When my wife and I bought our town-home, we immediately decided that we didn't like the old-school sliding closet doors that were hung in the 57" wide opening for our kids' closet. They were a pair of hollow core slab doors 30" wide and 1 3/8" thick. They only allowed 27" of the closet to be exposed at any one time, and, as a result, it was difficult to get to the middle of the closet.

I removed the doors almost immediately, and then my wife got a couple of drapery panels from Pottery Barn. I used a metal closet rod as a hanger: as a result, we could then have full access to the whole closet. This worked well for a few years, until my wife recently decided that she was done with that look and wanted to put doors back up.

After the obligatory groaning and mumbling about changing the "door" to the kids' closet again, we went shopping for new doors. After the break, I'll share a few of the options out there for solutions to this issue, along with a few tips I gleaned from the installation process for the doors we ultimately chose.

There are a lot of choices out there for closet doors. They range from cheap plastic "accordion"-style doors to mirrored sliding doors trimmed in rare woods. They all have their pluses and minuses; I will try to educate you on the choices without pushing too hard to select any particular style. The final choice is up to you. After all, I don't want to get emailed because you chose a door that I recommended, and you ended up not liking it. I get enough of that at home as it is!

Sliding doors

"Sliding" closet doors can mean a few different things. The boring monstrosities that I first removed from our house were technically sliding doors, but a more contemporary meaning for "sliding" doors refers to the kind that are most likely to be mirrored sliding doors. This door style includes everything from plain white vinyl doors to mahogany framed, beveled glass beauties.

These doors come in many standard sizes, generally ranging from 48" wide to 8' wide. The standard height for these doors is 78"-80" with the option to go as high as 96". Price will vary greatly depending on finish and whether or not they are mirrored.

For a unique touch, you can order custom sizes to cover larger openings, and get the framing wood, color, and mirror combination that will best compliment your decor. The custom versions of these doors will take as much money as you are willing to spend on your hearts desire.

An older version of sliding doors is really just two non-bored, interior slab doors hung on a track. They are generally flat-faced, and the only real decorating you can do is to change the paint. You can swap out the slabs with six-panel or other decorative interior doors, but these doors take up the most space, with the least amount of customization possible.

Folding doors

Vinyl folding doors are an inexpensive way to cover your closet opening. The drawback to your monetary savings is the style that these doors tend to lack. Style-wise, the only place these doors really fit in is in a college dorm room. The accordion folding action does lend itself to covering a few different sizes with one door size, but as the panel gathers at one side, it can get thick if you are covering a larger opening. Don't expect a long life from these doors: the folds are plastic, and will break down over time.

Bi-fold doors

Another style of door that folds out of the way is what is known as a bi-fold door. These doors can be custom-made to whatever size you need. They are available as raised panel, flat, louvered, and just about any combination of those styles. Expect to pay more for a custom size or style combination, but whatever you need should be available.

Installation

My wife and I chose to use bi-fold doors, and as I installed them I came up with a few tips.

1. Do what you can to square up your opening before you start. It will make everything easier.
2. Make sure that the doors are correct before you hang them. Check width, height, and, in the case of bi-folds, that the factory-installed hinges were done correctly. One set of our doors was assembled slightly "off," and I had to have them replaced before I could continue.
3. Make sure, when you install the track, that you do not over-tighten screws: this can and will deform the track.
4. Paint the track and doors before you hang them.

I hope this has helped to educate you about the choices that are out there. Remember to choose what will work best in your circumstances.

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Road biking and mountain biking are as different in style as they are in culture.

Road biking requires cyclists working together in order to maximize their performance through drafting and other strategies. In my experience, the drawback is that in contrast to working together to get a better time, road biking can be very "every man for himself" when it comes to helping others with mechanical issues.

Mountain biking, on the other hand, seems to have a culture of assisting anyone who looks like they are struggling, in spite of the need for individual talent and achievement in order to excel at the sport.

There is no drafting on an intense section of single track. I have been lent tools, tubes, chain parts, tech tips, and encouragement during various rides when things have definitely not been going well. Many of these offers came entirely unsolicited from complete strangers who just happened to pass me and my friends when we had stopped to deal with a situation.

After the break I will, in the true spirit of mountain biking, share a few of the more unusual repairs I have encountered when either parts or tools have not been present to do the needed repairs properly.

Flat tire, no tube

My brother-in-law, for his birthday, decided he wanted to bike from a starting point near his home to the beach. This would take our group of 10 over the Santa Monica Mountains and down to the beach, where our wives would retrieve us with cars.

Everything went fine until about halfway through the ride over the mountains, when a cousin got a flat. We had between us 4 tubes, 3 patch kits, a few CO2 cartridges, and 6 pumps. Sounds like an easy fix, right? No.

The size tube that was needed to replace the flat was not one that we has with us, so we opted for the patch; 3 patch kits later, we gave up on that route. We put in an undersized replacement tube that worked for a few minutes, until it got a pinch flat going around a curve in the trail when the tube got trapped between the tire and the rim.

It was decided that sacrificing the other tubes was just going to be silly. That was when the friend of a friend remembered hearing of another approach for an emergency fix.

First we put the original bad tube back into the tire. The we took grass and light brush and stuffed the tire with it. We made sure that we chose thornless vegetation, in order to minimize damage to the rim and tire. After a couple of re-stuffs to get the maximum amount of material in the tire, we turned around and set off for home.

The tire ended up looking half flat as he rode, but it worked fairly well. As the brush broke down under the wear of riding back, we re-stuffed the tire two more times before we got back to our starting point.

After the ride, our cousin immediately took his bike and dropped it off at a shop to get the tube fixed and his bike tuned up. While the shop reported that the tire and rim had suffered no damage due to the support given by the vegetation, they did laugh themselves silly when they discovered the contents of the tire, and they called our cousin to demand an explanation of just what had happened.

You should always carry a patch kit or replacement tube and an air source whenever you go out riding, but if you are ever caught without them and have a flat, remember that the trail-side vegetation can be used to get you back to civilization. Just avoid packing your tire with poison ivy, and be prepared to explain yourself if anyone happens to catch you before or after you stuff it.

Broken chain, no tools

How many people remember the old SNL skits about Lothar of the Hill People? I swear my brother-in-law and I channeled the spirit of the skits when I snapped my chain when I first started riding. This was the first time I had broken a chain, and was about the fourth off-road mountain bike trip with him. He had not packed all his tools, because it was going to be a quick ride; I had none yet, as I was not sure about how often I was going to be doing this. Halfway through the ride out, I broke the chain.

As we both stared glumly at the forlorn chain where it lay in the dust, we contemplated the long walk back to the truck. Matt suddenly picked up 2 rocks and announced that he was going to try to fix the chain. I laughed, but he proceeded to thread the chain through the derailleurs and sprockets.

After it was all set up, he laid the bike down, placed a large flat rock under the bent link, and used the smaller rock to pound the chain back together. I was nearly in tears laughing as I watched him re-enact a scene that smacked of the ape sequence from 2001: A Space Odyssey; I could almost hear Mike Myers cheering him on over the pounding movie soundtrack.

It did work, though! He managed to partially re-seat the pin back through the plates to effect a partial repair. I spun the tire and shifted gears while holding the bike's rear tire in the air to get it into an easy gear for a slow cruise back to civilization.

We had to "fix" it one more time before we got all the way back, but it was worth it for the story -- and for not having to walk all the way back. It taught me that even "short" rides need to be taken seriously, and to never leave home without all the tools you might need.

Taco tire

The worst "fixable" breakdown I have encountered is the dread "taco tire." This is when you hit something so hard that you cause the rim to fold over onto itself sideways. It is not easy to do, and it is harder to fix. The only real repair is to take it to a bike shop, and get a new rim. But if you find yourself stuck on a ride with a "taco" on your hands, I do have a "possible" solution.

The case I know of occurred on a long ride where carrying the bike out was literally going to be an all day project. This forced one of the ride participants to think "off the trail" to come up with a solution.

The rim was a loss anyway, he reasoned, so why not use a hard surface to try to bend the rim back into shape? He broached the subject with the bike's owner, who was willing to risk damaging the hub in order to not have to walk many miles to get back to his car.

The wheel was removed from the frame, and the hub was placed against a handy boulder. The beefiest member of the ride then put all he had into forcing the rim back into a shape resembling round. It took a few tries, but after the front brakes were disconnected in order to allow the still-tweaked rim to spin freely, it was serviceable.

Losing your front brakes is not a desirable outcome, but it beats an all day hike carrying a 25lb bike. Also, his brakes were not disc. That could inhibit this desperate repair as well, but it is good to remember that no matter the incident, it is usually possible to come up with an idea to make things easier... if you are willing to be unorthodox.

I hope that these stories brought a smile to your face, and that you never need to use these repairs. Be prepared. Take all the tools you might need every ride, but remember that even when things go wrong, there is probably a solution -- if you look hard enough for it.

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In 1852 Victor Hugo coined the phrase"necessity, the mother of invention". I couldn't disagree more. Laziness is the mother of invention. The wheel? Ug was tired of dragging stuff around. The car? Who really wants to clean up after and take care of a horse for its whole life? Paper? Carving letters into stone is way hard. See? Laziness drives us to invent things so we can expend less and less energy to do the tasks required of us in our daily lives.

Ryobi has latched on to this basic principle and as a result they have dreamed up a new way for us to be lazy. Traditionally if you used a string trimmer (colloquially known as a "weedwhacker") that was gas powered you were in for a work out every time you started it. Depending on what brand of gas powered trimmer you had, there were different arcane rituals to use to start it, but they all involved repeated yanking on the pull start. Ryobi has changed all that. I'll explain how after the break.

Ryobi has come out with the TouchStart Straight Shaft String Trimmer. By using their experience with rechargeable tools, they have devised a way to start their new string trimmer using a 12v battery pack! No more repeated pulling on the starting rope to try to coax an irksome motor to life. No more fouling the spark plug because you forgot how many pumps of the primer you were supposed to do before pulling the starter. No more applications of Ben-Gay to your shoulder in the evening after a hard day of trying to get the motor started.

