Now that the circuit is completely turned off, you can safely work.

Few tools needed:
-Phillips Head/Flat Head screw drivers
-Wire stripper
-Electrical Tape
-Wire Connectors (usually supplied with new fixture)

Step 1: Turn off power to circuit as discussed above.

Step 2: Start by removing old fixture. This is usually different in most scenarios because every light is designed slightly different. Usually there will be a decorative nut or screw that will be holding the housing to the wall/ceiling. Next, Remove wire connectors on wires and any other set screws/brackets holding the light fixture in place. You should now be able to free the old fixture and set aside.

Step 3: Install wires through new bracket that comes with your new fixture. Cut excess wires and strip back a bit of the protective wire coating on new wires. Connect wires accordingly. Typically white-white (+ to +), black-black (- to -), green-copper (ground to ground). Secure wires with wire connectors. Although it is not necessary in many areas, it is a good idea to apply electrical tape to your connections.

Step 4: Attach bracket and necessary hardware to wall/ceiling box that comes with your new fixture. Neatly place wires into box. It never hurts to separate the positive and the negative when placing it neatly inside the electrical box.

Step 5: Secure new light fixture to bracket that was install in step # 4. Install new light bulb/s and check the max watts on the new fixture to make sure you do not exceed recommended watts.

Step 6: Turn the circuit breaker back on and flip the light switch to make sure you have completed your install successfully.

Enjoy the updated look!!

**If at any time you are unsure of the process, consult a professional and they would be more than happy to assist you.

Some background

Pebble Tiling is created by fixing together unified beach-stones that are fixed onto a sq/ft mesh backing. If you ever wondered about the origin of these natural stones, then most of them are imported from the exotic islands of Sumatra and Bali - Indonesia. You can easily become creative with this tiling technique and decorate almost anywhere: Flooring (including patios), bathrooms, backsplashes, kitchen walls, and much more.

Advantages

This tiling solution quickly brings immediate and clear advantages:

• Feels comfortable to walk on.
• Made of natural durable stones that hold for many years ahead.
• Easily adjusted to almost any surface size especially when it comes to tiling around taps and small narrow areas.

Important tips & advices!

• Test the sealers on an area first to ensure it is giving you the result you want and is compatible with the stone tiles.
• Use a tile saw in order to cut stones to fit edges or corners.
• Make sure the surface you are about to tile is flat, clean, dry and free of contaminants.

Summary

Pebble Tiling redecoration brings a true contemporary touch into any home’s surface with clear and effective advantages. There are probably many other advantages provided by this enjoyable home improvement technique, simply because once you explore and understand how it works, you quickly find endless remodeling opportunities that could fit any space at home. Should it be your first time installation, it is recommended to keep these tips and advices just as you decide on using these natural panels.

• Carefully choose a spot that is big enough to accommodate as large a structure as you plan to build. Remember that even a small firepit is going to be pretty big. When you are researching how to make a stone firepit, you will find most directions call for a large space. The spot has to be away from anything that may burn such as tree branches, brush, other structures, etc.
• * In addition planning for the pit itself, you need to plan for the area you will be using with and around the firepit. The walls of the firepit are thick, so you’ll need to plan for that and for seating around the firepit.
• Find the center of the space for your firepit and its surrounding area and mark it with a stake. Take a string and tie it to the end of the stick. Stretch the string out to where you want the outer edge of your firepit. Move the string around the stake in a circle and mark that line with chalk or flour or by digging into the grass or dirt there. Clear the circle of grass and you are ready to prepare for the next step in how to make a stone firepit.
• Shorten the string by about 12″, that’s how thick your firepit walls will be when added together, and make another circle with the center string and chalk. Clear the space between those 2 lines well, making it as even as possible as it will be the base of your firepit.
• You are ready for the concrete and stone part in this quick lesson on how to make a stone firepit. Mix and pour the concrete into the evened out circle you have created in the pit area. Make sure the concrete goes below ground level, by about an inch and a half. Add rebar pieces for support. Let this concrete set completely.
• You have created the base for your stone firepit, now it is time for the mortar and stone setting. If you have never set stone in mortar, you can find instructions on how to make a stone firepit that will explain how to do so properly.

Once you have installed your own firepit by following online instructions on how to make a stone firepit, it is time to relax around it and enjoy the pleasure of a job well done. So light the fire, grab some marshmallows and let yourself go back to the good old days.

