Fall Home Improvement Guide 2015 - Thrifty Nickel Want Ads, Evansville, IN

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Great Wallpaper Projects Start With Prep (NAPSI)-Wallpaper has emerged as one of this season's hottest decorating trends. And it's easier to hang than you think!

The key to successful wallpapering is preparation. Just follow these simple steps for an easy, beautiful wallpaper job: Select your wallpaper. Wallpaper is available in a wide variety of styles and colors-from elegant to whimsical. Your paint and decorating store or home center

has a wide selection of patterns from which to choose. Or check out wallpaper manufacturer Web sites for the latest styles and trends.

Clear the room. Move furniture away from walls and set up a large table to work on. Be sure to protect the carpet and furniture from adhesive splatters and spills by laying down drop cloths.

Clean the walls. Remove dirt, grime, grease, old wallpaper adhesive and any other contaminants that may interfere with adhesion with a simple ammonia-and-water or soap-and-water solution. Rinse clean and allow to dry. If there is existing

wallpaper, remove it by scoring the wall with a PaperTiger® Scoring tool and applying a wallpaper stripper like DIF® Wallpaper Stripper. Available in concentrate and ready-to-use gel and fastacting liquid formulas, DIF penetrates with special enzymes and wetting agents that loosen any type of wallpaper and dissolve old glue regardless of the surface it is on.

Prepare the surface. Wallpaper needs a smooth, sealed surface to look its best, so before you hang your wallpaper, apply a coat of wallcovering primer, like SHIELDZ® Universal Wallcovering Primer.

SEPTEMBER 24-30, 2015

SHIELDZ seals the surface and hides previous colors in one coat, creating the perfect surface for hanging wallpaper. Priming also makes wallpaper easier to position, improves its adhesion, and makes it easier to remove at redecorating time. Plus, SHIELDZ protects against the growth of mold and mildew under the wallpaper, so it is great for bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms and other high-humidity areas of the home.

You're ready to hang! Simply follow the wallpaper manufacturer's hanging instructions and before you know it, you'll have a beautiful room that reflects your personality and style.

SEPTEMBER 24-30, 2015

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Brighten Up: Increase Outdoor Living Safety And Ambience With Deck Lighting (NAPSI)— With the proper lighting, family and friends can enjoy good times outdoors long into the evening without being left in the dark. To make sure the fun doesn’t have to end when the sun goes down, consider these four simple suggestions to select deck lighting that creates a warm and inviting backyard: • Go for the Glow—Choose lighting that won’t flood your deck with light but instead casts a natural and subtle glow that produces understated silhouettes. Install a dimmer switch so you can adjust the mood as the e v e n i n g progresses and a timer to set lights to turn on automatically after dusk and fade away before the sun rises.

• Let Your Décor Shine— Today’s deck lighting comes in a variety of styles and should be a beautiful finishing touch that coo r d i n a t e s seamlessly with decking and railing. Think about the outdoor spaces where you spend the most time or the favorite elements of your home’s exterior and highlight appropriately.

Recessed lighting installs flush on deck boards to light a path or accent a design, while riser lights keep stairways safe and create festive patterns.

Install rail lights on posts to illuminate the deck below and integrate post cap lights for a warm downward glow that marks the way.

• Cut Energy Costs-Long—life LED deck lighting is best for both the environment and your electricity bill. For instance, new Trex DeckLighting™ operates for up to 40,000 hours of life and uses 75 percent less energy than conventional incandescent lighting.

LED options also prevent voltage

drops, which means the last light in the series is just as bright as the first.

• Lighten the (Work) Load—To spend more time relaxing outdoors, select lighting that may be installed on a new or existing deck in just one weekend.

Trex Deck-Lighting also signifi-

cantly reduces time spent maintaining. Weatherproof, salt air resistant and offering the extra security of a sevenyear warranty, it’s guaranteed to retain a “like new” appearance for years to come— while its long life ensures you won’t need to constantly replace lightbulbs.