The trimmer itself is really nothing new. It has a 30cc 2 stroke low emission motor, a straight shaft designing to make the work easier on your back, and comes with 2 heads. One head is a traditional bump feed self-feeding head, and the other head is a fixed string head for heavier duty work. The cutting swath for both heads is a standard 18".

By adding the 12v battery pack, automatic starting assembly, and on board charging system, Ryobi added a few more pounds to the total weight of the trimmer. The new unit weighs in at 15.2 pounds (minus the battery pack), up from the 12.1 pounds of the traditional 18" gas powered straight shaft trimmer, that Ryobi also offers. When you consider how much engineering and parts went into adding these components I think you will agree that a little over 3 pounds is more than acceptable especially when you throw in automatic starting and the fact that the trimmer comes with a shoulder strap to make carrying even easier.

The 12v battery pack is similar to the ones used in their 12v drills. Ryobi increased the convenience of the electric start system by making the unit capable of charging the battery pack while it is still on the tool. Unlike rechargeable saws and drills, you do not have to take the battery pack off of the tool in order to recharge it. Just plug the charging line into the toll and walk away until the next time you need to use it.

If you do happen to run the pack out of power with out recharging, and you can't or don't want to wait to do the yard work, Ryobi kept the traditional starting system on the unit for just such an emergency. So, if you are up the creek with no power you can still get the job done by utilizing the pull start back up.

Ryobi also saw fit to include with the unit the ability to use the Expand-It line of accessories to further make use of the electric start. With the Expand It line of attachments for your electric start trimmer you can transform it into a variety of electric start tools for your yard including a blower, pruner, edger, brush cutter, edger cultivator, and hedge trimmer. That means that you can turn virtually all of your gas powered yard tools into electric start tools! Your shoulders will thank you for it.

The one thing I wish that Ryobi had done for this tool was make it a 4 stroke motor instead of the 2 stroke. Ryobi's other 18" straight shaft trimmer has a 1 hp 4 stroke motor that burns cleaner, will last longer with regular maintenance, and makes re-fueling easier by keeping to regular gas instead of a gas/ oil mixture. Oh well, I guess you can't always get everything you want.

This great new tool for the lazy is only available at your local Home Depot. It is so new that you cannot even find it on Home Depot's website! While having to actually get in a car and drive all the way to the home improvement giant's store seems counter intuitive to the true master of lazy, the pay off is worth the trip. I am sure that soon enough this great innovation for the motivationally challenged will be available for home delivery through the Internet, thereby removing the last obstacle for the truly lazy to acquire it.

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While we are not TECHNICALLY in a recession (A friend pointed out that the definition of recession requires 2 quarters in a row of declining GDP) we are definitely in economic doldrums.

We have had four quarters of definitely sub par growth as a nation, the housing bubble has definitely burst, and more and more companies are looking to trim any fat they can.

Economically unstable areas already hit hard by the economic down turn now have even more bad news headed their way. One of the staples of these areas has always been self reliance, and the entry of big box home improvement stores into unstable areas has been a boon to these areas in terms of jobs and the ability to find cheap materials to do their projects. This is about to change for the worse. Especially for states east of the Mississippi.

On Thursday May 1, 2008 The Home Depot announced that it will be closing 15 under performing stores. This bold move by the retailer to trim fat from its list of stores is not the only move that the company is making. The Home Depot also announced that it will be removing 50 stores from its new store pipeline as well.

That means that not only can DIYers east of the Mississippi look forward to losing 15 current home improvement warehouses, but they can also bet that the 50 stores getting trimmed are not stores planned for bustling metropolises. Most likely these are stores that were planned for areas that the company, during happier economic times, was willing to take a risk on in the hope that they would pay off. Now that the economy has, if not fallen into a recession, taken a turn for the worse, the company is no longer willing to bet so heavily on possible money makers when the risk to an already shaky bottom line is so great.

While this will adversely affect some people's ability to reach the retailer's door, it is good news for those of us who are going to still have a Home Depot store in their neighborhood. By trimming poorly performing stores now and by not opening stores that were going to be a risk, the home improvement giant is definitely taking steps to insure that it will be around for years to come by taking the minor hits now to insure its long term financial health. A failing Home Depot would not be a good thing for any DIYers in the 4 countries in which it operates.

So while we mourn the loss of a DIY resource in some areas, we can breathe a sigh of relief for the future of the world's largest home improvement retailer because love the chain or hate it, it does provide a haven for DIYers, and the chain does help make sure that prices for us DIYers are as low as possible.

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As the days grow longer and the weather starts to warm, kids across the nation go outside to play, and to get rid of their cabin fever from the long winter we all had.

Chances are that they will be dragging you outside with them! Instead of just pulling up a lawn chair and watching them run in circles, why not have a little fun with science and get them thinking as well as playing?

I am going to cover two different activities best done in the great outdoors that are sure to peak the kids' interest as well as show them a good time. These are easy to do, and it is easy to find the materials needed to get the jobs done! Now buckle up and let's get this science bus on the road!

The first trick up my lab coat sleeve uses a magnifying glass to teach kids about the power of the sun. The materials are easy to put together.

• Magnifying glass. The larger the better.
• Various leaves. Make sure you gather as many stages of decomposing leaves as possible. It will work best if you use everything from fresh green leaves all the way to completely dried out and crispy leaves.
• Paper. Get at least white and one darker color. Again the more the merrier.

First you need a sunny day to make this work properly. The sunnier the better. Set out the leaves and papers you have put together in a row on the ground. Don't put it on a table as no one wants to explain a scorch mark on a good patio table.

Next, ask the kids if they can figure out a way to cause the materials to burn without using fire or matches. After they scratch their heads for a minute it is time to pop out your secret weapon. Make sure you pull out the magnifying glass with a flourish. Showmanship is everything!

Focus the light through the lens into a pinpoint on a dried out leaf. In a second or so it will smoke. Let the kids ooh and aah, now challenge them to do the same. Make sure you give them either a green leaf or white paper! Help them focus the glass, and then let them sit for 30 seconds or so. When the white paper or green leaf doesn't smoke, take the lens back and again make the dead leaf or darker paper smoke.

Depending on how fast they catch on, this can go on for quite a while before they realize that the materials are affecting whether or not the glass can cause the scorches. When they do figure it out, you can explain how the moisture in the green leaf, and the reflective properties of the white paper are what affect the glasses ability to cause the scorches.

After the day's fun, make sure you put the magnifying glass out of reach so that the youngsters don't get the itch to try it out without you and cause any incidents that would necessitate a visit by the fire department or a claim to be filed with your homeowners insurance.

Learning about magnetics

The other outdoor science experiment you can do easily may require a trip to the beach, or the local playground so you can have access to sand. The materials are as follows.

• Sand. The more the better. The older the better. Beach side or lakeside is ideal, but the local playground will work as well as long there is a sand pit there.
• Magnet. Bigger is better. A straight magnet will work best, but the cartoony "U" shaped ones can be used as well.
• Paper. White is best for showing off the final tricks. 2 sheets are best but one will work fine.
• String. A piece long enough so you can drag the magnet behind you through the sand.
• Compass. Any will do.

After the trip to your local sand pit or beach bust out the magnet. Let the kids play with it for a few minutes sticking it to metal and finding out that it will not stick to all materials. Next ask them if they think the sand will stick to it. After collecting their answer, pour a little sand over the magnet to demonstrate that it won't.

Next tie the string to the magnet and tell the kids to drag it through the sand. After a minute or so, check the magnet for iron filings stuck to it. Ask the kids why there is material stuck to the magnet. Explain that iron occurs naturally or that (if you are at a man-made beach or play ground) big metal machines crush rocks into sand for people to use, and they are seeing the little pieces of the crushers that wear off as the rock gets processed into sand.

Scrape the filings off onto the white paper. Repeat the collection process a few more times to make sure you get a good amount of filings to work with. Place the magnet onto a non magnetic surface. Lower the paper down onto the magnet shaking slightly as you do so. This should cause the filings to move into the shape of the magnet's magnetic field.

An alternate way to do it is to use two pieces of paper. Collect the filings onto one piece. Place the second over the magnet and gently dust the filings onto the second sheet. Again this should cause the filings to form into the shape of the magnetic field.

After the field is marked out, ask the kids if they can tell you why the filings formed those shapes. Explain that what they are doing is marking the invisible magnetic field that is always present around this and any magnet. You can even extrapolate (don't use this word with kids unless you want them to either laugh or run away in fear) and explain how the earth also has a magnetic field and how it makes a compass work.

If you don't have a compass to break out at this point, go ahead and tie the string around the magnet in the middle and demonstrate that when you turn around, the magnet always stays oriented to the same direction. This shows the directions of the north and south poles.

After all this learning go ahead and let them use the magnet under the paper to move the filings on top of the paper around. Again explain that it is the magnet's invisible energy field that is causing the filings to dance around the paper for their amusement. You can also let them lower the magnet slowly towards the paper until the filings "leap" up to the magnet. Again this demonstrates the magnet's energy field.

Now that you have entertained and educated the kids you can hit the pool guilt free and enjoy the summer until the next time we meet!

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In the past there were only a few choices for fence materials. You could put up a stone wall, block wall, brick wall, wrought iron, wood, or chain link. If you got creative you could combine a couple materials and get a fence/ wall by putting wrought iron on top of a brick base or wood panels between pilasters of block or stone.

Today the number of choices and alternative materials has exploded. Plastic, aluminum, and man made stone have given the homeowner a plethora (see, a college education can pay off!) of choices to choose from.

I am going to try to sort through some of the more popular choices for you based on affordability, difficulty of installation, looks, and durability. Hopefully this will make your choices clearer and easier to make.

Natural Fencing/ Wall Materials

I am going to start with natural materials. These are fences or walls that are made with materials found in nature.

