http://www.viewpoints.com/Home-Improvement Mon, 30 Jun 2008 18:20:24 GMT Reviews about Home Improvement http://www.viewpoints.com/Black-Jack-Roof-Gard-700-review-32626 Most of you read my reviews on all the roofing I had done here recently. I replaced the shingles on my roof, the roof vents and the plumbing vents. It was a large job and kept me pretty busy for a week. Yet the job is just now finally over, I also had to re-coat the roof on our addition in the back. Mother Nature has not been kind to us for quite sometime and the coating I used needed 48 hours with no rain. Well today I finally was able to get the last coat on the addition.....It took over a month to accomplish but it is finally completed!! Sure I am slow but I am good....lol — — Black Jack Roof Gard - 7 year White Elastometric Roof Coating — — First let me tell you that my addition has an almost flat roof so shingles were not an option on it. The roof shingles do overlap the first 12" of the addition(this piece is a wide roll shingle) but the rest was coated with some sort of white coating but it had developed pits in it and I had to re-nail part of it and... Mon, 30 Jun 2008 18:20:24 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Black-Jack-Roof-Gard-700-review-32626 kid-kansas 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Flor-Carpet-Tiles-review-6ca10 Am I ever glad I discovered the indestructable Flor carpet tiles. Vacuuming's a breeze. But if somebody spills really icky stuff, I just pick up the tile and hose if off outside. (Parents of young children and pet owners, take note!) — Flor's tiles attach to each other with stickers, but it's their weight that keeps them on the floor. This means you can easily reconfigure them or pack them up when you move. It also means high transport costs unless you hit a no-postage special. — Flor.com's the place. A tremendous variety of colors, patterns, and decorating ideas will keep you busy onsite. Flor's Martha Stewart designs are lovely and pricey, but, as this bargain shopper did, you may appreciate the more basic "heavy traffic" tiles. I ordered five small samples ($6) before making the leap to the regular, nearly 20 x 20-inch tiles. — So far, I have area rugs in the bathroom and kitchen. — But I'm not done... Sun, 29 Jun 2008 13:21:24 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Flor-Carpet-Tiles-review-6ca10 TunefulGal 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Improvements-Catalog-Cord-Cover-Kit-review-08a86 I love Improvements Catalog because they have the greatest gadgets and household helpers you didn't even realize you needed.  How many of us have simply put up with looking at tangled webs of unsightly electrical cords simply because we didn't think we had a choice?  That's what I thought, until I saw the Cord Cover Kit for $14.99 at Improvementscatalog.com The Cord Cover Kit comes with four 36-inch cord covers, three couplings, and two each of inside, outside, and flat corners.  Each cord cover is made of rigid, white PVC that is adhesive-backed and paintable.  The couplings and corners snap on easily without tools, so everything is easy to install. — I had a light fixture with a cord running down to an outlet on the neighboring wall.   The path went down one corner of a wall, to an inside corner, and straight to the outlet.  Using a level, I marked my route with a light pencil, and then I simply placed my covers on the line, cutting to fit... Mon, 23 Jun 2008 23:37:19 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Improvements-Catalog-Cord-Cover-Kit-review-08a86 LoveisJoy 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Harriet-Carter-Frost-A-Window-Vinyl-Covering-review-8f412 I bought some shades for a pair of windows that needed partial covering for privacy.  Of course the shades gave me the privacy, but at the expense of much desired daylight.  One day while thumbing through a Harriet Carter catalog (harrietcarter.com), I came across a product that was the perfect window solution.  Frost-A-Window is made from clear vinyl with a subtle frosted pattern.  (In the photo, the vinyl looks gray but it really is more of a translucent, just-barely-white).  The frosted pattern keeps people from seeing into the window, but since it's clear, it doesn't block sunlight.  Frost-A-Window comes on a 9-foot by 18-inch roll (similar to Contact paper).  The waterproof vinyl has an easy-to-apply adhesive back, and was also easy to cut.  I measured my windows and determined that I would have to cut two widths per window.  Luckily for me, our windows have mullions between the interior and exterior panes of glass, so it was easy to... Mon, 23 Jun 2008 18:07:30 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Harriet-Carter-Frost-A-Window-Vinyl-Covering-review-8f412 LoveisJoy 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/RusSan-Dishwasher-Rack-Repair-Magic-review-9a5e2 I had a choice: replace my rust-damaged dishwasher rack for $75 or try a miracle repair product I found online for $6.99.  Being the frugal homemaker that I am I decided to try the repair kit first, and see if it would really work as advertised.  I admit to being a bit of a skeptic when it comes to products with low price tags and lofty claims.  Imagine my surprise when I discovered that the Dishwasher Rack Repair Magic kit by RusSan Enterprises worked exactly as promised.  