Model Agency 411

Simplifying Stair Rise And Run Calculations

When I first started my career in carpentry, building a set of stairs seemed like a complicated and daunting task. We’re not talking finished oak, curved or spiral staircases. I’m talking about your normal carpet covered straight run staircases or porch and deck staircases.

My first stair building experience sort of took the mystery out of it all. I didn’t have to do much figuring because it was a deck replacement job. All I did was save the old stringers from the demo of the old deck. In doing so it all started to make sense to me. How the stairs were attached, the width of the treads, and how high each step was became less of a secret to me.

Anyone with the courage to take on this job needs only patience, basic math, a framing square and the ability to stand back and look at the big picture.

The first thing I look at is how high it is to the top of the landing or deck the stairs will be rising to. A comfortable step is in the 7 to 8 inch range. With this in mind I divide the height to the landing by seven. If the height to the landing is 70″ then it will take 10 rises to get to the top of the landing. I used 70″ to simplify this example. Ninety-nine times out of a hundred it will be 7″ and some odd fraction. For instance if the height was 73 1/2″, the rise would be 7 1/2″.

When building stairs there is always one less tread than there is risers. In this case with 10 risers, that means there are 9 treads. When cutting my stringers, I like to make the cuts for my treads 10″ long. At this dimension I can use a 2×12 for treads without ripping them to a narrower width. This gives me a nosing or overhang of 1 1/4″. It also makes it easier to figure out how much room the stairs will require. In this case 9 treads X 10″ = 90″. The total run of the stairs is 90″.

An example of how easy this works are stairs that go from the 1st floor to the 2nd floor of a house with an eight foot ceiling. This takes 14 risers at 7 and 5/8 inches (I’ve cut so many of these it is forever imbedded in my mind). This means there are 13 treads. Thirteen times ten is 130″. I always made my stairwell opening 120″. This lets 10″ of the stringer (a full tread) sit on the deck or concrete floor. It also leaves plenty of headroom for the stairs below if there is a basement. The same well opening above (120″) also gives you enough headroom.

This can seem like an overwhelming project. Like any other project, if you take the time and patience and a little thought you can acquire the ability.

(c) 2005 Mike Merisko www.sawkerfs.com

About the Author: Mike Merisko has been a carpenter for 26 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 othersat his web site. http://www.sawkerfs.com

Massage recliner chairs are different than traditional home recliners. These innovative chairs offer a wide range of options for massages and comfort. Although they can be rather expensive, many people understand that they are cheaper in the long run and offer an immediate option for a good massage.

Perhaps one of the most groundbreaking massage chairs available now is the Human Robotic Massage Recliner. This recliner is said to be the best at imitating human touch. By offering precise design and many comfort options, this is one of the most popular models available. Because of the advanced technology, these are also among the most expensive. This type of massage recliner chair can easily cost $2,000 and up.

Massage recliner chairs are similar to traditional recliners, except that they include electronic motors that cause the chair to either vibrate or massage. The chairs also have plastic rollers inside the backs and sides that vibrate, roll and massage the chair’s occupant. Some of the newest models are said to very closely emulate the hands on feel of a massage therapist.

Massage recliner chairs are available in several options. Perhaps the least expensive variety is an external massager that fits onto your existing recliner. These are usually comprised of several layers of fabric and mechanical workings and are available at nearly all department stores and health stores.

Mid-range products are appealing to those who do not want to spend thousands of dollars on a massage recliner chair. These models are equipped with internal massage components and can target different areas of the body. Some of the ones on the lower end of the price spectrum only offer a vibrating affect without this kind of specialization.

If you want to buy the highest quality massage recliner on the market, expect to dish out thousands of dollars. These chairs usually offer massage benefits to other parts of the body rather than limiting to the neck or back. Some have compression managers that are designed to massage the legs, feet, arms and shoulders. Some of the most advanced models can offer a diagnosis of tension zones and offer a custom massage.

Massage Chairs Info provides detailed information on shiatsu massage chairs, portable massage chairs, massage therapy chairs, massage recliner chairs, vending massage chairs, massage chair reviews and manufacturers, and chair massages. Massage Chairs Info is the sister site of Adjustable Beds Web.