Stone: The most difficult and expensive is a stone wall. A stone wall will look beautiful, and is very durable and strong. (C'mon, look at China's Great Wall -- we are talking MAJOR strength and durability!) The drawback is that once you choose the stone you want, you will have to have it installed.

Putting in a natural stone wall is best left to someone who has years of experience selecting which stones will look best on the outside (versus ugly stones best suited for filling in the width), and which stones will need an artistic whack or two with a rock hammer for the best fit. Installation is as much about art and mastery of stone shaping as it is about the labor of stacking the stones.

Wood: The most common natural material used is wood. In addition to being a natural product, wood is renewable when harvested in a managed method that allows for regrowth and replanting of harvested areas. Whether you are talking about dog eared, palisade, tongue and groove, or lattice fencing, it all comes down to nailing pieces of cut trees together.

There are many different styles of wood fencing to be had, and the cost of a wood fence can vary greatly depending on how trick you wish to make it. If simple and inexpensive are your style, a basic dog eared fence is probably right for you. If you are looking for a more architectural style you could use tongue and groove pickets with a lattice top for a sophisticated look, albeit at a much greater price.

Installing a wood fence is definitely a DIY project. The materials are easy to find, easy to work with, and no really special tools or knowledge are needed to do it properly. The drawback is definitely durability, and to a much lesser extent, strength. Wood will not take the abuse of stone or other hard materials, and even properly maintained and constructed wood fences will eventually succumb to rot, insects, or old age. Strength becomes an issue when the fence ages or when faced with things like high winds or heavy snow loads. It just cannot compete with stone or other hard materials there. I don't know about you, but I haven't seen a block, brick or stone wall blown over by anything less than hurricane force winds!

Unnatural Materials (Man Made in Other Words)

Walls and fences from man made materials are also available. Some of these are more eco-friendly than others, and costs vary greatly..

Block and Brick: Materials like block (or cinder block if you must) and brick provide the greatest strength and durability. However, like stone, they require the most labor and expertise to install. These materials are cheap, look fairly easy to work with, and the tools couldn't be simpler to the naked eye. Once you try to properly load the mortar onto a block or brick and then put it in place and smooth it out, you will change your mind.

Solid material walls like this also tend to have much more stringent requirements as far as local building codes. These walls tend to look pretty plain once installed. You can use different styles and colors of block or brick to dress up the look, but in the end it will still be pretty plain. You can really dress it up if you are willing to spend a lot more cash though.

Man-made stone veneers are readily available from building supply stores for you to give your plain wall a natural stone look, but the cost in additional labor and materials can be prohibitive. In order to be more environmentally friendly you can try to locate real used brick as opposed to using new bricks that are manufactured to look used. Architectural salvagers are the place to look for these materials.

Plastic and vinyl have also made their presence felt in the fencing arena. There are a variety of solid and hollow product to choose from. All these products are definitely DIY friendly.

Vinyl : Hollow vinyl was the first "plastic" fencing material to gain acceptance, and it is available in a very wide selection of styles. It can be used to simulate the look of wrought iron, picket, or dog ear fence styles to name a few. It generally is available only in white, but sometimes you can find a sand or beige color.

The advantage to this material is that there is no maintenance other than hosing it off every now and then. The posts and panels are also very easy to install. Posts get set like wooden posts, and yes they remain hollow. No need to insert wood. Four clips are used to attach the panels, and you are done.

The draw backs are cost and sizing. Vinyl fencing is significantly more expensive than wood. Also the panels are sized out so that you have to set your posts six feet on center instead of eight feet. Over the length of a long fence this can add up in additional labor and posts.

Cutting vinyl panels is also an issue. When you get to an odd sized panel you will probably have to disassemble the panel and re-glue it together after you make your adjustments. Pre made panels also mean that, much like the cover photo of this post, slopes will make your fence look odd. These fences will last a very long time as vinyl does age well, but their overall strength (measured on the "Angry Rottweiler" scale) is not high. A large, angry dog or drunken brother-in-law can break a panel without too much effort.

Composites: Another "plastic" fence is the composite fence. These are the logical extension of the plastic/ wood composite decking materials that have been around for a while. The post sleeves and panels are made from the same materials. Did you catch the reference to "sleeve"? With this material you do actually have to set WOOD posts into the ground, and then slide the composite sleeve over the top to give it it's finished look.

The panels are solid composite material, and, again, they are sized out at 6' on center. This material represents the most expensive material to choose, but it is durable, and depending on which maker you select, your composite fence can be almost indistinguishable from a real wood fence that has been given a clear coat of preservative.

The other drawback is that while you do not have to disassemble the panel to cut it, you will have to work around an assembled panel to do your cuts. Again this product will last indefinitely, and the solid construction will stand up to much more abuse than the hollow vinyl. Pre-formed panels will restrict its use on slopes. This product is fairly "green" as waste sawdust from sawmills and recycled plastics are often used as base materials for manufacture.

Vinyl Coated Wood: The last man made "plastic" material to discuss is actually a hybrid material. You can purchase wood that has been pressure treated to resist rot and insects, and then covered in a vinyl jacket. This material combines the best of both wood and plastic fencing. The vinyl is heat applied to the wood so that there is no chance of it coming off.

You buy this material in the same manner as a wood fence. You can even buy color matching hardware ,and you can buy a sleeve to seal up any cut that you need to make on the pickets. You assemble the posts, stringers, and pickets as you would a regular wood fence. The difference is that once you are done you can forget about having to maintain the fence other than washing it down.

Colors are limited, only white or beige as far as I know, but you do gain the ability to have an extremely durable plastic fence material that you can run up and down slopes because you assemble it one piece at a time. It is partially eco-friendly as the wood is a renewable resource. It will be as strong as a regular wood fence without the massive deterioration that occurs over the life of a regular wood fence.

Metals

Metal is the last fencing material to discuss.

Aluminum: In the past, wrought iron or chain link fences were your only choice, but now aluminum has joined the ranks. This new advent gives you the look of wrought iron with out the cost. You also lose the greatest risk to iron fencing: rust.

The drawbacks are significant though. The only color I have seen is black, but white is probably out there too, and if you really want a custom color you can spend a weekend painting it whatever color you want. Again, you can only buy pre-made panels so slopes are still out.

Also, the aluminum fence is for decoration only. If you try to climb or sit on the fence you will damage it. Look but don't touch. On that note it is also worth mentioning that you will be paying someone else to install this product because of its issues with fragility and availability. Of the metals, aluminum is the most eco-friendly as it is one of the most recycled materials in the country.

Wrought iron: Wrought iron gives you the greatest combination of looks and price when using metal for fencing. You can get as custom as you want to with your installer, or you can go simple and use pre-made panels from you local home center to save some cash. Slopes are in because even pre-made panels can be purchased with the ability to adjust to the angle you need.

These fences are very strong, especially if you have a custom installer that welds the pieces together instead of bolting. You generally purchase wrought iron either painted white or black, but you can paint them whatever color you like.

The drawback is rust. If you don't maintain a vigilant watch on your fence it can quickly get away from you, and you end up with peeling paint, rust stains, and structural weakness as the rust progresses. If you use pre-made panels you can do the installation yourself, but the best durability and design will come from a custom install that welds the parts together.

Chain link: Chain link fences are the last metal fence to discuss. We have all seen them. No, they are not pretty, but if you are looking to do a very long fence, this is the most economical way to do it. There are many different heights and lengths available to purchase. You can try to improve the look of the fence by getting chain link that is vinyl coated in different colors or you can buy colored slat material to weave through the fence to increase the looks as well as the privacy of the fence.

This is a very durable fence as all parts are galvanized to resist rust, and it is also very strong. (We have all climbed a chain link fence so we can attest to its structural strength.) The only real drawbacks are the looks, and the privacy factor, as in you get none. This is also a very DIY friendly product even as it is not particularly "green" friendly.

Hopefully you now feel ready to choose the proper material fro the look, price and durability that you want for your project. Good luck and happy DIY-ing!

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With the help of the other 2 previous chapters in our fence making and repairing trilogy you are now ready to put on the final touches. Setting your posts and hanging your stringers has left you with an excellent and formidable foundation for your fence. Now it is time to make your fence look finished.

Pickets are what give your fence it's style and flair. Your fence will be as attractive as you want to make it. You could end up with a basic, respectable fence, or you could have a fence that the neighbors envy and compliments the design of your landscape and home, if you are willing to put in the work.

No matter what style of fence you are going to choose to finish your project , the materials are all the same.

• Redwood or stained white-wood pickets. Figure on the length of your fence in feet x 2 for the number of 6" wide pickets you will need. Length x 3 is how many 4" pickets you will need. Length x 1.5 for the number of 8" wide pickets. If you are REALLY going to get freaky and mix sizes you will divide the length by 2 (or 3 if you are using 3 different sizes) and use the answer as the length you will multiply for the pickets you will need.
• Fasteners. Use either deck or galvanized drywall screws if you are going to use a screw gun to install the pickets. Use galvanized nails (preferably "ring shank") if you are using a hammer or a nail gun. (Lord I hope you are not doing this by hand!) Ring shank nails will provide greater grip than regular smooth shank nails. The fasteners should be 1¾ " to 2¼" long.
• A helper. You will need more than 1 set of hands to do this right.
• Level. You will need to check EACH picket for plumbness (That means that it is perfectly vertical) and that it is level with the last 2-4 pickets horizontally. (Obviously skip the horizontal check if you are working a slope.)
• Either a screw gun, hammer, or nail gun. (Please don't try to hang 50' with a hammer!)
• Power saw. Depending on the style, you will need either a circular or a jig saw.
• Sealer. You don't have to seal the pickets, but it will prolong their life. Some people want their fence to weather and fade in order to develop character so for those people a sealer is unnecessary.
• Optional: Post caps and 2' x 8' framed lattice to put on some polish. Chalk line or marking pencil.

Now that you have your materials gathered you need to decide on a fence style. The 2 basic styles are a basic privacy fence and the shadow box (or the "my neighbor paid for ½ of the fence") style.