Exactly. — The product is very utilitarian and straightforward.  I bought the kit at Amazon.com and within a week I received a small package containing a bottle of liquid vinyl, 40 caps, one latex glove, and a scrap of paper containing the easy instructions.   The liquid vinyl resembles a bottle of typewriter White-Out - and it dries just as quickly - so you do have to work fast.  The steps are simple: — Scrape any bubbled or loose coating off the tines and sand... Tue, 17 Jun 2008 17:00:30 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/RusSan-Dishwasher-Rack-Repair-Magic-review-9a5e2 LoveisJoy 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/GE-Soft-White-Spiral-T3-16254-review-d0fd1 I had used a couple of these bulbs in living room because I was tired of changing them all the time.I have since removed everyone for fear that it would start a fire.My daughter and I were in the kitchen and she was scared because she said someone turned the light out in the living room after closer inspection I realized there was flames and sparks shooting out the light bulb.I am thankful it happened while we were awake because I always leave at least one light on at night in case she gets up.Had it been at night who knows what would have happend.I have inspected the lamp and replaced w/ a normal bulb and all is working fine.The old t3 bulb has brown scorch marks on the top and still has a strong oder of being burnt.This could be an isolated situation but I plan on contacting g.e about this to see what there response is.I can find no other people having this problem so hopefully there will be none but I choose to go back to my old... Sun, 15 Jun 2008 17:26:10 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/GE-Soft-White-Spiral-T3-16254-review-d0fd1 beetledragons 2 http://www.viewpoints.com/Valspar-Interior-Semi-Gloss-Paint-review-88bd2 This is good paint. It goes on easy, comes in lovely colors, and is low odor. But I have consistenly found poor coverage with the colors using base 2. 3 coats minimum, 4 in areas that get sunlight! — — I am trying to paint yellow over a barely off white wall, even with two coats the color is VERY grey and off. Similarly, a bright green over a taupe wall took 3 coats, and four in a sunny alcove, a bit disconcerting with such pricey paint. — — The base 1 colors go on like a charm, with lovely true color in one coat! Hard to believe it's the same paint. — — I am going to see if I can find a base 1 yellow I like, because I am SICK of painting... —... Sat, 07 Jun 2008 15:39:45 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Valspar-Interior-Semi-Gloss-Paint-review-88bd2 cheddarsox 4 http://www.viewpoints.com/Sherwin-Williams-paint-review-6ab56 After doing some extensive research, I found out that Dutch Boy paint is made by Sherwin Williams. Our local Wal-Mart sells the Dutch Boy product so I have decide to give it a try. I have bought Sherwin Williams paint before and it is a little pricey but well worth it. So, I am going to paint a unused bedroom with the Dutch boy brand to see how it compares with Sherwin Williams. The Dutch Boy paint costs about $16.00 per gallon, while the Sherwin Williams was about $25.00 per gallon (Hey, $9.00 is $9.00). Wish me luck! I will post the results as soon as I get to painting. ... Fri, 06 Jun 2008 18:16:38 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Sherwin-Williams-paint-review-6ab56 blobux 4 http://www.viewpoints.com/Shelves-That-Slide-Economy-Sliding-Shelf-review-ab431 Like many home computer users, I had a printer that sat on top of a piece of furniture because there was no other place to put it.  The home decorator in me wanted it completely out of sight, but the practical side of me wanted it to be readily accessible. What's a domestic diva to do? I had an end table with enough room inside it to house my very small printer.  I knew that it would be a hassle to have to reach in and pull out the printer every time I wanted to use it.  What I really needed was a sliding shelf that I could put my printer on and then slide in and out easily.  That's the thinking that led me to purchase the Economy Sliding Shelf by the Arizona-based company, Shelves That Slide (shelvesthatslide.com). — Economy Sliding Shelf — I didn't want to spend much money on the shelf; as soon as I saw the word, Economy, in the product title, I was already halfway sold. — The Economy Sliding Shelf is constructed with a core of 5/8" thick... Wed, 04 Jun 2008 17:09:13 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Shelves-That-Slide-Economy-Sliding-Shelf-review-ab431 LoveisJoy 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Grip-Rite-Galvanized-Roofing-Nails-1-1-4-review-35d14 What kind of nails do you use to hold down shingles you may ask, well besides length which is crucial for good penetration in the wood. You also need to use a coated or Galvanized nail, this keeps you from having those nasty looking rust streaks on your roof from nails rusting in the exposed elements. — — Grip Rite Galvanized Roofing Nails 1 1/4" — — These nails come anywhere from 3/4" to 2" and it depends on the thickness of your shingles, wood sheathing (roof boards) and user preference with 1 1/4" being the normal size for 3 tab shingles. These come in small boxes for your little jobs such as patching or a dog house roof to tubs of 30lbs. such as for doing a roof on your house. — — After all was said and done I