When removing the grade stamp from lumber, apply paint thinner before using your sander. This will help take out the ink from the wood.
Remove the Grade Stamp
read more
Tips
Selecting Wood
If your smaller projects call for clear pine without any knots, you can save money by buying a lesser grade, then cutting out what you need from the clear areas between the knots. Also, when buying wood, remember that face grain is not critical for structural parts which won’t show. You can likewise save on lumber costs if you can use shorter or narrower boards, or if you only need one good side of lumber for your project.
Storing Nail Sets
The plastic containers used for push-up deodorants can be recycled into excellent holders for items like nailsets, small drill bits or saw blades. The containers have easy-to-remove caps, and you can push up the bottoms to expose smaller items. Use a felt-tipped pen to mark what’s stored inside.
Triangle Trick
When dry-fitting boards to be glued up later, here’s a trick to help you make sure you will be able to get them back together in the right order. After the boards are in the desired position, draw a triangle large enough to cover all the boards of the section. Later, before clamping, just re-create the triangle as you assemble the boards.
Community Resources
Contact the local chamber of commerce for promotional literature or talk to your real estate agent about welcome kits, maps, and other information. You may also want to visit the local library. It can be an excellent source for information on local events and resources, and the librarians will probably be able to answer many of the questions you have.
Mortgage Parts
The monthly mortgage payment mainly pays off principal and interest. But most lenders also include local real estate taxes, homeowner’s insurance, and mortgage insurance (if applicable).
Private Mortgage Insurance
Private Mortgage Insurance or Insurer(PMI). These are privately-owned companies that provide mortgage insurance. They offer both standard and special affordable programs for borrowers. These companies provide guidelines to lenders that detail the types of loans they will insure. Lenders use these guidelines to determine borrower eligibility. PMI’s usually have stricter qualifying ratios and larger down payment requirements than the FHA, but their premiums are often lower and they insure loans that exceed the FHA limit.
Treescaping
Trees that lose their leaves in the fall (i.e., deciduous) are the most effective at reducing heating and cooling energy costs. When selectively placed around a house, they provide excellent protection from the summer sun but permit winter sunlight to reach and warm your house. The height, growth rate, branch spread, and shape are all factors to consider in choosing a tree.
Cool Down Cycle
Use the cool-down cycle to allow the clothes to finish drying with the residual heat in the dryer.
Naturalizing Bulbs
Naturalizing simply refers to a way of planting bulbs so they appear as though Mother Nature had done the planting. That is, instead of planting in evenly spaced rows, the bulbs are planted in large drifts, much as you would find plants in nature. One way to achieve this effect is to scatter a handful of bulbs, then plant them where they land. To create a bed that reblooms every year, choose bulbs that are naturally long-lasting and multiply freely, such as daffodils, grape hyacinths, and crocuses.