Let's talk about the shadowbox style first. When you put up the pickets shadowbox style you will actually hang them on BOTH side of the stringers. Hopefully you will have thought of this and placed the stringer in the center of the post when you hung it. The first picket will snug up against the starting post (side doesn't matter, but size does.). Move the picket vertically so that you leave 1"-2" of clearance from the ground. I repeat: From the GROUND not the grass. This will allow water to drain while keeping out any unwanted chihuahuas.

Once the picket is snug to the post and set vertically, place the level against the picket to see if it is vertically plumb. Adjust the picket as needed to get plumb. Hold it in place, and fasten to the stringers with 2 fasteners per stringer. Avoid the temptation to place the fasteners in a straight line. If you do that you run the risk of weakening the stringer or even causing it to split. Offset the fasteners by about 1" to avoid this common pitfall.

For the second picket, place a "dummy" unfastened picket snug next to the first, and then place a third picket snug to the second. Align the 3rd picket vertically, and then adjust for plumbness. Attach the 3rd picket to the stringers. Repeat this process for all the pickets on this side of the fence.

If you find out that you can't align a picket horizontally because of uneven ground, you will need to set the offending picket against the ground and align vertically. Measure how far off you are from the last good picket, add 1"-2" for clearance, and then cut from the bottom. Now you will be able to align it horizontally as well as vertically. After one side of the fence is done you will need to repeat on the other side to complete the fence. Once all the pickets are hung, attach your post caps if you have them, and stand back to enjoy your handy work.

The other basic style is the privacy fence. This fence is the basis for many other styles. Once you put it up you can make it into a convex, concave, or lattice top. You can also change the look of the fence by mixing picket widths or by leaving space between pickets of either uniform or varied spaces. You can either use regular pickets or you can use a tongue and groove picket for the ultimate in a clean look. If you are going to put up a lattice top on your fence, I would recommend using the tongue and groove for the best look for your fence.

Installing the pickets is exactly the same as with the shadowbox style except you will attach every picket to only one side of the fence. You can hang pickets on both sides if you are really a masochist or if your neighbor is insisting because the shadowbox style didn't float his boat.

At this point you want to decide if you are going to use a uniform width or mix widths. If you are not sure, buy enough pickets of the different sizes to do one 8' section. Stand them against the stringers and step back to decide. Make sure you get your spouse's buy in at this point as no one wants to redo a brand new fence because 1/2 the homeowners hate the style.

Once all the pickets are hung you can start to customize. If you are going to put framed lattice as the top of your fence, measure how far down the stringer is from the top of the posts. Use either a level and pencil or a chalk line to mark that height on the outside of the pickets, and then cut them CAREFULLY. Place the framed lattice panel on the stringer, and nail it into place.

Making either a concave or convex fence is also fairly easy. Starting from the center point of your first panel, sketch out your curve, making sure to step back and get a second opinion to ensure that your curve is symmetrical. If you are doing a concave cut, make sure your curve does not cut into the stringer. If you are sketching a convex curve, make sure to mark and cut the posts as well as the pickets.

After you are satisfied with your curve, cut it out with a jig saw. Get some butcher paper or a huge piece of cardboard and trace this on to it so you can repeat it throughout the rest of your fence for uniformity and symmetry.

Once you are done playing with the pickets, attach post caps if you are going to use them. Apply sealer if you are going to use it, and you are done!

Now that your fence project is complete the heavens will sing your praises. Or maybe you will just get an "Attaboy" from your spouse and disappointed looks from the neighborhood dogs now that they can't fertilize your yard for you.

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OK, you have obviously read about how to set your fence post correctly and are now ready to put up the more of your fence (If you haven't read that article you should, really, I'm not kidding. Please don't make me beg!).

This will involve putting up the stringers (the 2x4s that connect to posts together and which the pickets attach to). Properly setting the posts helped determine how strong your fence will be, and the stringers and the pickets will determine the look of the project. Hanging your stringers properly will help further the structural integrity of the fence, and it will help make hanging the pickets easier.

Now buckle-up and get ready to hang 'em like you mean it!

In order to move ahead with your fence project you will need the following items:

• (2) 2x4-8' pieces of either pressure treated or redwood lumber for every space between posts.
• Either galvanized nails or coated deck screws 1½" long. You will need 8 fasteners per section if you toe nail. If you use A35 hardware you will need 36 nails per section.
• Either a power driver for screws or pneumatic nailer/ manual hammer for the nails.
• A level for flat runs of fencing.
• A saw, either hand or power.
• A helper to hold the stringers in place.
• A waterproofer.
• Either a sprayer or brushes to apply the waterproofer.
• A35 hardware from Simpson. Using these will require the use of nails and not screws.

The first step is to prep to hang your stringers. If you left 8' between posts you can hang the stringers with no cutting. If you installed them 8" on center you will need to cut the stringers to about 92¼" long. Always measure to make sure of your length. Also remember to measure the top stringer and bottom stringers separately. Warp, twist, and inaccuracy in post settings can mean that these two measurements are different enough to warrant separate cuts.

Next you need to mark your starting post to hang the stringers. Mark the post to accept the top stringer about 18" from the top. Mark the post about 30" from the ground for the bottom stringer.

You will then hang one side of the stringer to the post. Turn the stringer so that the larger face (the 4 side of the 2x4) will be the side that the pickets attach to. If you are just going to hang the pickets in a traditional solid wood fence style you will flush the stringer to the outside of the fence post. If you are going to install the pickets shadowbox style or with Gothic pickets you will need to hang the stringer dead center on the post.

When you attach the stringer to the post there are 2 ways to do it. You can either "toe nail' the stringers on or you can use hardware. Hardware is the recommended method.

To toenail the stringers to the post you nail or screw through the stringer and into the post at an angle. For screws you can start the screw straight into the stringer, and then as soon as it bites into the wood; apply lateral pressure to move it to the desired angle and finish driving it into the post.

For nails you drive them at the angle desired from the get go. Having a pneumatic nailer makes it very easy. Toe nail one end with 2 nails or screws (one on top side and one on the bottom), then use the level to make sure you hang the opposite side in the right spot; also with 2 fasteners. Repeat for every stringer of every fence section.

If you are going to use hardware you will need 2 of the A35 Simpson hangers per stringer for the fence. Bend the hangers according to the manufacturers instructions, and attach flush to the ends of the stringers. Attach one side to the post with the fasteners needed, and then use the level to make sure you hang the opposite side in the right spot. Repeat for every stringer of every section.

These methods will serve you well if you are working with fairly level ground. If you are going up or down a slope you will need a couple different things.

First i would recommend getting 10' pieces of 2x4 for your stringers to make sure that you don't have to try to stretch the 2x4s to work on the angle you need. Then mark both posts of every section at the recommended heights to make sure you keep a uniform angle. Also, with your helper holding the stringers in place, you can mark the angles you will need to cut to make sure you get good contact on both sides.

Finally, take this opportunity to use your waterproofer to make sure that the framework of your fence is protected by applying a coat to the stringers and posts now, before the pickets are hung, to make sure that all wooden members are given the maximum chance for a long healthy life span.

Now you are ready to pick out your pickets and hang them when next we speak.

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High winds, snow drifts, flooding, termites, and just plain old Father Time can all be reasons for a sagging or leaning fence. Bad neighbors, big dogs, young kids, and naked sunbathing can be the reason to install a new fence. Both situations will require you to set new fence posts for the successful completion of your goal.

If you don't do it right, not only will your new fence look like Homer Simpson built it, but it will also end up needing to be replaced far sooner than if you had done it right to start with. I will walk you though the correct way to do it. You may be tempted to cut corners or to listen to old uncle Fred and do it the way that sounds easier, but it will all end in tears that way. Trust me.

You will need:

1. Your new fence post. Buy one at least 2' taller that your fence because you will be burying it 18" deep. Also make sure you get one that is pressure treated for rot and termite resistance, redwood, or cedar. Redwood and cedar are naturally rot and termite resistant.

2. 4 wooden stakes 2'-3' long. Vampires can substitute metal stakes if they are nervous.

3. 2 2"x4"s 8' long cut in half.

4. A box of duplex nails. (They have 2 heads so you can pull them out after using them with little effort.) You can substitute a box of deck or drywall screws here as well.

5. A 50# bag of pea gravel.

6. A 1 gallon can of asphalt emulsion.

7. Enough concrete to fill 1.5 cubic feet. That is either 3 60# bags or 2 90# bags.

8. Tools- A hammer for nails or a screwdriver for screws because the other way around would just be silly. A Shovel, a manual post hole digger, or a post hole digging machine from a rental yard. A Cheap paint brush. A wheel barrow and mixing hoe (Focus you sick newbie, focus!), or a cement mixer from a rental yard.

Step 1
Dig your hole. Either use the hole from the old post that you ripped out as a starter or locate you new one either at your starting point or 8' on center from the last post of the fence you are adding on to. Make sure the hole is 12" in diameter and 24" deep. You can use smaller holes, as small as just double the dimensions of your post, but then you are sacrificing strength ans stability. Not a good idea if the old one was knocked down by mother nature.

Step 2
Put 6" of gravel in the bottom of the hole. This will allow any water that gets in the hole or absorbed by the post to drain out easily instead of having the bottom of the post sitting in damp concrete or in contact with wet soil for a long period of time. Water promotes rot people.

Step 3
Post placement. Before it goes into the hole there are a few things to do. 1st is to use a nylon string to determine where exactly in the hole to put the post when you are replacing or adding to an existing fence. Tie it off so that when you put the new post in you can have it touch the line and therefore it will be in line with the others. Skip this step if it is the first post in a new fence. The second thing to do is paint the end of the post that will be inserted into the ground with asphalt emulsion. This will and an extra layer of waterproofing to help ensure a long and happy life for you new post. Only paint the part of the post that will be in the hole plus one more inch for good measure. Also you will need to check the post on 2 perpendicular sides for plumbness with a level. There are levels out there that you can simply drop on top of a post to check plumbness on both sides at the same time.