“The best deck lighting not only helps you save money on maintenance and energy costs, but also significantly extends the amount of time you’re able to spend enjoying outdoor living spaces,” said A d a m Zambanini, vice president of marketing for Trex,

the world’s largest manufacturer of wood-alternative decking and railing. “Choose a lighting collection that offers flexible design options, while also providing a strong return on investment and creating a more inviting outdoor living environment.”

For more deck

lighting inspiration and ideas, visit the world’s

largest manufacturer of wood-alternative decking

and railing at www.trex.com.

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INNOVATIONS SAVE MONEY, ENERGY (NAPSI)—In today’s real estate market, more Americans are choosing to stay in their homes and focus on renovations and improvements rather than moving. Home improvement expert Jodi Marks notes that many homeowners are looking for meaningful fixes, such as decorative enhancements and space-saving strategies, that can make a home feel fresh again.

“People are also focused on saving money and energy by looking for building products that offer both current and long-term benefits,” said Marks.

“Like many architects and designers, homeowners are turning to plastics to help reduce energy and maintenance costs.”

According to Marks, innovations in plastic building and construction products have made it even easier for homeowners to save money, make their homes more energy efficient and reduce their carbon footprint. Some of these innovations can be made of recycled plastics. All types of plastic bottles and containers, when properly recycled, can go on to lead a “second life” as new products for homeowners, such as decking and furniture.

Here’s a look at the ways: • Windows: Applying plastic-based caulks and sealants is a quick, easy fix for drafty windows.

If replacement windows are needed, vinyl plastic windows provide excellent insulation to help maintain an even temperature in the home. This cuts down on heating and air-conditioning, saving homeowners money and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

• Decking and fencing: Lumber made with plastics is durable, doesn’t require painting or staining, and is easy to maintain. It’s also resistant to fading, mold and mildew. Some plastic lumber is even made with recycled plastic grocery bags.

• Flooring: Plasticcomposite laminate flooring is readily installed over almost any

existing, hard-floor surface. Each piece simply locks into another, so even a large room can be installed in an afternoon. Because of plastics, composite flooring is durable and both stain and moisture resistant, which means it requires little maintenance and works well in

just about any room of the home. Luxury vinyl tile—a tough, durable tile that’s already proved itself for many years in commercial settings—is thicker and made entirely of plastics, with a beautiful finished look to rival traditional materials. It also locks into place

over existing flooring for a do-it-yourself project.

• Roofing: Plastic roofing can look like slate or wood shakes and it’s long lasting and tough enough to withstand extreme weather. Manufacturers often offer a 50year warranty; some

even offer a lifetime warranty when the product is installed by a professional. It can also help provide additional insulation protection as part of the roofing system, as well as reflect heat, so it helps reduce heating and cooling costs and energy use.

• Insulation: Adding

foam and other plastic insulation when renovating or residing a home can help homeowners save on heating and cooling bills. For example, plastic house wrap can reduce infiltration of outside air by up to 50 percent.

SEPTEMBER 24-30, 2015

SEPTEMBER 24-30, 2015

WINTER PLANNING What are we gardeners doing or thinking about in winter? To an extent, we are worrying about the present, though it might be wiser to dig those drains when the ground has dried out a bit.

If you have to be out there, make sure you are as comfortable as is possible in the circumstances. Put on plenty of layers of clothing; make yourself watertight; have several changes of dry gloves. If you must plant, be light in your touch and don’t compress the soil. Above all, don’t tread on and compact it, making it lose structure and air spaces.

Planning for the next year is, one might say, a good excuse for being inside and warm. You can get inspiration from browsing through catalogues and well illustrated gardening books. But to confine your planning to the winter is sheer escapism; it should be a part of the whole year’s thinking.

Indeed, you can usually get a far clearer picture in summer, when it’s

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all actively in front of you, of what changes and improvements are desirable. That’s where the vital garden notebook comes in, capturing the brilliant thought that has come into your head and setting it down forthwith, before it is lost. The notebook should be small enough to be carried around or slipped into a pocket and it should have waterproof covers.