Kitchen cabinets are one of the most prominent features in your
kitchen. If your cabinets are looking worn or drab, it affects
the whole look and feel of your kitchen.

The good news is there are several options available to you that
can easily update your kitchen with a modern look. Some options
are expensive and others are more economical.

If you like the cabinet layout and the cabinets are in good
condition, refacing or resurfacing your kitchen cabinets may be
a good choice for you.

Refacing or resurfacing consists of replacing the cabinet doors
and drawer fronts with new ones and then treating the cabinet
frame with a matching veneer. There are many types of woods and
plastics available for this, so your options are virtually
unlimited.

To get the best results, it’s always best to hire a professional
to do this work. It can be quite expensive, though, ranging
anywhere from $3500 to over $10,000. The work usually takes 2-4
days, depending on how many cabinets and drawers are involved.

If your cabinets are weak or damaged or you just want to change
their design, replacing them entirely is another option.
Replacement cabinets may not cost much more than
refacing/resurfacing them, either. Brand new cabinets can add
more usefulness to your kitchen and increase the value of your
home, as well

If resurfacing or replacement of your kitchen cabinets doesn’t
fit your budget, there are much less expensive alternatives.

My first choice for renewing the look of kitchen cabinets is
paint. What a difference a coat or paint can make!

For a retro look you can use splashy colors such as pink,
turquoise or orange. Be brave and paint designs on the cabinets
or use stencils or a faux finish. Add some matching hardware and
you’ve got new cabinets for less than $300!

Another idea is to permanently remove all the cabinet doors.
This wouldn’t be appropriate or even functional for every style
of kitchen. It might work well for a cottage kitchen design or
even an antique Victorian design. You could line the shelves
with lace or doilies that flap over the edge to add to the look.

An alternative to completely removing the cabinet doors is to
replace them with old windows that are the right size. You could
also create new doors from different types of materials such as
bamboo or fabric.

Another idea for resurfacing kitchen cabinets is to wallpaper
them or apply contact paper. A plain pattern is best and, of
course, make sure it is washable. You don’t necessarily need to
cover the whole surface. You could cut out different shapes or
patterns and apply them to the cabinet surface. This would be a
good short-term solution to freshening up your kitchen.

So there you have it. There are many ways to make your kitchen
cabinets look great without breaking the bank!

If you could save money and protect the environment at the same time why wouldn’t you? Homeowners can do just that converting to solar power. Solar power systems for homes have spread quickly all around the country. A properly installed solar power system can reduce your total billing cost as much as seventy percent. Unlike fossil fuels solar power doesn’t release any harmful pollutants into the water or the air. Fossil fuels are a nonrenewable energy source where as solar power is a renewable energy source. The initial cost of a solar power system will be repaid within five years of installation.

Solar power systems for homes consist of four main components charge controllers, batteries, inverters and solar panels. The solar panels trap the sunlight and use it to charge the batteries. The charge controllers prevent the solar panels from overcharging your batteries. The batteries act like a storage for the energy transmitted from the solar panels. The solar panels storage enough energy within the batteries during the day to insure enough energy all through the night. Any appliance being used will draw its energy from the batteries. The inverter is much like a transformer because it converts the DC energy from batteries into AC.

choosing colors

A good alternative to liven up homes is to fill the space with
color.

The use of strong colors on the walls, in furniture and in
decorative touches can often succeed in creating a new
atmosphere that does away with the former gloom and monotony.

Choose the colors you like best

There are no rules when choosing colors, so don’t be afraid to
experiment. However, it is key to know what colors you like best.

You don’t have to go too far from your favorite colors when
choosing colors–don’t just choose what designers have set for
the season. If you need time to appreciate a wall color, it is
probably not for you. Think about your favorite colors found in
nature and how they work together. They will successfully apply
to your home decor. For example, a scene of autumn trees against
a stormy sky can translate into a light grey sofa graced with a
deep brown silk throw.

From the soothing character of blues to the energetic and
exciting power of reds

Although there are no perfect rules for choosing colors, your
choice will stimulate certain moods. For example, cooler blues
and greens tend to soothe your senses, evoking quiet and
relaxing feelings. Therefore, olive green, mint green, and ocean
blue are perfect for a bedroom and other personal relaxing
spaces.