Step 4
Secure the post while you mix and pour the concrete. Set the two stakes 3'-4' away from the post on different sides. Either nail or screw the cut 2x4 pieces to both the post and stakes to hold the post in place.

Step 5
You will need concrete, water and either the mixer or your hoe and wheel barrow. At this point you WILL be tempted to buy the mix that says you only have to pour the dry mix into the hole, and then pour water on top. There is nothing special about these mixes other than their packaging and price. You can do this with ANY concrete mix, but don't fall for it. This method leads to a sub par base for your post. To give you an idea of how poorly it will mix and set, go get some instant oatmeal, pour the hot hot water on it, but don't stir it. Come back in a few minutes and see how well it has turned out. Pretty bad right? Now is that the result we want for our shiny new post? No it is not. Instead, mix it according to the instructions on the package and pour into the hole and let it set. The concrete package will tell you how long it will have to sit (This is the CURE time, and not the SET time. Set time just tells you when you can no longer pour or work the concrete. Cure time is when it has reached it's full strength.) before you can start banging on the post to finish installing the fence. If you start too soon the concrete will still be soft, and you can knock your post out of alignment and throw the whole project out of whack!

One thing you can do to speed this along is to use a product called Rapid Set cement. This stuff sets in 15 minutes, and after and hour you can start nailing, or screwing on the rest of the fence. Just don't mix too much at one time or you will end up with a large rock sitting in the mixer or wheelbarrow after 15 minutes.

Follow these steps and you will end up with a strong foundation for your new or replacement fence.

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OK, as we all know the economy is in a downward spiral. The housing market is so far down the drain you can't even get at it with a plunger. The dollar has fallen farther and faster than Elliot Spitzer's trousers at a gentleman's club.

I used to do a lot of work on my previous car myself to save some money back in the day. When my wife and I purchased our '05 Touareg from VW I decided that with the new car, vast jumps forward in technology, and our economic stability, I would let the dealership deal with all the issues that arose. As economic fortunes have turned I have decided to start doing some easier things myself. Ooops...

When a warning alarm went off and the car told me to check my lights I did so. Turned out both of the front parking lights had burned out. Not a big deal, so I put it off until I also needed to change the oil again. I was feeling lazy and took it to my dealership. When I dropped the car off I asked for a quote to replace the lights as well. The service adviser proceeded to tell me that it would be $50 per light in labor to replace them! WHAT?!?! I decided that the oil change could fly, but that I would replace the bulbs myself.

Feeling all manly, and sure that I had avoided being ripped off, I proceeded to Kragen Auto Parts to get the bulbs after I had picked the car up after its oil change. $4 later, I was the proud owner of the bulbs I needed. I drove home and waited for the engine to cool down before I set to work on replacing the bulbs.

The driver side light was tough to reach, but in the end it took all of 15 minutes to get the old one out and replace it with the new one. "Ha!" I thought. There's $50 saved!

The passenger side looked tougher. I couldn't reach it though the engine compartment because the air filter for the intake assembly was blocking it. I looked in the wheel well as an option to gain access. I had to remove all 13 (like that wasn't a big enough clue as to what I was going to be in for!) fasteners to pull off the shroud in the wheel well. After the shroud was off I could see where I had to go to get the old bulb out. It looked tight but do-able. After a few minutes of trying to reach in from one side of the frame brace, I realized I would have to reach around the brace to get to the bulb. I tried to cram my hand in between the brace and the filter assembly, but it wouldn't fit. I went back into the engine compartment and loosened a bolt holding the filter assembly to the frame. It was still a tight fit, but I could barely reach the bulb socket. Unfortunately for me, I couldn't release the clip so I could pull the socket out.

At this point I muttered a few choice four letter words, and then called for my darling 8 year old daughter. She tried valiantly for several minutes to undo the clip as well, but while her hand was small enough to reach the socket, she lacked the finger strength to pop the clip free. I was proud of the effort she put out though.

After she went back in the house to watch more SpongeBob, I tried again to use my own meat hooks to get the job done. Eventually I used one hand (well bruised and scraped from forcing it into the cramped space) and a screwdriver wedged in the frame to release the clip. Yay me!

After yanking the old bulb I tried to put in the new wedge base bulb. It was all going so well until I dropped the bulb onto the frame support. Turns out the frame brace is channeled, and the bulb rolled down into a spot where I couldn't get it. A few more four letter words, and then I packed the kids into the car and shot off to the auto parts store to get another pack of bulbs.

Good thing they come in 2-packs because I again dropped a bulb while trying to put it in. The third time was the charm though, and I got it in. I spent 20 minutes putting the socket and shroud back in place. There was a mix-up in which screw went where and the order of screw re-installation that caused a few moments of cursing as I realized that 1 screw was slightly different in size than the rest, and that I would have to re-install all those screws in a order that was way different than the order in which I had removed them.

So 2½ hours after I started I had finally managed to change both bulbs. Let me recap for you the pros and cons of this little adventure:

Pros: 1. Saved $100 in labor costs.

2. Got to use every curse word I know, and managed to invent a few new ones. "Raga-flagga-blagga" is my new favorite.

3. My daughter showed interest in car repair, and I got to spend a few minutes bonding with her while she tried to cram her little hand into the frame of the car.

Cons: 1. Spent twice the amount on parts. O.K. that only means I spent an extra $4, but really, the extra trip to the auto parts store was quite frustrating.

2. Scraped all the skin off of 1 knuckle, scraped 3 other spots on my hand, and bruised my forearm forcing it into the space between the frame and the air intake assembly.

3. Got so frustrated that I considered whacking the car repeatedly with my framing hammer.

4. Spent 2½ hours in the garage instead of with my kids having fun.

All in all I would have to say that the $100 I saved would have been better spent getting the car fixed professionally instead of me injuring myself and blowing an evening that could have been spent with the kids!

The lesson I learned here is that if something sounds more expensive that it should be, find out why. If I had just had the service adviser show me how hard it would be to get the passenger side light done, I would have been happy to let the paid mechanic sweat and swear over the replacement instead of torturing myself and my daughter with it.

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We have all seen LEDs become more and more prevalent in our daily lives. They are as common as traffic signals in major cities (after the whole energy rate fiasco a few years ago) and power indicators on most items. They are also as frivolous as LED hats to support your favorite team.

Manufacturers and retailers are starting to see the future in LED items as well, as they realize that a lot of people are looking to save energy. People want to support being "greener," sure, but they also want to keep a few more dollars and cents in their bank accounts.

Here are a few items I have come across that demonstrate how LED products will continue to make inroads in new categories of retail.

Probably one of the "greener" new items I have seen is a replacement for old-school tiki torches. The regular, run-of-the-mill torch uses oil as a fuel source for a wick that burns; the oil usually contains citronella. The new LED version uses 3 LEDs to both provide light and to simulate the flicker of flame.

I know that nothing can replace an open flame for ambiance, but if you have small children or pets, having an open flame in the yard can be a nerve-wracking experience. This torch eliminates the worries that go with having dancing flames, and also eliminates the smoke and soot that traditional torches can produce.

The LED torch has a solar cell on top, with rechargeable batteries underneath, so you don't ever have to worry about whether or not you need to fill it up that evening. It also has a photocell built in, so you also don't need to worry about lighting it or turning it on. It automatically "fires up" and provides a nice amber glow to your patio or yard.

Porch lights are also getting the LED makeover. Now that LED makers can make a bright, white -- OK, slightly bluish -- LED, makers of some decorative outdoor lanterns (porch lights) are replacing the traditional socket with LED fixtures.

This cuts energy usage hugely, as a lot of porch lights are burning 60w-100w from dusk to dawn. Even if the fixture that gets replaced was on a motion sensor to limit its energy consumption, it's still safer and more energy-efficient to run the LED fixture all night.

Flashlights have also made the jump to LED. Originally, the only place to find these bulbs in flashlights was in hand-powered units. Due to the need for extreme energy efficiency when people provided their own power to the flashlight, through shaking or cranking, LEDs were the obvious choice.

Now even major flashlight player MAG has a battery-powered flashlight that uses LEDs to provide the illumination you need for extended periods of time. So, the next time you see a video of rogue cops smacking someone with their flashlights, it may just be that they are giving a beatdown with LED technology.

The true test of LED in the home will be whether the LED replacement for the incandescent bulb can get down in price far enough to make it competitive. Right now you're looking at about US $28 to replace a 60w incandescent with a LED unit. Not many of even the most rabid tree-huggers will tell you with a straight face that it's a good buy.

Sure, you can save up to US $300 over the life of the bulb, compared to a standard bulb, but when you look at the very energy-efficient CFL (compact fluorescent lamp) options that have become so cheap, LEDs take a back seat. If LED replacements get down to the prices of CFL bulbs, and major retailers start to carry them, we may see an even greater explosion of LED in our homes. It's all about economies of scale.

The energy efficiency and extreme long life of LED fixtures is sure to make them more and more inviting to consumers, and therefore to manufacturers and retailers. So make friends with the technology now because this is a juggernaut of a technology that is still building up steam.

A search in Google, Yahoo, or whatever search engine you prefer can help you find more LED items in the works. Just remember: no matter what the price is now, it will continue to fall, as demand for this green technology continues to grow at an astronomical rate.

Also remember to read every one of DIY Life's articles on the subject: a little shameless self-promotion never killed anyone!

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There are many easy principles that we all take for granted that you can use to amaze and delight your kids. All you have to do is make the time to spend with them.

These tricks are relatively fast and very simple to execute. The pay-off in looks of wonderment and excitement in you kids' faces will be well worth the time it takes to pull them off.

So plan to turn off the X-Box, PS 2 or 3, Wii or TV, and spend a few minutes with your kids as you introduce them to the wonderful world of mad science experiments.

The tin can phone

The first and easiest thing to do with younger/ toddler kids is the old school string and can phone. All you need for this is 2 empty soup cans, plastic cups, or empty plastic soda/ water bottles cut in half and a length of string, fishing line, etc. Step one is to make a hole in the bottom of your "receivers".