Always keep yourself on the rails by noting the date of any entry. It doesn’t matter how grubby and battered the book becomes. Read over what you have written within the next day and when you’ve come indoors.

That way you can be sure to read your own writing and also to fix the place and occasion in your mind (it may be in your own garden or it may be in someone else’s).

Many improvements are just a question of minor adjustments, rather than out-and-out planning. In fact, I’m not keen on plans, as the site always looks different once you’re on it. In a few weeks, you’ll be enjoying the appearance of one of the earliest daffodils, the little yellow trumpet, ‘Tete-a-Tete’. It is so small that there are many spots where it can simply be left to get on with its life, whether active or dormant, and will not be in

the way.

Under a deciduous shrub, for instance. Look around you and think where else it might be nice to see some of it. Stock soon increases, so it won’t be long before you have enough to spread around. Then think, what would it be nice to see with this little fellow that would make a good companion at the same time?

My own answer, here, is primroses - the unimproved wild primrose.

You don’t have to (must not, in fact) dig it up from the wild. A plant is easily bought or grown from seed and will soon be large enough to be divided. The primrose is pale yellow; the narcissus, deep yellow and they are well contrasted in shape.

Anyone else to join the party? Well, what about some bulbs of the little Iris reticulata? Purple is wonderfully highlighted by yellow and again we have a different shape but a flowering season that coincides. And this iris can easily multiply if left undisturbed in the garden, as it never would were you growing it in a pot. To own whole clumps of it, thick with blossom, will be a source of great pride.

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For a site, I am still invoking the protection of some deciduous shrub it might be a weigela or a deutzia - which is itself doing nothing at this season, so that there is plenty of light beneath it.

Another good spot is around some hardy perennial, which takes up a lot of space in summer but retires to virtually nothing in winter. A number of hardy cranesbills come to mind. Geranium ‘Ann Folkard’ would be ideal. There is always a great deal of space around a single plant of this, in winter, and that space will remain vacant until well into May, by which time the bulbs will naturally be dying down and the primrose can put up with any amount of summer shade anyway.

You should surely be growing more snowdrops and there’s currently so much ground doing nothing where they’d be happy. For an accompaniment I always think that the marbled foliage of hardy Cyclamen hederifolium looks ideal as a background to them.

All this is just a start to the year but can go on in every week through the seasons. Plan now on paper for the summer by all means, and make lists of the plants you yearn to have, but be prepared for some major rethinking when that time actually comes along.

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SEPTEMBER 24-30, 2015

USE COLOR TO REVAMP THE LOOK OF YOUR HOME

THE SIMPLE MUSTS FOR YOUR TO-DO LIST

(NAPSI)—Choosing a new look for your home can be a liberating, rejuvenating change that will pay off in the future. By choosing the right color, you can express yourself, freshen up an old look and increase the value of your home. According to a recent Cost vs. Value Report conducted by Hanley Wood, LLC, an exterior makeover such as installing fiber cement siding-can be a great investment, returning more than 83 percent of the project cost upon resale.

Here are several tips to help you increase the value of your home while boosting curb appeal: • Go Green. Color choice can affect the energy efficiency of your home. Darker colors absorb the sun and therefore warm the home, while lighter colors reflect the sun’s rays, keeping the home cooler.

This is an important consideration depending on the amount of sunlight your home is exposed to on an average day.

• Get Back to Nature. Look to your natural surroundings for inspiration. For example, in a wooded area, vivid greens and browns can help blend the style of a home with its environment. In an urban setting, bright, eye-catching colors can help to offset the sometimes drab hues associated with city living.

• Go Back in History. If your home is from a certain historical period, play off that history. Find old pictures of your house or neighborhood to use a historically accurate color scheme. Try to select shades that were used at the time your home was built. This will add character and a certain amount of authenticity to your own little historical treasure.

• Visualize the Finished Product. The ColorView free online tool at www.certainteed.com lets homeowners picture their home complete with new color. You can even mix and match colors of roofing, siding, trim, rail and deck to choose the perfect style and look.