Quick review

Green Mosaic Tile is about gathering identical natural stones that are attached onto a 12″ mesh backing, thus providing that seamless desired tile. There are numerous sources for these special polished stones; however it seems like the Indonesian islands provide the largest selection, what explains their growing popularity. Tiling options are numerous; here are some of the most popular ones: Kitchen backsplashes, bathrooms and showers, fireplaces, swimming pools and more.

Main advantages

Finally, when looking at the bottom line, there are several important advantages:

• Impervious to water and other liquids.
• Made of natural durable stones that hold for many years ahead.
• Provide natural and luxurious look and feel to any coated surface.

Tips!

• Avoid using any ready-made grout on wet areas like showers floor or showers backsplashes - use any other standard dry powder based cement.
• When you prepare the grout avoid adding too much water in the initial mix - that additional water can result in weak grout that can flake.
• These stone panels have their weight, so if you intend to install backsplashes use small carpenter’s nails to hold the tile in place so you can easily grout it.

Conclusion

Green Mosaic Tile installation process takes no more than few hours (pending the size of the surface you are about to cover), not including drying time. We could count other important great benefits provided by this stylish home redecoration option, simply because it offers countless opportunities for professional and unprofessional installers whether they decorate at home or in the office. As mentioned earlier installation is quite easy, however, it is advised to remember the above tips and advices just as you are ready to begin with installation.

If you were to attempt to manually research the process of building a green energy system you would find that a DIY renewable power project is a daunting task. Why? Because trying to research every single aspect of building a natural power system just won’t work. Believe me, I’ve tried and was only left frustrated and confused. There is just too much information out to grasp. And half of the information is in disagreement with the other half.

The only way to successfully build a natural energy system is to use a DIY green power guide. A guide will outline every single step of building a clean energy system, and it will put it all in one place. This will make the process extremely simple because everything you need to know will be right in front of you. You could have your system built in just two days by using a green power guide!

There are so many ways to personalize or even modernize the look of your kitchen. One of these is through do it yourself kitchen renovation. DIY is the only real way to get just what you want from a renovation. There are a lot of stores now that specialize in helping you with your DIY kitchen or bathroom renovation. They even offer kits to can make your job just a little easier. Read below for some tips on DIY kitchen remodeling projects.

Before you begin your DIY renovation, you should first spend a few minutes writing out ideas that come to mind when you think about what you would like to see in your new kitchen. Also, to help save money as you begin your DIY kitchen renovation, you might go from your old kitchen’s blueprint and leave the plumbing and electrical in place.

Concerning the cabinets, consider putting cabinets above or just above the countertops. To save even more cash, repaint the old cabinets and storage units instead of replacing them with new ones. Should you want to do more to get a fresh look, you might put in natural or laminate wood cabinetry.

As far as the countertops, it is suggested that you set aside an ample amount in budget for this part of the remodeling project. Replacing the old countertop with luxury granite or similar materials is bound to be charming and last for years. But, in DIY kitchen renovations, it is still up to you. Surely, there are many different materials for your countertop to fit your needs and your pocketbook.

Installing new lighting in your kitchen should also go far to help give it a stylish feel to the new décor. Figure out where to install new lighting and place the fixtures strategically. Under-cabinet lighting is a perfect way to make a kitchen look sleek and modern. In addition to thinking about whether you are going to keep your old lights, you must also consider whether or not your current kitchen appliances are going to suit the new look. Keeping the old ones appliances, of course, will go a long way to help you conserve money. But if you feel like your refrigerator is completely out of date, then it is probably practical to upgrade.

Finally, pick durable flooring that fits your taste and needs. Remember, when completing a kitchen remodel, you can go to DIY shop and their staff will definitely be ready to help. Click on their websites at lowes.com or homedepot.com to get started.

If you choose to install a concrete stained floor yourself you can save up to 80% over what a contractor will charge to install these beautiful floors. It’s not really hard to do and you only need a few things to install them.

We need to do a few tests to make sure the concrete slab you have is able to accept the concrete acid stain.

1. Pour approximately 8 oz. of water in a 1′ x 1′ area and allow the water to stand for a few minutes
2. If the water absorbs into the slab and changes the color of the slab by darkening it, it’s a pretty good bet that you will not need to do anything except proceed t cleaning and staining.
3. If the water beads up on the surface then there is a sealer on the concrete which will not allow the stain to chemical react with the free lime in the concrete which changes the color of the concrete in the process.
4. There are two courses of action a this point; the first being trying to find out what is on the concrete and second deciding whether to attempt to remove it.