For metal cans I would recommend using a small drill (1/16" or smaller diameter). For the plastic cups or 1/2 bottles you can usually punch a hole in the bottom with an awl or nail. Next feed the line through the two holes and tie knots in the ends large enough to prevent it from pulling through when under tension. If you managed to make too large a hole to be able to tie off the line, tie the line to a METAL washer instead to keep the line from pulling through.

Hand one end to your child, and then pull the line taut. Talk into the can while the child holds the other end to their ear. Switch positions and let your child talk to you through the phone. Don't forget to show them what happens when the line is slack! Although, if yours is like mine, having the line go slack won't be as big a challenge as keeping it taut!

Fun in the sink

Another quick trick that will amaze your kids needs just a sink full of water, 2 mixing bowls, and their favorite small toy. Fill the sink 3/4 full with water. Now bet your kids that you can put their toy into the sink all the way to the bottom while it is full of water with out getting the toy wet.

After the "No way!" "Yes way" fight dies down, put the toy into the smallest mixing bowl you have. then float the bowl in the sink. Put the toy into the bowl. Turn the larger mixing bowl over and use it to force the smaller bowl with the toy to the bottom of the sink. Let your kid's eyes get to their maximum size, and then slowly let the bowls surface.

Remove the large bowl and show them the dry toy. Next see if they can duplicate the feat. Chances are they will get all excited and twitchy and get the toy wet either when they sink it or when they raise it. Make sure you don't use anything electronic as a safety precaution.

Make water flow up hill

The last little bit of hocus pocus also uses the sink, a couple of mixing bowls, a cup, and a hand or kitchen towel. First fill a mixing bowl with water. Then place it on top of another mixing bowl that you have over turned in one side of the sink. Ask your child if they can figure out a way to get the water to run up the side of the mixing bowl, over the divider in the sink and into the cup.

When they either give up or say it is impossible you pull out the towel. Thoroughly wet the towel in the mixing bowl, and then drape it from the bowl, over the divider, and into the cup. Let it stand for a while (ice cream is always a good time killer), now show them that the water has indeed flowed over to the cup and is filling it up. Tell them that they can go to school the next day and tell kids that they can make water flow up hill!

Getting the child's buy in is HUGE in these kid friendly little experiments. Challenging them with what they think is nutty or impossible to do gets their attention and gets them excited to try to prove mom or dad wrong. It also will spread to their friends as they try to duplicate these tricks for them. Just be on the look out for over the top bets on whether or not these tricks can be pulled off successfully. No one wins when someone has to eat a hand full of dirt because of a bet. Yes. I am still a little bitter about that one. Dang older brother! He should have let me off!

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When my wife and I decided to mount our LCD TV to the wall instead of having it on its stand, we were faced with the problem of hiding all the cables and wires. There were the component video cables, power cable, RCA wires to connect the VCR, and the cable connection. That was gong to be a lot of ugly spaghetti to have hanging from the bottom of the flat screen.

I decided to use surface mounted wire moldings to hide them. After installing them I painted them to match the wall. While this does neaten things up, you can still see the two runs of molding that I had to use to contain all the cords.

I had considered putting them inside the wall, but seeing as the electrical panel for our town home was directly on the other side of the wall, I decided that it was going to be nothing but heartache to try to do it that way. The other draw back was going to be the extra cutting, patching, pulling, and painting that was going to be required to do it properly.

Now I have discovered a newer, easier, and cleaner way to accomplish this goal of a hidden installation. FlatWire Is the answer that I was looking for.

FlatWire is between 8/1000 (paper thickness) and 13/1000 (business card thickness) thick. FlatWire can be used to clean up audio, video, data, and (if the testing goes well) 120v wiring. It is applied to the wall with a spray adhesive, and is flexible enough to make 90°+ bends so that you can customize the installation to fit your specific needs. The wire is also paint-able and wallpaper-able as well.

For the cleanest installation you can feather joint compound out, using standard techniques, to make it completely disappear after sanding, texturing, and painting. If the wire gets the UL approval the company wants, you will even be able to wire your ceiling fan or sconce without cutting into the ceiling/wall or having to pull wire. Just shave a path through your acoustic ceiling, install the wire, and then patch the ceiling with standard spray patch. No one will ever be able to tell that it wasn't installed conventionally.

For audio applications it can replace speaker wire from 18g to 12g, and the sub-woofer connection as well. Just make sure that your speaker can either take a banana plug or RCA connection, and then buy the wire and the correct terminals.

Video applications include CATV cable, component, and S-Video connections. The wires are pathed to make sure that you get at least as good a signal as you would with conventional cables. Again, just make sure you get the correct terminal kit for your needs.

Data applications let you run the cable connection for your cable modem with out having the big fat cable running across the landscape. After you hook up your modem you can then run the CAT5 emulation wire to make your RJ45 connections for your network. It all installs cleanly and invisibly with very little fuss or muss for such a great looking installation.

Once the company gets its UL approval for the 120v applications, installing new wall and ceiling fixtures where and when you want will become as easy as applying a new coat of paint. They are also looking into making an outdoor approved product as well.

The wire is a little pricey when compared straight across to conventional wire, but once you factor in the labor costs if you decide to have a conventional installation, the FlatWire product is way cheaper. Even if you plan to DIY a conventional installation, the time savings of just having to use spray adhesive and paint to install is huge!

All in all I would have rather found out about this product BEFORE I did it my way. I just pray my wife doesn't get wind of it or I WILL be re-wiring our TV system on a weekend when I least expect it!

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One of the most fun and educational things you can do with your child(ren) is to start your own garden.

You don't have to make it a veggie garden, although eating what they grow does tend to intrigue the little ones. You can do a flower garden, a butterfly garden, or a cactus garden, to name a few.

I am also going to teach you how to add another twist to it. You and the small ones can build a garden that moves!

Why make a mobile garden? A mobile garden means you can change locations so you can use different plants at different times of the year that have different sunlight requirements. It also means that you can bring the garden to you when you want to work on it. Details after the break!

The materials you will need to make your 4'L x 4'W x 3'H roll-around garden:

1. (1) - 4x4-12' pressure treated or redwood post cut to 4 pieces 32" long.
2. (5) - 2x4-8' pressure treated or redwood studs cut to 8 pieces 41" long. Cut the last stud to 1 piece 45" long.
3. (2) - 4'x8'x3/8" siding (I recommend getting the siding that is grooved 4" on center.) cut to 4 pieces 4' x 32 1/4". Have the groove run in the vertical direction. If you want you can also replace the siding with dog eared pickets cut to 33" high. You will need 32 of them.
4. (1) - 4' x 4' piece of 3/4" exterior plywood.
5. 40 square feet of a weed block type liner that will allow for water to flow out, but not the soil.
6. 1 gallon of asphalt emulsion.
7. (1) five pound box of 8d galvanized joist hanger nails, 1 1/2" long.
8. (4) 2 1/2" casters that swivel.
9. (16) 1/4" x 2" galvanized lag screws with galvanized washers.
10. (18) Model A35 hangers from Simpson. Make sure they are ZMAX style if you are using pressure treated lumber.
11. Tools: Hammer, ratchet with 7/16" socket, cheap paint brush, staple gun with 1/4" galvanized staples, saw (hand or circular), T-square
12. 24 cubic feet of soil. Consult your local home center or nursery for guidance on what will best suit what you are planning to grow.

The first step is to attach the A35 hangers to the ends of all of the 2x4 pieces. The hangers will need to be bent. The bottom of each hanger has 2 pieces that can be bent 90°. Bend each one so that you can support the long and short side of the 2x4 pieces on each end. The un-bent side is the side that will be attached to the 4x4 legs of the garden. The 2 hangers that are used for the longer 2x4 piece will need to have both sides bent to 90°.

After all the hangers are attached to the 2x4's you can nail them to the 4x4 legs in a vertical position. That means that when you look at it standing up you will be looking at the 4" side of the 2x4 when you face it. Each side of the garden will have 2 of the 2x4's nailed to 2 of the 4x4's. The first 2x4 will need to be nailed on so the top of the 2x4 is flush to the top and outside face of the 4x4's, so that it looks like you just built a small fence panel. The second will need to be nailed on 18 ¾" down from the top of the 4x4 legs.

This second row will allow for 18" of soil to be kept in the garden. This will be more than enough depth to support whatever you want to grow (including dwarf fruit trees).

The third step is nailing on the cross support. Take your longer 2x4 and nail it to two of the bottom 2x4s, so that the planter base will have support across the middle. Make sure you appropriately locate the middle of the 2x4s by measuring them out.

The fourth step is to install the plywood base. Notch out the plywood piece at the corners. Use a scrap piece of 4x4 post as a guide to draw your cut lines. Next cut the 4x4 piece in half. Insert the 2 pieces in to the bottom of the planter so that the plywood is supported by the bottom 2x4 pieces and the cross piece. For maximum support, make sure the seam in the plywood is 90° to the cross support. Nail in place.

The fifth leg of our odyssey is to nail on the siding. Use your T-square to ensure that whichever side you start on first is square, line up the bottom of the siding to the bottom of the 4x4 legs, and then proceed to nail the siding to both the 4x4 legs and both of the 2x4 cross members. Repeat for each side.

If things go right you shouldn't even need the T-square for the last side. Make sure you use enough nails, as these provide the support to hold in the soil. About 20 nails per side should do it.

The sixth step is to screw on the casters so this baby can move. Use the lag screws with washers to secure the casters to the bottom of the 4x4 legs, then flip the garden back over. Try not to give into the temptation to use it as a demented go-cart at this point. It's hard, but I think you can do it!

Step seven is coating the garden's interior with asphalt emulsion. Use a CHEAP brush to liberally apply it to all the exposed wood inside the planter (don't use a good brush, as you will not be able to get it clean afterwards). After making sure you have an uninterrupted coating, let it dry completely.

The eighth step has you using your staple gun to staple the liner material to the inside of the planter so that when it is filled, the soil will touch only the liner -- not the wood. Be generous with the staples, to ensure firm attachment.