• Make a Lasting Impression. The darker the hue, the more likely it is to fade over time, especially with homes exposed to direct sunlight. CertainTeed’s Monogram vinyl siding offers consistent quality and variety with over 40 colors and wood-tone blends.

• Look Up. The roof accounts for roughly 40 percent of the exterior appearance of the home, so it’s important to consider roofing shingles. CertainTeed’s Presidential Shake Shingles deliver the charm and character of hand-split wood shakes with the durability and strength that preside over wood in virtually every surrounding.

From aged bark and charcoal black to weathered wood and chestnut, the shingles are available in a wide array of dynamic color options and textures to match your home’s unique style.

(NAPSI)—Every homeowner’s to-do list will vary by the weather— cool and rainy, sunny and dry—but from indoor to outdoor projects, it is important to prepare your home for weather changes and make the transition easier on yourself and your home. Here, from an assortment of experts, are a few must-do’s to prepare your home for cooler weather: 1) Beautify Your Fireplace. When temperatures drop, many families light up the fireplace to relax and wind down from the day. Before you do, be sure to follow these cleaning tips. Make sure the floor around the fireplace is well covered with drop cloths. Mix a solution of high-alkaline cleaner and one ounce of chlorine bleach per gallon of warm water. Wet the surface of the fireplace well with the solution, but don’t use so much that it runs. Dirty water running down the face may cause hard-to-remove streaks. Scrub the solution in with a brush and rinse well. If you’re not comfortable, you may want to call in a professional from Merry Maids.

2) Keep Your Floors and Furniture Looking New. The best way to keep the look of your decor is very simple—keep up with the cleaning. ServiceMaster Clean experts recommend performing the following tasks consistently to enhance and maintain your home: Vacuum regularly, dust your floor, respond to spots immediately, deep clean carpets once a year, deep clean and treat hard-surface floors, and rid upholstery of oils that soil.

3) Feed Your Lawn. The experts from TruGreen know a little preparation with your lawn and landscape can go a long way. Late summer to early fall is the right time to feed your lawn to ensure its health and vitality. Lawns recovering from heat stress require the proper blend of nutrients to become thicker and develop a better root system. Heat-stressed lawns also need fertilizer in order to complete their growing season with healthy grass and a pleasing appearance.

4) Scale Away Pests. Rodents and insects will stick around in cooler weather, carrying harmful bacteria into your home through cracks and crevices. To protect your home against the nuisance, experts from Terminix advise placing weather stripping on the bottom of all exterior doors to ensure they seal tightly. Use caulk to seal any holes or cracks in your home. Eliminate cracks or openings around pipes and utility lines that enter the home. Make sure to close the flue damper when the fireplace is not in use. Move piles of firewood and other debris away from the home’s foundation. Trim tree branches and shrubs away from the house so rodents do not have access to your roof or other entry points in the home’s exterior.

5) Check Your Heating System. Before firing up your heater, the experts at American Home Shield recommend having an annual system maintenance service performed at least a month before the heating season begins. Other steps you can take to ensure proper heating include moving furniture that has been placed over floor vents to clear the airflow, checking your filters every month to ensure efficient operation, and visually inspecting your exhaust vent for rust, damage or deterioration.

6) Prepare Your Plumbing System. Plumbing is like any other machine: It requires basic maintenance to remain functioning properly.

Insulate pipes prone to freezing, such as those near an outside wall, those in unheated areas of your home or any exposed plumbing such as outside faucets. Keep your water meter box covered with its lid and wrap outdoor or crawl space pipes with electric heat tape or insulation to prevent freezing.

You can learn more at www.servicemaster.com and (866) 348-7672.

SEPTEMBER 24-30, 2015

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DECORATING TRENDS— Flooring Is Not Just A Fashion Statement (NAPSI)-Designer-inspired looks, rich embellishments and technological advances are changing the way people look at flooring.

Floors have become more than a surface to walk on. Today's residential flooring makes a statement not only of fashion, but also of homeowner philosophy that transcends taste and space.