Also think of the impact of the colors you chose on other
elements of your home decor. Shades of browns that vary from
reddish browns to grey-browns will add enough richness so that
all you need are a few additional colorful design accents. But
if you chose different shades of white for your wall, it will
definitely give you more freedom to stage your favorite
paintings and accents.

mixing colors and patterns

Mixing colors and patterns is an intimidating journey. But you
can achieve outstanding combinations by following one key rule:
take into consideration the weight of the biggest elements in
your home decor.

The visually strongest components of a room are curtains, wall
treatments and bedspreads, along with big furniture such as
sofas or large armchairs. And the larger the area or item of
furniture, the more careful you need to be.

To avoid any faux-pas, you can choose to follow one of the two
rules: select a neutral color for the biggest items and sprinkle
colorful accents in your room, or select a dominant pattern or
color for the largest elements in your room and link them all
together.

The safest way is to stick to neutral colors for large pieces.
Furthermore, they are usually the costlier pieces, and choosing
a neutral color means that you will not loose interest and will
not feel the need to replace them too often. Consider colors
like light grey, matt silver, off-white or mocha colors. You can
then be as creative as you like and add splashes of colors and
creative patterns with cushions, throws, paintings and various
design accents.

The other solution is to give the room a visual flow, by
selecting similar patterns and colors for the largest items. It
is a bolder approach, but it can produce sumptuous decor! If you
choose for example a certain geometric pattern for the bed cover
or curtains, replicate similar patterns on the other largest
elements of the room. Then, pick the dominant color and use it
in cushions, throws and most design accents. You can also create
more contrast by adding a few items of a different color, but
make sure that they do not break the visual harmony of the
space.

Most stone will stain because it is porous. This allows fluids to enter and become embedded below the surface. The longer a stain remains, the deeper it penetrates and becomes more permanent; therefore, it is important to remove a stain as soon as it occurs. This applies to any stone used in the construction of your sink.

Granite is a very durable, resilient stone. For regular cleaning, use a soapy nylon brush in a circular motion and rinse thoroughly. Cleaning on a regular basis will help prevent the development of hard water deposits. If you develop persistent stains, try a non-abrasive cleaner such as dishwasher soap, a bleach solution, or Soft Scrub®. Be sure to avoid strong alkalis such as ammonia and drain unblocking chemicals that involve filling the sink with water. If you encounter a rust stain, usually caused by iron particles from water, cookware, etc., use a cleaner containing oxalic acid. Do not use bleach directly on granite!

Marble has a shiny, elegant finish. Maintaining this look can be difficult due to the porosity of the stone. Sealing helps keep the stone from absorbing fluids, but acidic liquids, such as orange juice, lemons, soft drinks, various foods, and common household cleaners, will cause a dull etched spot. . For this reason, do not use acidic cleaners on your marble. Wet glasses containing slightly acidic liquids can cause hard water spots. To avoid water spots, rinse and dry your sink after each use. The only way to remove etching and water spots is by refinishing and re-polishing by a professional. For regular care, use a soft, liquid cleanser with bleach or a common household detergent.

Limestone is known for the seashells and fossils embedded into it. Some Limestone is “soft”, so you should be careful about scratching or nicking the surface when using sharp objects. Limestone should be periodically treated with a penetrating sealant to protect against staining, especially when working with acidic materials. Possible sealants include Safecoat MexeSeal®, Seal & Go “S”®, and Seal & Go “Enhancer”®.

Soapstone has a smooth, silky finish. It is extremely dense so it repels stains well. This stone is the least porous of the stones used in kitchen or bathroom sinks and vessels. To clean, use a damp cloth or sponge with a mild cleanser. Your soapstone sink should be treated monthly with mineral oil.

Stain Removal

For removing difficult stains on all stone types try the following steps before consulting an expert.

1) Clean the area using a stone cleaner with a neutral pH. If this does not help, try a more aggressive cleaner. Keep in mind what types of stones are sensitive to certain chemicals, as stated above.

2) Wet your surface with distilled water. This will keep the chemical from drying too fast, allowing it to stay in contact with the stain longer.

