Stone Fireplace - Old Style Decorating For Any New Home

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A stone fireplace adds a rustic, solid appeal to any room's décor. The fireplace has long been a centerpiece for many homes. It serves as a gathering point, a place where the family comes together and shares some good cheer, a warm drink, a good story. When you add wood and make a fire, you have a place where you can sit for hours and just soak in the warmth. The fireplace is so ingrained in our culture, that almost every home has one and many paintings depict family gatherings around it.

If you are not one of the lucky people who have a house with a fireplace, never fear because there are so many options out there. You have a million choices regarding building materials and construction. If you get a contractor, be sure that they have experience and a good list of references and that they know how to deal with local codes and ordinances. One of the first choices you are likely to make is what type of configuration you want. You can choose a free standing unit which is set away from the walls, or you may choose a unit that is built into the wall. Typically, free standing units burn wood or coal and are made of cast iron and have an exhaust pipe which goes through the wall or ceiling to exhaust combustion fumes. The benefit of a free standing unit is the flexibility of moving it to another room or simply getting rid of it without any major demolition and modification to your home.

Most people don't like the look of cast iron. Free standing units are now available in a huge variety of styles and colors and materials. You can get a unit that looks like an audio video cabinet. The flames are centered where a television would normally be and you are protected by glass doors and optionally a chain link barrier. The cabinet is finished in wood accents and even has storage for firewood underneath in an attractive alcove. The exhaust pipe is hidden by the top of the cabinet so it has a very neat appearance.

If you have a large home, you would normally opt for a stone fireplace built into the wall. You can also have it finished in brick or marble or granite, any number of materials are suitable. Installation is much more involved than it would be for a free standing unit, but it is well worth the hassle and cost as your family will enjoy it for years to come. If you have a talented stone mason, they can craft a wonderful fireplace and mantle. Some ideas include half-round tops, or the traditional rectangular opening. There is no limit to what you can build. Just make sure that you look at plenty of pictures. You can get some great ideas such as marble accents, statues, granite tops, cooking inserts, ventilation fans, etc. You can also have a gas line installed and burn gas instead of firewood. This can come in handy on a cold day when you run out of wood.

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What Does a Fireplace Insert Do?

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A dull fireplace is definitely not something you would want in your home. Fortunately, you may improve further the appearance and efficiency of your standard fireplace. This can happen when you decide to install a fireplace insert. Once you choose to install one of these, you can instantly save a few dollars on the heating bills because of the supplementary heat the fireplace will give out. It also makes your fireplace a provider of fresh winter air.

A fireplace insert is typically a smaller version of the original fireplace that is specially designed for insertion into an existing fireplace, thus the name. It does not really matter if your fireplace at home is a factory built unit or masonry. The inserts are deliberately designed to create a more efficient fireplace and also enhance your living room's look. A fireplace insert is divided into five types - pellet, wood burning, b-vent, vent free and direct vent.

Nearly all wood-burning fireplaces will benefit once a fireplace insert is installed. Many of the average fireplaces have low ratings in terms of efficiency with rates lower than ten percent. Because of the open burning structure of the average fireplaces, the heated air in the room will be sucked into the fire so it can be used for incineration. When this happens, a lot of implications occur. For instance, when the heated air is sucked, you will feel cold. Also, wasting of energy will occur since this will cause the fire to burn out at a fast rate. But once you have an insert, these problems will all be gone.

You might be interested in it, but what type of fireplace insert should you acquire? As you already know, there are five types of inserts and you might be a little overwhelmed with choosing the one you will acquire. One important consideration is the cost and the availability of the needed fuel. If the gas supply you have includes propane or natural gas, your options are a direct vent, b-vent or a vent-free. On the other hand, if you have a massive supply of wood, then it is obvious that you should get a wood-burning insert instead. However, if it is efficiency that you want, you cannot go wrong with a pellet insert.

Akin to any other form of appliance, you should first take into consideration your personal predilection and need before you splurge your money on an insert. It is a good move to first visit a local store and find out if they sell the brand that you are fond of. You may also get the opinion of other people, relatives and friends.

Getting your own fireplace insert set up in your household can be the solution to some complications brought about by your fireplace. No need for extra expense for heating bills. Additionally, the fireplace insert also generates fuel efficiency and is very easy to use. And the best thing about it is even during blackouts and when the power is out, you can still feel the heat. It is really a good investment to buy an insert for your home.

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How to Build a Rocking Chair - Tips to Get Started

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Rocking chairs would make a good furniture piece on the porch or by the fireplace. It definitely is worth the effort to learn how to build a rocking chair. It is one of the most comfortable chair to have around the house.

And I should know, several times, I found myself dozing off just after a few minutes sitting in my chair.

First Things First

Before building a rocking chair, you need to decide first if you wish to build the whole set or you may just want to add a rocker to an existing chair.