probably have 2lbs of nails left over from doing our 2,000 Sq. Ft. Roof so it was pretty close. Now I have enough left over to patch my pool shed roof but not for a while because I need a vacation first...lol — — Bottom... Sat, 31 May 2008 18:38:03 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Grip-Rite-Galvanized-Roofing-Nails-1-1-4-review-35d14 kid-kansas 4 http://www.viewpoints.com/Grip-Rite-Grip-Cap-3-4-Round-Plastic-Cap-Roofing-Nails-review-77de2 Many roofers use either staples or plain roofing nails to fasten down the roofing paper when doing a roof. The problem with doing that is the paper will tear easy and then you have a bigger problem on your hands! — — Grip Rite - Grip Cap 3/4" Round Plastic Cap Roofing Nails — — These nails are made especially for fastening roofing paper down with and help prevent tearing of the paper. Laying paper underneath shingles helps in keeping the water out so being in one piece without holes is how it should be done. These are just nails with a plastic washer that fits tight around the nail, this washer not only protects the paper from ripping, it also helps to hold onto while mailing them in the roof. — — These come 3,000 to a bucket and sure do make for a professional looking paper job. They have small ridges on then to help hold them in tight, while the round washer like cap protects the paper. There was nobody that could tell me how many I... Fri, 30 May 2008 20:42:29 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Grip-Rite-Grip-Cap-3-4-Round-Plastic-Cap-Roofing-Nails-review-77de2 kid-kansas 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Owens-Corning-Supreme-Shingles-review-02fe5 About a month ago I got a rude awakening while sitting in my Cat Napper, I was getting wet inside my house! So I called my insurance company and initiated a claim for my leaking roof. The next day the adjuster inspected my roof and told me the check would be in my hands in about a week to 10 days. Now with the deductible I either had to come up with the difference or do it myself. Of course this Redneck went with the latter and got people lined up to tackle installing a new roof. — — Owens Corning Supreme Shingles — — After looking at my choices in shingles I settled for these Owens Corning Supreme Shingles in Shasta White to match the garage and both sheds. These are 3 tab shingles that measure 12"x36" and have a tar strip that the sun melts and adheres the top shingle to the bottom one. Our house took 20 squares or roughly 2,000 square feet, of course with 10% waste involved in fitting I had to buy 22 squares just for the roof. An... Fri, 30 May 2008 01:49:27 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Owens-Corning-Supreme-Shingles-review-02fe5 kid-kansas 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Sherwin-Williams-paint-review-4cbd3 This is great paint.  Each color comes out just like the sample.  I have used it in several rooms and on several projects.  Whether it is oil paint or latex, the results are awesome!  It may cost a bit more but it is well worth... Thu, 29 May 2008 23:56:51 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Sherwin-Williams-paint-review-4cbd3 sarahjane2380 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Warrior-Roofing-Felt-ASTM-30-216-Sq-Ft-Roll-review-6fdc Just like when you make your beds at home and you put a sheet on the mattress, well Roofing Felt is just like a sheet. It nestles in between your wood roof (mattress) and the shingles (blanket) to make everything nice and cozy to keep you dry and comfortable. — — Warrior 30# Roofing Felt — — There are 2 grades of felt paper(15# and 30#) that you could use for your roof, each has a purpose but 30# (30lb.) is the best so that is what I got for my roof. Each roll will do approx. 200 Sq. Ft. of roof(216 sq. ft. minus your overlap) and I got 11 rolls for my 2,000 Sq. Ft. roof (1 extra just in case) Although it is a barrier between the roof and shingles it will rip rather easy so you need to use a bit of care when rolling it out. On each roll there are lines painted on that you can use as a guide for overlapping each piece (overlapping helps the water stay on top of the paper should it get past the shingles and off the wood). There are also lines for lining up... Thu, 29 May 2008 16:57:08 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Warrior-Roofing-Felt-ASTM-30-216-Sq-Ft-Roll-review-6fdc kid-kansas 4 http://www.viewpoints.com/Air-Vent-Inc-Airhawk-Slant-Back-Roof-Vent-review-0cb34 We all have some kind of ventilation on the roof of our homes, some you can see easily others are not easily seen. The hidden ones are called cap or hip vents ( for lack of a better term...lol) these sit on the crest of your roof and are not very noticeable. The other type is the ones you can easily see and are either powered vents(have an electric motor) Wind powered vents that use the power of the wind to ventilate and Non Powered that just sit there and allow hot air to escape. — — The purpose of these vents is to keep the high temperature between your attic and shingles from damaging your roof. When shingles get too hot they will quickly degrade and break apart causing roof leaks and can even damage the integrity of the roof structure. When I replaced my shingles I also replaced all the vents with newer modern ones. — — Air Vent Inc. AirHawk Slant Back Roof Vents — — These vents have a outer diameter of 17"x18" and are about 4 1/2" high, they... Wed, 28 May 2008 22:22:10 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Air-Vent-Inc-Airhawk-Slant-Back-Roof-Vent-review-0cb34 kid-kansas 4 http://www.viewpoints.com/Behr-Interior-Satin-Paint-review-89690 I have been remodling houses for many years and Behr paint is the worst I've ever used.  