3) Prepare a poultice. This will be used to absorb the stain out of the stone. An easy poultice to create at home requires mixing one cup of flour and a few tablespoons of liquid dish detergent. Mix the two together until you have the consistency of peanut butter. You can purchase chemical poultices if you prefer.
*For stains with red wine, replace the detergent with hydrogen peroxide.

4) Thickly cover the stain in the poultice you have created and cover with saran wrap and tape the edges down with masking tape (won’t create a permanent residue), then let sit overnight.

5) After 24 hours, remove the plastic. Let sit uncovered until poultice is dry. This step is important because the drying is what pulls the stain out of the stone. You can then remove the poultice by scraping it off with a razor blade or putty knife. Clean off the residue with water and a neutral cleaner.
*Granite is more porous than other stones so it will retain moisture longer. If the stain appears to be gone, but the stone is a slightly darker color, give it a week or more to dry before reattempting the poultice method.

For more information on stone sinks - whether for the kitchen, bath or bar, please visit Sinks Gallery where you will find the largest variety of artisan and hand crafted sinks available anywhere. There are several more articles online in the “tips” section.

Jack Healy is part owner of Functional Art Gallery, LLC - Functional Art Gallery - a growing family of online resources for the designer, architect, builder and discerning homeowner. The company focuses on handcrafted functional & architectural works of art for both residential and commercial projects. The Functional Art Gallery family includes Glass Artists Gallery, Sinks Gallery and Art Lighting Gallery. Together these resources provide the largest collection of artisan and designer products available in North America.

What would inspire me to write about septic systems? Maybe it’s part in parcel with my fascination with composting and recycling? Maybe I’m just a garbage hound at heart! No - seriously, it’s more that my travels as a home inspector have led me to focus on these delightful systems. I don’t think I’ll ever opt for a career in septic inspection, but I have gained a basic understanding of what constitutes a normal, functioning sewage disposal system.

Installing a private septic for a rural home includes soil tests, site inspections and considerable excavation work. Because of the design considerations and the amount of digging required, you probably wouldn’t want to build your own; but to maintain it properly, you should know how it operates. Waste is piped out of the house into one side of a cement box called a septic tank, where bacteria break it down into solids (sludge), liquid (effluent), and scum. The sludge sinks to the bottom, the scum floats to the top, and the effluent flows into the other side, and then out through perforated pipes (drainage tile) buried in a leaching bed of loose gravel (also known as the septic field).

“Sewage and The Law!”

Government regulations specifically prohibit any renovations or additions to a home which are likely to affect the operation or effectiveness of a sewage system. If you’re on a septic, adding a bedroom to your house (even without adding a bathroom) might mean having to increase the size of your tank and field. The regulations further state that any construction or alteration of a septic requires a Certificate of Approval issued by the Ministry or department responsible.

If you have questions about the care and operation of your septic system, call your Municipal Office, Health Department, Environment Canada, or any licensed sewage contractor listed in the Yellow Pages.

There’s no hard and fast rule for pumping intervals, but an inspection and pump-out every third year are recommended. Don’t allow meat by-products or harsh chemicals to enter your septic, and avoid the use of commercial tank cleaners or treatments. Don’t plant trees on the field, and never drive over it!

By the way, greener grass over the septic is NOT usually a good sign!

Visit the RotoRooter website for more info about plumbing, sewage, and septic systems.

Part 1

The first thing a cat owner should know about home décor is to keep it simple. Cats are completely convinced that they are in charge, that the house and its possessions belong to them, and that they have every right to break rip or shred anything they like. Even a well trained cat (a possible oxymoron) will occasionally get overzealous, and with an inadvertent sweep of their tail will knock your favorite decoration from its place to a pile on the floor.

This disregard for your possessions, overt or otherwise, requires that you use some strategy when deciding on the placement of various decorative pieces. This is going to amount basically to common sense. Any surface that a cat can reach, they will walk on. Therefore low shelves or dressers should not contain any objects that are fragile. Items should be moved towards the middle of a surface, or back against the wall, to prevent them being knocked onto the floor. Items that have a broad or sturdy base should replace other more top heavy objects. Decorative accents that can shatter, such as ceramics or stone statues, may have to be replaced by steal or wood.