If you decide to remove the sealer from the concrete it is best to use an industrial strength citrus based coatings remover. These type of products will remove acrylic sealers and sometimes solvent based acrylic sealers. They take some elbow grease but if you’re determined to stain your floor these is the most environmentally friendly way to do it. Follow the manufacturer’s directions.

At this point we will assume that you floor is ready to go. Clean the concrete with a pressure washer if it’s an exterior application or if it’s an interior floor you will want to use TSP(or a substitute) or a mild acid detergent such as Dyna Blue. Spray or bucket your cleaning solution onto the floor and scrub the floor with a stiff bristle broom of a buffer and a black pad.

Some people will tell you to mop up the water but for the best job and a much easier way to do it is a shop vac. This will also get all the dirt out of the pores.

When the concrete has dried spray your desired color of acid stain (dilution 1 to 1 with water) using a pump sprayer in a circular motion to ensure complete coverage over the entire floor. Wait for a hour or two until you can walk in stocking feet unto the floor to see if all areas have been covered. If all looks good wait for another hour and then start the cleanup process.

If you would like to add another color now is the time. Just repeat the above mentioned steps and you may just want to spray randomly for a marbled effect.

Introduce water to the floor and scrub with a medium stiffness broom and shop vac again. If you floor passes the white glove test you’re good to go. If not rinse and repeat until the floor passes the white glove test. Darker colors may require a second rinse. Leave a fan on overnight.

Wait until the next day to seal so as not to trap any moisture under the sealer which would cause white spots.

Seal the floor using a 3/8″ or 1/2″ nap roller and when you roll out the sealer go in one direction and then again at an angle to the first. This will help eliminate roller marks and ensure a beautiful floor.

Apply 2-3 coats of an acrylic floor finish with a rayon. A rayon mop is usually a white and blue string mop head. These can be found at any home improvement store or hardware store.

This is an essential step as this is how your protect your floors. The acrylic floor finish will act as a sacrificial lamb for the sealer and protect it. If you find you have small scratches in the floor after a few months another coat of floor finish will fill in the scratches and make the floor look new again.

Clean your floor with a neutral cleaner and this will ensure that your floor will accept another coat of floor finish.

Lastly. place walk off mats at the entrance to your home and your floors will last a lifetime.

You should better talk to a consumer service representative from the lending institution that financed the home mortgage. Get every detail of the home financing situation. The interest rate, total loan amount, and duration of the loan.

Home improvement loan requires the interest only payments during the period of the home construction. This interest is taken in the form of APR (annual percentage rate). The rate of interest is usually lower than those of other such a loan. These rates can vary according as per the situation of the money market. Upon applying secured home improvement loans, you can the equity in your home as for financing. Possibly, you can get a profit of your home improvement loan with the proper repayment. Repayment period stipulated for the money provisions is quite longer. It can go up to 25 years maximally. In the meantime, you will have to repay the loan amount. The amount you pay includes the principal amount and some additional charges i.e., interest, services charges and other processing charges. You can negotiate it with your creditor. Or you can shop around for the best possible deal too.

A quarter of lenders are available online and offline, though processing online has precedence. It makes your loan processing fast. What all you do is fill in an online application for the loan. Your creditor reviews the application form. He evaluates the value of collateral you placed. On the assessed value of your asset, amount of money is granted. You get a substantial amount of money and invest as per your requirements.

They all giggle when one member of the group suggests they could use a good stud finder.

It’s hard to figure out if the ladies are talking about the tool that helps find a proper wall anchor when hanging a heavy object, or did they mean something else?

After all, when the Tool Time Girls get together, there is plenty of equipment in the mix. There also is a notable absence of men.

They are quick to say that is completely by design. The No. 1 rule in their club of six single, female, Jacksonville homeowners is that no boys are allowed.

The “TTGs,” as they call themselves, formed around 2002 after Betsy Clark found she couldn’t afford to hire a contractor for everything that needed fixing in her Lake Shore-area home. As a member of Avondale United Methodist Church, she tried to worm her way into a home-improvement club of husbands and wives that other congregants created. But the club wouldn’t have her.

She realized she wasn’t alone. There were five other women just like her - from their 30s to their 60s - sitting in the same church pews every Sunday.

So, like a legion of do-it-yourself home-improvement superheroes, they started meeting the first Saturday of each month to mete out justice in repairing their dilapidated residences. From there, the six became fast friends, swapping gossip as they painted walls, sharing secrets as they put up ceiling fans.