It doesn't coat well and I've had these odd oily drips leech out of the paint in one room. I've had to coat some walls as many as four and five times to get even color and good coverage.  I always avoid using Behr paint if at all... Tue, 27 May 2008 20:57:34 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Behr-Interior-Satin-Paint-review-89690 smasson 2 http://www.viewpoints.com/Owens-Corning-Supreme-AR-shingles-review-df692 My house was built in 1978, although I bought it in 1993. Shortly after 1978, but well before 1993, the previous owner built a detatched two-car garage that is my home away from home. In that garage, I spend many happy hours underneath cars and bent over engines, keeping my (and the occasional neighbor's) wheels running. — I knew the garage's roof was in need of attention but didn't know just how bad until I climbed up to take a look. As you can see in the first picture, it was covered with moss and other plants, and the shingles were cracked, chipped and just plain worn out. I decided to take the long Memorial Day weekend to replace the roof on the garage. My wife and I painstakingly cleaned off all the moss and debris, then nailed down new shingles: Owens Corning Supreme AR shingles, which I bought at Lowes for $15.90 per bundle. My roof took 23 bundles of shingles to complete. — What it is — Owens Corning Supreme AR shingles are standard three-tab roof shingles.... Tue, 27 May 2008 02:00:41 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Owens-Corning-Supreme-AR-shingles-review-df692 bkovacs 4 http://www.viewpoints.com/Olympic-1-1-2-inch-paint-brush-review-35753 It's back to painting around here. I got the kitchen and one bedroom last year but did not get the big room - a living room L-shaped room. — In my supplies I had a never used Olympic 1 1/2 inch paint brush. This seemed like a good idea for the trim work - those little wooden edges around the walls. — BIG MISTAKE. — The Olympic brush is not angled, and it's much easier to do edges with an angled brush. It's possible to do tedious work with a really good quality flat edged paint brush if it's small. — Unfortunately the Olympic paint brush is super fat at the bottom of the bristles. I'd say the end is about a 1/2 inch wide and gets bigger with paint added. That means paint goes all over the place. Even though this is a small paint brush and looks like it would work for edges and small spaces, it's really only good for big spaces. No one with any sense would use a 1 1/2 inch brush do do wide spaces. — I cleaned this paint brush out after about two... Fri, 23 May 2008 22:37:41 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Olympic-1-1-2-inch-paint-brush-review-35753 CyndiA 1 http://www.viewpoints.com/Behr-Liquid-Raw-Hide-Stain-Varnish-review-68752 I am a true blue fan of Behr interior paints because the quality and price point can't be beat.  Therefore, when I was looking for a stain and varnish to apply to my patio bench, I was thrilled to discover that Behr offered just the item I was looking for. Behr Patio Furniture Stain & Varnish - Redwood Gloss — I purchased the stain and varnish on a trip to Home Depot.  My bench already had a slight redwood color but I did want to deepen the hue.  The polyurethane varnish comes in both redwood and clear, so I opted for a one-quart can of redwood gloss.  My hope was that I could get color and protection all in one product, and the Behr varnish did exactly that. — Behr Liquid Rawhide is oil-based so it requires thorough mixing before use.  Since I was using it outdoors, I had plenty of natural ventilation and didn't worry about fumes.  Once mixed, Liquid Raw-Hide applies evenly without bothersome drips.  It dried to the touch in about 5... Sun, 18 May 2008 20:04:33 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Behr-Liquid-Raw-Hide-Stain-Varnish-review-68752 LoveisJoy 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Gorilla-Glue-Company-Gorilla-Glue-review-d7b90 In my kitchen there s tile all around the counters and I have had to glue them back on in the past. What ever they used when they built the house only lasted about 8 years and the started falling off one by one. Last year I glued about a dozen of them on with Super Glue and about 2 weeks ago they started coming off again. So my wife tells me about this glue she has been using for about 4 years and suggested I give it a try. — — Gorilla Glue — — I have used Super Glue since as far back as 15 years ago and always thought it was the best, next to contact cement that is. Now my wife tells me about this stuff called Gorilla Glue and I decided to give this Furry Ape a shot. — — There is a 3 step process to gluing things with this Gorilla Glue and they are very simple but made me do one of those Buttermilk Faces...you know where your eyes and mouth twist up real funny! Anyway first you dampen one piece to be glued with water.....yeah I... Wed, 14 May 2008 17:20:40 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Gorilla-Glue-Company-Gorilla-Glue-review-d7b90 kid-kansas 5