One way to display fragile items is to move them up. High shelves that are isolated from cat “stepping stones” will be out of dangers way. The same may be true of tall dressers, although unfortunately some cats will take a tall isolated dresser as a personal challenge, which they simply have to climb. Your décor will have to be matched to the personality of your cat.

Mirrors can also provide a problem, as some cats tend to attack their own reflection. If your cat has a problem with this, buying velvet or satin cloth and draping it over the mirror can be a decorative way to solve this.

Plants can be one of the biggest décor problems a cat owner will face. Your pet can chew on leaves, dig in the soil, or urinate in them. Luckily, there are ways both to decorate around these problems as well as to train your cat out of them. For biting and chewing of leaves, a natural spray repellent applied to the plant will cause most cats to avoid it. To stop a cat from rooting in or excreting in your plant you have to realize that the dirt in the pot is reminiscent of the cats litter box. In order to change this, use stones or gravel to fill over the top of the dirt. This will remove the cat’s fascination with the soil, and can be a lovely decorative accent to your plant

Cat grass is a special kind of plant you can grow in your home that is specifically formulated to be safe for felines, and to provide them with certain vitamins they may be lacking. Purchasing this can give your cat an acceptable alternative to messing with your plants. When you see your cat eating the cat grass, reward them lavishly. When you see them going near other plants, pick them up and place them in front of the cat grass. If they eat the offered vegetation, then reward them. In this way you can use positive reinforcement to turn one behavior into another

Cats will scratch anything which is made of cloth, including couches, drapes, and pillows. Because of this, you may want to start by spraying natural cat repellent on your more attractive pieces. A plastic couch cover may have to be used for a short time while the cat learns to behave itself. Buying your pet a scratching post and praising it for scratching that instead of your couch is a good way to positively reinforce the negative behavior out of the cat. You will have to carefully monitor their progress, and only remove protective coverings from your furniture when you are sure they are safe.

While cats are a hazard to most décor, planning ahead can minimize these problems. Cats are so difficult to train that it is often easier to simply decorate around them. Using common sense, and paying attention, should allow you to develop a setting that compliments your pet owning experience.

Part 2: Protecting your pet

If you own a cat, then designing the décor of your home will require taking several precautions in order to protect your pet from harm. Glass items should be avoided both because they are easy to shatter, and because fragments of glass can then become embedded in your cat’s skin. Other items to avoid are those that have sharp edges, spikes, or that have small pieces which can break off and be swallowed.

You should also consider whether any object you bring into your home would be unhealthy if eaten by the feline. These items may include plants, flowers, and scented candles. Cats are fairly self-sufficient, as well as intelligent, however they are also curious, and you do not want to give them any easy method for hurting themselves.

Cats are fascinated by string, as part of their inherent instinct to kill snakes. This fascination may carry over to electrical wires. If you catch your cat attacking or playing with electric cords you should stop them immediately. This is a very dangerous problem that can not only result in the cat electrocuting themselves, but also in causing a fire. If your pet persists in this problem, one way to protect your wires is to wrap them in duct tape. This will make them harder to break through and less appetizing for a cat to chew on. There are also many natural sprays which have specially formulated smells that will cause a cat to avoid an area in which it is sprayed.

Curtain cords hold much the same fascination that electrical wires do, and they can also be a danger from strangulation. If you have rope that dangles too far from your curtain, the cat may attack it, causing it to tangle. If the cat becomes caught in the tangle itself, it can be very dangerous. Long hanging cords should be tied up out of the cats reach, or cut so that they do not dangle where a feline can reach them.

The level of caution you should use is based upon your individual cat. Monitor your pet and your home, and change your setting as necessary. Always use caution when bringing a new object into an area, and be certain you don’t introduce anything which can be harmful to the cat. Mostly, just use common sense and try to remove any obvious hazards to where they can’t be reached.

