dust and debris to spread throughout the house

5. Not allowing enough time to complete your project

Before You Get Started

1. Box and seal everything that will not be used in your temporary kitchen. Label the boxes and store them in a different part of the house.

2. Remove anything from the kitchen that isn’t nailed or screwed down. This includes drawers, lazy susans, spice racks, wall clocks, art work, ornaments, pots and pans etc. Place a protective cover over anything that must remain in place while you are working.

3. Make arrangements for the removal of any rubbish that may accumulate during your remodeling project. If you must rent a dumpster, do so in plenty of time or have a utility on hand for removing the rubbish to the dump. If you plan to salvage the old cabinetry for a workshop or donation to a charitable cause, have a place ready for them to go as you take them out of your work area.

4. Before removing any major appliances, turn off all utilities. This can be done at the individual shut off valves for gas and water. If there are no shut off valves, you will have to turn off the main valve. The main gas valve is usually located near the gas meter. Remember that, once you turn off the gas to the whole house, ALL pilot lights will have to be relit before they will work again. Without very careful planning you may well find yourself without hot water when you’re ready to clean up after a hard day’s work.

5. Disconnect fuses or turn off circuits to the area in which you will be working. In older homes, the wiring may have been modified over the years and it may not be clear which circuits or fuses control specific areas. If you are unsure, turn off the main power or get contact an electrician. Never take a chance with electricity! In addition, tape over the breakers so they won’t be turned on inadvertently. If you plan on upgrading your electrical system and adding new outlets and fixtures, it will be necessary to dismantle all existing outlets and fixtures.

6. Remove all light bulbs. Then, dismantle each fixture by using a screwdriver to unscrew the plate and the receptacle and pull the receptacle out of the box. Put wire nuts on any exposed wires for the interim. The bare copper wire is the ground and does not need to be capped.

Kitchen remodeling can be a rewarding and satisfying experience by planning right and avoiding the pitfalls.

John Mangan is webmaster at Home Improvement Catalog Online

[tags]kitchen remodelinh,home improvement[/tags]

Want to improve the look of your property? Want to add value to your property?

The extension plans are ready but the finances are not.

Rather than waiting another year why not consider a Home Improvement Loan.

Make the dream become reality with a UK Home Improvement Loan.

Are you planning an extension to your home, a new kitchen, would you like to have double glazing, a new conservatory, patio, or a new heating system, or are you undertaking the general up keep of your home but finding it hard to pay for?

A Home improvement Loan could be the easiest and cheapest way to make improvements to your home.

A UK Home Improvement Loan is a low cost, low rate, cheap, low interest loan secured on your UK property. As the home owner, it frees you up to do whatever improvements you want on your property.

With a UK Home Improvement Loan you can borrow from