As soon as the liner is secure, you can paint the outside of your planter: either match the decor outside, or let the kids cook up their own designs. Have fun with it!

Lastly, after the paint dries you can fill it with soil and start planting your own personal, mobile garden.

A couple of variations you can try are reducing the height if you need to, making the base more shallow for a cactus or serenity garden, or using sand and rocks for a Japanese rock garden. I hope you and the kids have fun with this, using it for quality time, and as a way to teach and learn.

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Is it cheaper and more energy efficient and therefore "greener" to heat just one room instead of the whole house? Well, DUH! The question is though, how do you heat just one room in a way that is best for you? I am here to try to sort out the options for you.

Portable heaters are as many and varied as people. There is no one right heater for every one or even for every room. Some people need just a small table top unit, and others need what I like to call the portable horse bar-b-que. The first thing to decide is what kind of energy is going to be used to produce the heat. Do you want electric, can you use a forced air kerosene unit, or will a propane unit suffice?

Unless you are working in a large (read garage, workshop, barn etc.) space with a great deal of air flow, you don't want kerosene. These units produce carbon monoxide and other products from their combustion, and no one should use one ever in a smaller or enclosed space. If you do meet the air flow and size requirements you can purchase one of these buggers to help thaw out your work area. Be warned though that if you are looking for a nice quiet unit to provide the heat these are not for you! The fans on these units are not subtle, but they do move the air very well. You can purchase units that produce in excess of 175,000 BTUs. (This is where my "horse bar-b-que" label comes in.) The larger units have wheels on one side to facilitate maneuvering them around. Just aim them so that they are firing into the the space to be heated, and laugh at the neighbors as you work in the garage in mid winter wearing Bermuda shorts with the door wide open and snowfall happening outside. My favorite question I ever got about one of these units was when a guy who resembled Jeff Spicoli from "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" came in and asked which one he could use to keep a large outdoor area, which was closed off by black plastic, warm during a vicious cold snap. He said that the area was kind of remotely located, but there was a generator available to use to power the fan and that the area was open to the sky. I wonder what he crop was trying to keep warm? Bananas? I doubt it.

Propane is also a common fuel for well ventilated areas. There are fewer styles and sizes of unit. That means radiant or convection heating of your large, well ventilated area unless you spring for a fan forced unit. Translation: It may be a while until the whole area is warm. So unless you plan on standing next to the unit, it may not the best option for fast, consistent heating of a larger area. The other draw back is portability. Some heaters are just a burner on top of a 20# tank and are not too bad to move, but the "portable" unit we are all most familiar with is the patio or outdoor seating at the restaurant style, and the only reason they are called portable is because no one has bolted them to the floor. The same goes for the few large fan forced units. You have to move the heater unit and the 20# tank. What a pain!

Electric heaters are the trick for all indoor areas, and for some bigger workshop areas if you require a quieter unit while you work. For larger areas you will probably want to look at a quartz heater. The heater element for these kind of units resemble halogen bulbs, and they produce heat in the same way. The current heats the element encased in glass, and radiates it out. These units are ugly, but they do produce a good deal of heat and are fairly efficient. There are also old school industrial looking units for heating the workshop that your grandfather will recognize as the same one he used back in the day. These units are generally fan forced with old school coiled metal elements. Not real energy efficient, but it will probably last longer than you or me.

Once you decide to heat the interior of your home several more factors have to be cleared up. Is the look of the unit important? Do you want the noise of fan forced heat? What size area do you need to heat? These questions will decide if you want radiant, convection or fan forced heating.

Convection baseboard heaters are very quiet, and very efficient at heating whole rooms. Place it along the baseboard of a wall and turn on. It will set up it's own convection current and evenly heat the whole room. There are a few pointers to remember with these units though. First is that the fewer obstructions in the room the faster and more efficient the convection current will be. Second is that these are not super fast heaters. Turn them on a while before you will need to occupy the room.

Fan forced heaters provide quick heat, and tend to have the better heating elements and styling. They will often have ceramic or ceramic coated elements that will last far longer that regular coiled metal units especially in damp areas. They also deliver their heat in a focused "beam" of blown air. This is great if you can have it pointed at you, but not so great when you need to heat a room for multiple people. These units are generally small in size, and people tend to use them to heat bathrooms or to provide heat just for themselves. Think of using it in a cold living room when watching TV by yourself. I would not recommend using this style to heat a large room where multiple people will all need to be comfortable. Also remember that the fan in these units and the movement of air will cause some noise that will vary by unit size and maker.

Radiant heaters are similar to convection heaters in that they are very quiet due to the elimination of fan and air noise, and they are intended to heat whole rooms. Where they differ is in design. The convection heaters have bodies designed to facilitate the propagation of a convection current. Radiant heaters do not. Some styles resemble satellite dishes, and they can focus the heat somewhat in order to give it a direction. This style mimics the advantages of a fan forced heater for personal heating, but is much less efficient at focusing the heat beam. The "true" radiant heater just sits in the room (The closer to the middle the better.) and gets hot. The heat then spreads out to heat the whole room. Think of it as a modern pot bellied stove. There are many styles of radiant heaters, but the most popular and common is the old school oil filled unit that resembles the old steam heated radiators from way back when. The oil filled style is popular because there is a lot of surface area to transmit the heat into the room, and because the oil does a great job of retaining residual heat and continuing to heat the room even after the unit's electric heating element has turned off.

Lastly, for efficiency's sake, and to maximize you savings on heat, make sure you get a unit that has a digital thermometer that allows you to either set a desired temperature or run time to make sure that you can maintain an even heat with out having the unit run forever. Good luck in your shopping, and stay warm!

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You've picked out the perfect new cabinets, and installed them yourself. Congratulations! Now you are ready to move on to the counter tops. What do you do? You can't place regular tiles on your masterpiece. You want to use solid granite, but the cost is way too high. You consider using stone tiles to achieve the same look, but we all know that even with the best installation you will still be able to see all those joints.

Granite2Go has come to the rescue for the DIYer in this quandary. Partnering exclusively with The Home Depot, they have arranged for 3 colors of granite to be stocked in some the home improvement giant's retail stores.

The slabs that will be stocked are 8 feet long and 25.5 inches deep. They are 2cm thick with the edge pre finished as an ogee style edge that uses an additional 2cm build up to achieve the proper thickness for the edge. The granite slabs are stocked in 3 colors. Three of the edges com finished, and the slabs also come with 2 side splashes so you can use the slabs where ever you need to with out having to purchase additional granite.

By making the slabs one length and standardizing the edge, Granite2Go has been able to allow the Home Depot to stock their slabs at $18.16 per square foot! That is an amazing price for solid granite slabs. The regular price for these 8 foot slabs is $399.

If 8 feet is too long or not long enough, Granite2Go's web site has a how to video you can watch online. There are also DVDs available in the stores that stock the slabs as well. Not all the stores are stocking this item as of this article. It has been rolled out to 48 stores so far as they test the program. Their web site promises more colors and a special order program for the future if the test runs go well.

The online video does an excellent job of making working with the slabs easy. According to the site all you need is a 4 1/2" grinder, the right blades and polishing discs, some epoxy and hand tools to do what ever you need to do to the slab. Need to lose the decorative edge on one or both sides? Whack it off and use the included side splashes. The video even shows the proper way to make a corner so you can use the slabs to do a kitchen no matter what size or shape.

Hopefully you are lucky enough to have one of the test stores in you area so you can take advantage of this great DIY deal!

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Improving indoor air quality has been one of the newer issues in the green movement. To help deal with this issue there are several low or no VOC paints that have been introduced to help people remodel their homes without damaging their air quality. VOCs, or volatile organic compounds, are what put chemicals from paint into the air, and consequently gives paints their odors. As VOCs are reduced, the odor levels drop, and fewer and fewer chemicals are put into the air.

The down fall for low and no VOC paints has always been tinting. Tinting the paint adds 150 grams of VOCs into the paint. This is true for all paints. That means that even if you buy a boutique, all natural paint, as soon as you tint it to the color you desire, you just defeated all the work you put into locating and purchasing the paint.

ICI Paints has solved the problem with their new Freshaire Choice line of paint.

This new line of no VOC paint also has a unique tinting system that allows Freshaire to be tinted to 65 colors with out adding any VOCs to the paint! The tinting system uses pre measured packets of dry tint that color the paint without adding any VOCs to the paint. This VOC-less system is an industry first. No other tint system for paint can make this claim. Another innovation is that the tint comes in a packet that dissolves into the paint completely. No mess. No fuss. No wondering if you will be able to get the same color mixed again if you make a second trip later for more paint. Until now, you had to hope that your paint store's liquid dispenser calibration would not change before you need more. Don't even think of going to a different store and expecting the exact same color unless you have them custom match it to make sure. By using pre measured, standardized packets, Freshaire ensures consistent colors no matter when you buy more paint. The only drawback to the system is that you can ONLY use the 65 colors that are currently available. No custom matching. I can imagine that if this paint line takes off more colors will follow, and possibly a dry tint dispenser, but that is just me guessing. For now you can choose from 65 colors and that's it.

Another "innovation" for a no VOC paint is that Freshaire is going to be sold through a mass merchandise retailer. The paint is going to be sold exclusively at The Home Depot. The largest home improvement retailer in the world is the only place you will be able to buy this paint. The retailer is currently rolling the paint out to its retail stores. The Freshaire web site even allows you to look for the closest Home Depot that has the paint in store for you to go purchase. This move allows the paint to be in over 1,000 retail locations across the U.S. It also potentially allows the paint to be sold in Home Depot's stores in Canada, Mexico, and China. Over 2,000 possible retail locations with a home improvement juggernaut backing you is truly an industry first for no VOC paints.