For example, floors today feature recycled leathers and suedes, woods that are not merely "exotic" but also "green," self-cleaning ceramics, and carpets made from corn sugars.

Wood Flooring For wood flooring, tropical looks that are also environmentally friendly are the rage as manufacturers show an understanding of newly established environmental standards. Hardwoods from sustainable forests undergo natural staining and aging treatments that leave them looking much like their highly sought but endangered rainforest cousins. Unfinished vintage looks and highgloss, piano-finish contemporary wood planks are also growing in popularity. Coconut palm floors resembling zebrawood are a new trend--and they are eco-friendly, durable and affordable.

Carpets and Area Rugs The ever-popular plush carpet appears in a wide variety of alternative and sustainable materials and styles, including a new, luxurious hemp weave that looks and feels like silk and a cozy "fisherman-style" wool weave rug that's like a sumptuous sweater for your floor.

Neutrals will also hold their place in plush flooring but the color du jour in carpet and rugs is turquoise, bringing a clean, fresh representation of water and sky into the home.

To add a bit of sparkle to your plush floors, a number of manufacturers have woven shiny tinsel into new carpets and rugs.

Laminates Giving American homes an international look for less, laminated

Shutters: A Facelift For Your Home (NAPSI)-There are few do-ityourself projects that make a statement quite like adding shutters.

With a few hours of effort, it's possible to mount beautiful, expertly crafted shutters that add character and can help define a home's look.

Since the nation's founding, shutters have been an essential architectural element, protecting windows from storm damage, providing ventilation and offering charm and privacy.

"Louvered shutters on the upper stories could be angled downward to provide a view of activities below and provide a barrier against the rain," said Christopher Peeples, an expert in shutter history and owner of Vixen Hill, which manufactures quality cedar shutters.

Today, shutters are primarily a decorative fixture, supplying a finishing touch that enhances the architectural style of a home and adds that much-sought-after curb appeal.

Peeples offers several tips for choosing shutters: • Even though you might choose wood shutters for their superior looks alone, they also tend to be stronger and more durable. Wood shutters take stain and paint applications easier and can withstand highly humid climates or climate changes.

• In hurricane climate areas, shutters can afford instant protection and eliminate the ongoing effort and expense of having to replace broken windows.

• When choosing wood shutters, look for quality rot-and-insect-resistant wood. The preferred choice is old-growth western red cedar (air-dried, not kiln-dried). Vixen Hill mills its own wood to ensure the highest quality.

• Louver thickness is a key indicator of shutter quality. The best louvered shutters have 3/8- to 1/2inch louvers.

For more information, visit www.vixenhill.com.

floors are made to look like exotic woods inspired by tropical varieties from Hawaii, Honduras and Africa. One new line of wood-look laminates offers a beautiful alternative to timbers that can no longer be harvested without harming the environment-and breaking the law. Homeowners can enjoy an exotic look underfoot without having to fear for the rainforests because of it.

Porcelain and Ceramic Tiles are now available in every color, texture, shape and size imaginable. In fact, a rapidly developing trend in the category is to design your own. Many companies are now offering completely customizable tiles in a wide assortment of materials and a rainbow array of colors. Many will even create custom dyes for consumers who send in swatches of fabric or paint to be matched.

Then there's this feat for your feet: A new tile line infused with antimicrobial protection that won't wash off or wear away provides a layer of defense from stain- and odor-causing bacteria.

Realistic Resilients The resilient category--which includes vinyl, cork and linoleum, among other surfaces--offers new looks that closely resemble travertine, limestone, concrete and slate but leave out the high price and high maintenance. New lines of rich-looking leather and suede tiles are made from recycled car seats and jackets.

Find Help To help you find flooring to suit your sense of style, the World Floor Covering Association website, www.WFCA.org, has answers to floor-covering questions. It also offers a product catalog and practical tips on manufacturing details, varieties and styles available, things to consider before you buy and how to prepare for installation, plus a database of retailers to help you find a store nearby.

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SEPTEMBER 24-30, 2015