Douglas Fir is commonly used in porch decks because it's easy to work with and relatively inexpensive. For porch decking, the wood is milled, as with other types of decking, so that the boards fit together via tongue-and-groove fittings along the sides. It's important that you weatherize and paint the boards, as tongue-and-groove boards usually aren't weatherized during the milling process. Lay out the Douglas fir decking on an open work area, upside down.

The carriage bolt derives its name from its use as a fastener in horse-drawn carriages. The square portion beneath the rounded head of the bolt makes it ideal for for wood penetration. When the bolt tightens into a piece of wood, the square portion keeps it from spinning. Carriage bolts are often countersunk below the surface for safety and aesthetics. These bolts work best for hardwood applications, because the head would simply strip through softwoods.

Drill bits are bladed tools, just like knives. While those blades might be tiny, they are still essential to the drill and need to be kept sharp. A dull drill bit makes the drill work harder, wearing out its motor and degrading your investment in a quality power tool. Sharpening drill bits with a file requires nimble fingers, but otherwise is an easy task requiring only a few minutes.

A Dremel rotary tool is an adventure in a box. There are literally thousands of uses for the original, high speed rotary tool and they are happy to tell you about each and every one of them. Rotary tool novices should start with something more basic, such as cutting and sanding. Trimming a countertop is a perfect project for learing to use your Dremel. Trimming a countertop is a precision job that is perfect for the Dremel and its novice user.

When your string trimmer runs out of line, you can go to the home improvement store and buy a new spool full of trimmer line. But that costs a few bucks. It's much less expensive to buy replacement trimmer line and respool it yourself. It might seem a little tricky at first, but you'll be able to quickly get the hang of it and get back out in your lawn.

The metallic marks you may see on Corelle dishware may or may not have been caused by contact with silverware. The gray areas can also be the result of contact with metal utensils, the exposed metal on dishwasher racks, metal scouring pads or by rubbing against the surface of your stainless steel sink. Regardless of the cause, the marks may be easily removed using a nonabrasive cleanser. A cleanser recommended for rust removal is a good choice.

Human error, improper blade maintenance and incorrect mower adjustment are all reasons that a mower may not only fail to cut smoothly but also leave behind rows of uncut grass. These rows make the lawn look untidy. A flawless lawn depends on proper use and maintenance of lawn mowing equipment. They also may interfere with the “striping” that lawn mowing leaves behind as it becomes necessary to backtrack over even passes in order to fix a missed spot.

The beauty of a stone fireplace always draws guests to gather around it. Over time soot buildup makes the fireplace look dirty and uncared for. This can be an embarrassing problem. Scrubbing with soap and water alone will not remove the residue. Things You Will Need + Gloves Safety glasses Liquid detergent Bucket Scrub brush Phosphoric acid masonry cleaner Spray bottle Rags Sponge Make your fireplace stones gleam like new with phosphoric acid masonry cleaner and water.

If your Maytag Neptune front-loading washer has a foul odor, the smell can transfer to your laundry. Although front-loading washing machines are good for saving energy, they are also notorious for emitting a musty odor. Fortunately, this problem can be remedied quickly. Detergent buildup and water deposits can lead to odors in your washer. Give your Maytag Neptune washer a thorough cleaning to remove the smell and help to ensure each load of laundry comes out smelling fresh.

A freestanding kitchen counter, or a kitchen island, is a benefit in older homes. Many kitchens are not designed to accommodate more than one cook at a time. A freestanding counter allows a second person to make a salad, mix up a batch of cookies, chop vegetables or sit at the counter and visit with the cook. Designing and building your own freestanding counter provides a frugal solution to this common kitchen problem.