“Truly, the best part of this group is the fellowship and communion that we have. We never start a project without prayer. And if you need something … you know who to call,” Clark says.

She holds bragging rights as the group’s founder Clark works as a pastoral care director at their church and serves as a caregiver for her elderly mother.

The rest of the TTGs’ lineup is as follows:

Cindy Faustino is the all-around home-improvement guru. The Lake Shore homeowner even does plumbing. The mother, college campus adviser and marathon runner once ripped her small bathroom down to the studs - there’s that word again - and created a powder room worthy of a space-challenged, four-star, New York City hotel room.

Jennifer Criswell is a real estate agent who specializes in electrical repairs. She lives in a former Springfield boarding house, where the TTGs have done projects, including a top-to-bottom scouring and a flooring installation. She also makes up the younger half of the TTGs’ mother-daughter team.

Her mother, Joanne Criswell, works as a social worker and also owns a home in Springfield. The ladies moved her into the house before doing projects such as window cleaning and sunroom renovations.

Kathy Houser is a publishing company employee who volunteers for a women’s prison ministry. Counted among the TTGs’ 50-plus projects are installing a new sink and vanity in her home, as well weather stripping and ceiling fans.

But listing the upgrades at her Venetia area home only tells part of the story. Because Houser herself wasn’t around for some of the projects. While she was in the hospital for a hysterectomy, the ladies descended on her place to make sure she wouldn’t remember a life-changing surgery only as a time of loss.

Helping each other through tough times comes with a bonus: The ladies learned to make each other laugh, the kind of belly laugh that makes your sides ache and your eyes water.

Nurturing that along is Karen Myers, a nurse, mother, grandmother and the group’s unofficial comedienne. The color she chose to have the TTGs paint her living room walls - canyon rock red - says a lot about her personality.

As a group, the ladies know how to live life large and loud, whether they’re firing up power tools or reveling in their annual trip.

Each year, the TTGs leave their tool belts behind for a weekend retreat to the seaside. Their beach adventures would make a superb Saturday matinee, a sort of Steel Magnolias meets Weekend at Bernie’s without the beauty shop and the dead guy.

One time they ventured into an oxygen bar. This year they went boogie-boarding in St. Augustine. Another time they piled into a van and went to a Jacksonville Beach tattoo shop. The six of them waltzed in together to the surprise of the punk-rock ink-gun masters inside.

“The guys were like, ‘What? Is this a raid?’ ” Myers says of the scene that ranks as a classic, female-bonding episode.

In the end, the TTGs all got inked that weekend. Just that once, they let the men use the tools.

What happens when two well-known, trusted exterior remodeling companies join forces? Area homeowners can now find “everything for the outside” expert installation of roofing, windows, siding, doors, insulation, fencing, and decks. Consumers also benefit from increased convenience, better services, and an iron-clad “above and beyond” guarantee of satisfaction.

Advance, the new company, was formed by merging Advance Window & Siding and Kuhn’s Roofing, both widely respected for the quality of their remodeling services. Kuhn’s Roofing has been in business since 1965, starting as “your typical neighborhood roofer,” offering repairs and re-roof jobs at a fair price. Advance Window & Siding started in 1988, leading the Delaware Valley in premium exterior remodeling projects.

“While the merger has allowed the new company to offer even more value to its customers, the basic premise behind our philosophies hasn’t changed,” stated Advance General Manager, Michael Shelly. “We’ve still got the expertise to get the job right the first time, superior products, and fair prices homeowners can afford.” He continued, “Top it off with our solid warranties and lifetime guarantees, and we’re convinced even the most contractor-wary homeowner will be more than satisfied.”

Advance looks at each home as a whole, conducting a complimentary Home Energy Analysis(TM), during which a homeowner’s energy bills are reviewed and a plan is created to help make the home more energy-efficient.

Once a plan is decided upon, only Advance-certified craftsmen are assigned to the project work; each has gone through a rigorous process that measures work experience, expertise, and performance.

About Advance

Advance is a complete exterior remodeling company that offers roofs, windows, doors, gutters, insulation, siding, gutter protection, sunrooms, fences, and decks, all backed up by superior craftsmanship and solid warranties. Serving homeowners in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, they has a unique Advance Customer First(TM) policy, with complimentary home energy audits, online and in-person Digital Home Makeovers, 24-hour Advance Express repairs, no-charge annual inspections of completed projects, and lifetime guarantees on the workmanship of every installation.