Yes, you do have the option to do this and yes, adding a rocker to an existing chair is a whole lot easier than building the whole thing but for a woodworking enthusiast like me, it's definitely less the fun.

Plus, not all chairs can be made for this purpose. You'll need to have a sturdy chair made of hard wood.

To build a rocker, you'll be needing a plywood onto which you will draw and cut the template for the rocker. This template is then used as an easy guide for drawing and sawing the rocker from the wood.

WOOD

In building a this kind of chair, you need to decide which type of you are going to use.

As mentioned earlier, the sturdier the wood the better. Pine is the least expensive choice for this purpose but if the chair is intended for outdoor use, I'd suggest something sturdier like oak.

TOOLS

Back when I was learning how to build a rocking chair, I haven't used some fancy tools. Basic woodworking tools like a band saw, t-square, screwdriver and a drill I've borrowed from a relative was able to do the job.

Now, I'd welcome the help of some power tools anytime to get the job done faster.

SOME TIPS TO FIX ROCKING CHAIR CREAKS

Even if you are still in the process of learning how to build a rocking chair, you may want to know some tips to fix rocking chair creaks.

* Tighten the nuts and bolts of the chair.
* Use WD-40 to lubricate the metal joints. Or if the noise is due to wooden pieces rubbing into each other, you may use talcum powder instead.
* If squeaking persist, you may want to transfer the chair to another area as the noise might be due to the flooring. Pretty obvious, I know, but hey, it happened to me so might as well mention this.

DESIGN AND PLAN

The one thing I can credit my successful initial attempts at building this kind of chair is due to a very good, step-by-step, DIY rocking chair plan.

Sure,you can always draw your own diagram with your own design and your own dimension. But I want to do away with the headache that's associated with numbers and dimensions. I just wanted a very easy to follow chair plan that I'm sure would work so I can spend my time doing what I love the most, getting my hands working in building things.

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The Benefits of the Ventless Fireplace

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When people are considering building a fireplace or bringing life to an old one, they normally go with the old chimney and hearth scenario.  The traditional wood burning fireplace is great and it has definitely served its purpose.  But, a ventless fireplace is the wave of now.

Not many people are aware that a ventless fireplace exists.  The first thing you wonder about is where all the soot goes.  The phenomenal thing about the ventless fireplace is that there is no soot, hence it's ventless.  It's real fire, without the wood.  It's real warmth, without the gas or the electric.  It's a totally new alternative that has only been around for about twenty years.

Green

What burns in a ventless fireplace is a gel fuel that is made of isopropyl alcohol.  It burns clean into the air in a water vapor.  It's good for the environment and for your home.  Traditional wood burning fireplaces have started to develop huge problems from burning treated wood in the home to burning old wood that has harmful growth.  San Francisco has been fighting this battle for years.  They lead the nation in fighting issues connected to fireplace installation, which include what pollution is being displaced into the air as well as the damages harmful chemicals cause to the home.

New Way of Thinking

Can you imagine a fireplace without a hearth or a chimney?  The cost of installation is so much more inexpensive because it doesn't require major construction on your home.  It's literally installed in about an hour and it can be done by you.  So, you save money on labor as well.  What you can do though is build a faux chimney and hearth if you miss those features.

Also, a fireplace insert and genuine creativity means that you can have a fireplace anywhere in your home.  You can enjoy one in your bedroom, in your den and even in your bathroom if you would like.  Also, outdoor fireplaces are fairly simple to put together as well.

Old Objections

The way a traditional fireplace was built, you would have to take about a week or two if you were lucky to allow a contractor to tear up your living room.  Build a chimney that goes through your roof.  Build a hearth that tears up your floor.  Then, stock your wood and let it burn.  That is unless the house came with a fireplace in the first place.  Not many do because of how expensive a feature it is to add to a new home plan design.

No one can deny that traditional fireplaces are beautiful.  That's why there are alternatives.  The first was the electric fireplace.  It works great.  But, it doesn't work in a power outage.  Then, there was the gas fireplace.  It also does a wonderful job.  But, a gas leak is gravely serious.

The benefits of a ventless fireplace far outweigh any objections anyone might have.  But, it's just not a very familiar alternative to the traditional wood burning fireplace we have grown to love.  Sometimes, something great comes along and it takes awhile to catch on fire.

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Outdoor Rabbit Hutches - 6 Tips to Remember to Build a Good Shelter For Your Bunnies

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Outdoor rabbit hutches come in a whole range of sizes and styles. People tend to think that a small one seems fine for one or two rabbits, and that big ones are suitable if you are having or planning on having multiple rabbits.

The facts about rabbits is even if they look fine in a small hutch, they need as much space as possible to run and exercise.

You can find outdoor rabbit hutches already built that you can install in your backyard. But there are several factors to keep in mind before you make that purchase.