The green take on this paint doesn't end with eliminating VOCs and creating a unique no VOC tint system. Freshaire uses 100% recycled materials for the can, the can is recyclable when you are done, 75% recycled fiber material is used for the can's label, the label is printed with soy ink, and another innovation is that the paint chips are also completely recyclable as well being made from recycled materials. Any other paint chip that actually has paint on it cannot be recycled. As far as I know, only Freshaire allows you to recycle actual sample paint chips.

All these no VOC claims made by Freshaire have been certified by GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI). GEI supports both the claims for the paint AND for the tint materials.

In order to allow you to do a whole job completely without adding any VOCs to the air, Freshaire makes drywall primer and ceiling paint as well. This 3 part system allows you to do whatever you need to do indoors whenever you want without compromising your air quality. So even if you have persons in your home that are medically sensitive to air quality or VOCs, you can paint with no fears for them.

They even provide a link for professional painters so that they can get an idea of what their advantages will be using this paint. Those professionals that deal with painting in environments that requires stringent environmental controls (like schools, nursing homes, hospitals, etc.) will definitely appreciate the advantages that Freshaire will provide over other paints in these situations. There is even links to MSDS, material safety data sheets, so that they can immediately provide them to their potential clients for review. Very smooth approach to try to get the professional to think green!

Freshaire is an innovative new product that looks to help the DIYer and the pro do things right while doing the right thing.

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The popularity of pirates right now cannot be overestimated. The Pirates of the Caribbean franchise has made being a pirate cooler than a slushie on a hot summer day. If your children are fortunate enough to have a wooden play system in the backyard, here is an easy DIY project to turn it into their own pirate ship or defensive fort.

Treasures to be "acquired" for the project:

1 piece of 1/2" PVC pipe; 1 piece 3/4" PVC pipe; 1 piece 1" PVC pipe; 1- 3/4" floor flange PVC; 1- 3/4" male adapter PVC; 2- 3/4" caps PVC; 1- 3/4" tee PVC; 1- 3/4"x1/2" coupling PVC; 1- 3/4"x1" coupling PVC; 1"x2" coupling PVC; primer for PVC glue; PVC glue; plastic spray paint (C'mon, who wants a white telescope?); 1- 1/4"x1" hex bolt galvanized or stainless steel; 3- 1/4" washers galvanized or stainless steel; 1- 1/4" nylon lock nut galvanized or stainless steel

First step is to assemble the joint so the telescope will be able to rotate. This is key to make sure your kids are not stuck with a stationary unit that is pointing at the wall or worse, the 105 year old neighbor lady's master bathroom! Drill 1/4" holes in the center of each of the 2- 3/4" PVC caps. Next insert the hex bolt with a washer through the 1st cap from the inside. Put a washer over the bolt and on top of the cap. Place the 2nd cap over the bolt. Place the last washer over the bolt and secure with the nylon lock nut. Only tighten enough to give it a little friction with out binding. It should look like you just bolted the two caps together end to end with a washer in between them. You can use a little dry lube here to make sure it will operate smoothly and with out squeaking.

Next build the telescope body. Assembly of all of these pieces will require gluing; so make sure you DRY fit them all 1st to make sure you have built a telescope to the size you desire. Failure to do this may result in pre mature balding and global warming... or maybe it will just result in a LOT of frustration for you. Also make sure you use primer before putting each glued joint together to make sure that you have the strongest welds possible. There is NO right size so feel free to play around with lengths. Start on the big end with the 2"x1" coupling. Use a very short piece of 1" PVC pipe to connect that coupling to the 1"x3/4" coupling. A longer piece of 3/4" PVC pipe will connect this assembly to the 3/4" tee. Use a very short piece of 3/4" PVC pipe to connect the tee to the 3/4"x1/2" coupling. Finish with a piece of 1/2" PVC pipe to complete the telescope. Later you will use a length of 3/4" PVC pipe in the bottom of the tee for its support leg. Like I said you will have to play around with DRY fits and lengths to get the look you want. An overall length of about 24" usually looks right, but go with what makes you happy. Make sure you sand the cut end of the telescope to make sure that no one gets any strange scratches around their eyes that will require you to explain things to your spouse. "Chicks dig scars" will not get you off the hook for not sanding!

3rd step is to build the base to attach the telescope to the rail. Screw the floor flange to the wooden rail. Thread the male adapter into the flange very tightly. Glue a short piece of 3/4" PVC pipe into the male adapter. Glue one side of your rotating assembly onto that 3/4" PVC pic sticking out of the male adapter.

The 4th step is to attach the telescope assembly to the base assembly. Here you will benefit from the help of you child or children. Use their height as a guide to decide how long of a piece of 3/4" PVC to use to connect the bottom of the tee from the telescope to the rotating assembly. When you have the length decided on, cut the 3/4" PVC pipe to size and again DRY fit it together to make sure you got the size right before you assemble it. As the kids grow you can cut and glue more pipe to lengthen the support leg to accommodate changing heights.

The last step is to pick a color of spray paint (get the kind designed for use on plastic) and then paint you new telescope a nice piratey color. After it dries it is time to sit back, accept the accolades of the kids and watch as their little dreams of becoming pirates and sailing the ocean blue in search of treasure and adventure! (And maybe some ice cream and candy)

p.s. Don't be surprised when the other fathers in the neighborhood hit you up to help them do the same for their kids!

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Recently I had occasion, courtesy of my spouse, to change out the trim on the shower valve in our kids' bathroom. The project went very smoothly until I pulled the trim plate from around the single handle valve control. For some reason it had been caulked into place. Usually the trim plate is help in place by screws that attach to the valve body. I removed the old plate, old caulking, and re-installed the new plate. After finishing the whole assembly I discovered the reason for all the caulking on the old one.

Apparently the one-armed, special-ed, blind contractor (no offense) who had originally installed the valve assembly did not secure the pipes to a stud as required. Whenever I pulled on the handle to open the flow of water, the whole valve body (trim plate included) would pull out and create a gap between the plate and the shower wall. AAAUUUGGHHH!!!! Why do plumbing projects always turn into these kinds of nightmares? Is it just me?

So now I was faced with either using 18 gallons of caulk to hold the plate in place, or cut a huge hole in the wall to be able to reach and secure the pipes to a stud mechanically, or figuring out a different way to secure the pipes.

Using enormous quantities of caulk to hold it in place was out because I am not going to bet a happy marriage on it holding out until we move. Also I was philosophically opposed to jury-rigging it anyway.

Cutting a hole was out because this is a fiberglass unit, and the wall on the other side of the unit is the separator wall between my town home and the next unit. I didn't think I could ask our Korean speaking neighbors to let me whack a huge hole in their home to fix mine.

As I pondered my dilemma I was struck by an incident that had happened at my work. A forklift had hit a can of expanding foam that was on the ground. The resulting pop was funny until we had to get the dried, expanded foam off of everything. The stuff had amazing adhesive properties and blew up to about 3x its original size. I rushed out to my local home center and purchased a can. I inserted the dispensing straw into the hole that was cut for the valve body, and proceeded to let loose a fair amount of foam between the loose pipes and the fiberglass wall. I then re installed the new trim plate, leaving a little slack between the trim plate and the wall of the shower. I waited overnight, and then checked back. The foam had worked like a charm! The expanding foam had glued itself to the wall of the shower and the offending pipes. It had also expanded enough to pull the trim plate tight to the shower wall as well. I checked the operation of the valve, and it worked smoothly without the prim plate pulling away from the wall. I repeated the trick with the loose shower head arm in the same shower with equally good results.

If you are facing a similar difficulty I would recommend thinking about using expansion foam to get the job done. It is fast, easy, and very economical. Just be careful where you use it. If you put it somewhere it does not belong CLEAN IT UP IMMEDIATELY!! If you wait, you will have a nightmare job of scraping it off when dry. Also think about how much expansion you want. There is standard expansion, and a 3x expansion formula out there. There is also a soft expansion formula, but for securing pipes, the flexibility it retains after curing would be more of a liability than a plus. The other formulas dry to a hard, smooth foam that will tolerate pushing and pulling with out moving if you use it right. To my knowledge the only other drawback to using the foam is that it generally comes in a BIG can, and for a small job that means a lot of waste as once you start using it you cannot store it. Hilti has addressed this issue by using a fold back straw that allow you to use a portion of a can, and then store the rest for later use. A simple solution that allows those of us with only occasional use for expansion foam to not waste product or money.

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Any serious DIY remodeler, crafter, or wood worker will end up with old cans of latex paint, stain, or other finishes lying around the garage or workshop. It is inevitable. The disposal of these cans of doom is a major headache. Gone (and rightly so) are the days of just heaving it into the garbage can. Now days you must either use it, donate it (usually as graffiti cover up), let it dry out naturally, or take it your municipalities hazardous waste disposal site.

Using it is a royal pain in the buttocks because unless you need that color of finish for another project, you are stuck painting and re painting an old board to use up your old material. I don't know about you, but when I am done with a project, the last thing I want to do is spend a day or 3 doing this.

Donating it can also be an issue if the colors you need to ditch are not neutral colors that will blend with concrete or block wall colors around your town. Habitat for Humanity and similar charities may also be interested, but it is a long shot that you will have a color they need or want. It is worth asking though.

Taking it to a hazardous waste disposal site is time consuming, and depending on your city, it may cost you some cash to drop it off for them to take care of.

The last common way to get rid of your useless of materials is to let it dry out. Most cities only require that the latex paint be in a solid form for disposal. The issue here is dry time. While it can be very cool in a geeky way to break the skin of the paint and stir it in every 24-48 hours, it can take literally weeks for an almost full can of latex paint to fully dry out. If the weather turns humid or, heaven forbid, it rains, you just added to your dry time and until it does dry up completely you have a huge eye sore and health hazard sitting around your home or yard. Would your kids or pets stay out of it? I know mine wouldn't!

What to do? What to do?

There is a faster solution to the disposal problem we all face. Waste paint hardener. This little miracle in a pouch rapidly turns your liquid nightmare into a solid, disposable rock. Just mix it in, wait the dry time, and then (if your city allows it) heave your dried out mess into the trash and away it goes! The problem is solved, and you are free to pursue your next great project.

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