Interior Decorating for Cat Owners
Part 3: The Beauty of Cat Decor

For the most part cat décor is less about being beautiful and more about keeping your pet safe and comfortable. However there are so many manufacturers of cat products that you can fine almost any of the items mentioned above in several different colors. Try purchasing items such as litter boxes and scratching posts in matching or complimentary colors. If you match the hue to the rest of your setting you may be able to blend them seamlessly into the area

Alternatively, you may want to set aside a space just for the cat’s things, in order to separate them from the look of the rest of the room. While this won’t completely eliminate the intrusion of cat toys onto your setting, it can allow you to create interplay between the cat’s possessions and yours. If your home is predominated by a single color such as green or blue, purchasing matching black cat possessions can actually compliment this look. If your colors are more mottled, then patterned cat toys, or subdued sandy colored ones, may be a better way to create equality in the room’s hue.

The litter box is one of the most troublesome cat possessions to decorate around. It stinks, it’s dirty, and it’s generally surrounded by stray litter tramped out of the box by your oblivious cat. One way to deal with this item is to hide it, either in a bathroom, or somewhere out of the way such as a closet. If you don’t have anywhere to hide it, then you should consider getting a covered cat box. They are much more attractive then leaving the litter bare, and will also reduce the smell. Unfortunately these are rarely attractive, and become dirty easy. To create your own custom covering, get a giant cardboard box and place it over the litter. Cut a hole in the front where the door is. Cover the box in decorative paper, such as wrapping paper, and then coat this in plastic to protect it from moisture. This method should only be used in conjunction with an existing plastic cat cover; otherwise moisture will seep into the cardboard and turn it to mush.

Cats can make wonderful loving pets. They are fairly self sufficient, and don’t require much attention. However, they are still animals, and will be oblivious to the beauty of your home. In order to maintain the look of your setting, while maintaining the safety of your pet, you will have to plan the décor that you develop in your home. Every cat is different, so let your home evolve with the pet, until you reach a stasis in which safety and beauty are at their best.

Joey Lewitin is an artist, author, and designer that specializes in innovative decorating ideas. Click here to see more Interior decorating and home décor ideas from him and experts.

A shingle that shows 3 tabs, or measures 3 feet, is fittingly known as 3-tab roofing shingles. They are normally guaranteed for 20 years and help the roof to have a smooth, defined look. Depending on the manufacturer, 3-tab shingles are often available in 20, 25 or even 30 year limited warranties. They are generally available in a variety of colors and it’s also important to note that 3-tab roofing shingles are some of the most cost efficient shingles to use on your home.

Are 3-Tab Roofing Shingles For You?

Before deciding on 3-tab roofing shingles for your home, check with your local homeowner’s association. In addition to certain restrictions that each association may have, some do not allow the use of 3-tab shingles. This may be true in areas that are prone to high wind or other inclement weather, but check with your local building requirements to be sure.

Replacing 3-Tab Roofing Shingles

If you need to replace 3-tab roofing shingles, you can either do the job yourself or hire a professional roofing contractor, such as Roofer911.com. If you decide to take the job on yourself, choose a warm, dry day. Do not work on the roof if it is wet or slippery. Once you’re on the roof, carefully pry the tabs of the shingles upward, which overlap the damaged one. Loosen the tabs and the adhesive on the back of the shingle. Work carefully to avoid damage to the neighboring shingles. If you lift too many tabs on good shingles, they may crack. For the shingle that you are removing, look for the nails holding it into place and remove them as well. Once the shingle is out, remove any debris from that area before placing the new shingle. With your new shingle in hand, search for the adhesive strips near the bottom of each of the 3 tabs. Slide the new shingle into place and secure it with nails. You may use roofing cement to secure the overlaying tabs.

Contacting A Professional

If you are uncomfortable working on your roof, call a professional roofing contractor. Roofer911.com has years of experience in helping homeowners with all of their roofing needs. We can help you, too. Give us a call or fill in the form for a fast quote on your project. We are here to answer all of your questions and to provide you with quality work, so please do not hesitate to contact Roofer911.com for repair or replacement of your roof.

Steven Briesemeister who is the owner of http://www.roofer911.com has 33 years experience in all types of roof repair problems and new roof installation for residential and commercial accounts. As a Long Island and Northern Virgina roofing contractor, we believe, “Quality Doesn’t Cost…It Pays!