- First of all your rabbit hutch should be at least three feet above the ground to protect the bunnies from the elements and potential predators. Dogs, cats, raccoons or foxes are going to try to get your rabbits in way that you cannot imagine. The rabbit needs a place to hide to feel at least secure enough or they may just die from fright.

- The fencing around the rabbit run should be berried about a foot under neath solid ground to prevent dogs to dig under it.

- A rabbit hutch should never be made of treated wood. Rabbits are chewers and that kind of wood is toxic for them.

- Since you want to keep your rabbits outside, they are probably are going to spend their whole life in the hutch so try to give them as much space as possible.

- The rabbit house should be separated in half by a panel to create a compartment for the rabbit to hide, seek shelter from the elements and get warm during the cold nights.

- The floor on the rabbit house should not be made of wire, like most of them are. It would be best to be made of a thick hard plastic panel, just like the bottom of a indoor cage, easy to clean with a hose. Rabbits will use a litter box if you provide them with one and it would be a lot cleaner for them too.

It is very hard to find a rabbit hutch that meet all these needs and the price of already made hutches is a lot higher than what it cost to make one yourself.

A good alternative to buying is to get a good set of plans and custom made the size according with what you need and what you want for your pets. Your hutch will be a lot safer and will provide your animals a much better living area.

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Tips For Building a Good Neighbor Fence

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Establishing boundaries between neighbors is an essential way to show respect, for them as well as for ourselves. A variety of fence styles exist to fulfill the need for boundaries, but one in particular was specifically created to show respect for one's neighbors: the Good Neighbor fence.

A Good Neighbor fence combines equality with cooperation. Whereas most cedar fence designs feature boards affixed to one side of the supporting rails, resulting in a uniform "good side" and a less attractive back side, these fences have boards that alternate on each side of the rail for a fence that looks the same on either side.

Advantages of Good Neighbor Fencing

Most homeowners cite privacy as their primary reason for building a new fence, and six-foot privacy fences have become staples in many communities. A Good Neighbor fence combines the seclusion of a privacy fence with additional benefits.

Looks equally good on both sides. Deciding who gets the good side of a cedar fence can be a point of contention between neighbors. Some neighborhoods even insist that homeowners build privacy fences with the smooth side facing the neighbors, which makes your home look more attractive from the street. With a Good Neighbor fence, such squabbles become irrelevant.

Allows wind to pass through. The gaps between boards allow wind to pass through your fence, which gives it extra resilience against powerful gusts.

Building Tips for Good Neighbor Fencing

Just like any other home construction endeavor, installing a Good Neighbor fence takes careful preparation. The more planning you do before building, the better your project will go. Here are some tips to help you out:

Discuss it with the neighbors. A Good Neighbor fence is all about showing thoughtfulness towards your neighbors. The first step in building your fence should be to discuss your plans with those who share your property lines.

Understand property line regulations. Check into your city and neighborhood fence construction codes to determine which ones are relevant for your new cedar fence. Some cities require property owners to split maintenance and costs when building a fence on a shared property line. If you want to retain full control over your fence, consider building it a minimum of two feet within your property boundary.

Design your fence. There are plenty of options for personalizing your fence, including choosing the height and the width of the gaps between boards. For example, you can overlap the boards to create extra privacy.

Consider maintenance. All cedar fences require regular maintenance in order to get maximum life from them. To increase your fence's longevity, choose high-quality cedar for the boards, use pressure-treated posts and rails, and treat your fence with a weather-resistant finish. you'll need to retain your fence every few years to keep it protected from the elements.

~Ben Nystrom, 2010

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Build Your Own Outdoor Wood Burning Fireplace

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Do you enjoy having friends and family over to hang out in your backyard? Do you miss those good times in the spring and fall when it is just a bit too chilly to spend the evening outdoors? By building an outdoor wood burning fireplace you can bring all the warmth and comfort of summer to any evening gathering. Building an outdoor fireplace is a lot easier than you might think. There are just a few tips you should follow when doing so.

First, make sure that the location you select is far enough away from your house as well as any trees in your yard. While the area will be somewhat protected by design, you do not want to take any chances of a gust of wind causing a fire by spreading ash.

So settle on your location and remove any brush and grass in the area. Smooth out the ground to prepare the surface for building. You will start by laying your pavers in the design you have chosen. This will serve as the foundation for the outdoor fireplace. Next you should pick up a 55 gallon drum or something similar for the fire. You can find a used one at a salvage yard if you are trying not to spend any additional money. If you go with a used or recycled option, make sure that the item has been cleaned thoroughly so that any toxic materials are removed.

Dig the pit to place the drum in. Once you have set the drum it is time to continue stacking your pavers around the drum. You can find complete outdoor fireplace plans in your local hardware store that will walk you through the process step-by-step.

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