If you’re the type who can look at a wall, squint convincingly and suck in a breath before stating, with absolute confidence, “we’ll need 267 six by six tiles,” then skip these apps. But for anyone else who’s not a born guesstimator or mathlete, stay right here, as KAD Software’s apps might be of great help.
The company offers a bunch of estimation apps for all aspects of home improvement. Whether you need to know how many rolls of wallpaper you need, or how many cans of paint, or how much lumber, acoustic ceiling, sheathing, asphalt, and so on, these $0.99 apps are great.
There are free online tools that can help you with estimation needs, but if you’re in middle of Home Depot staring blankly at your room dimensions scribbled on a scrap of paper, you might want a slightly more portable solution that’s going to give you an accurate estimate.
Cost: $0.99 per app
iPhone owners are privy to a large number of fantastic color-related apps, but this is our top choice for the DIYer as it offers some practical features. Say you’re out just living your life and suddenly you spot the exact shade (or shades) you’d love to decorate your kitchen with. Just snap a picture of the hue and this app will help you match it to the nearest Sherwin-Williams paint color.
You can also take the selected color and create a custom palette either based on your own choices, or from auto-generated suggestions. If you want a second opinion on your selected palette, you can share it via e-mail or Facebook, and then once you’ve made your final choice, the app offers map-based store locations and directions so you can go and purchase the Vogue Green and Java Brown you have your heart set on.
It goes without saying that the color representations (or matches) on the iPhone will depend on the quality of the light, and the paint may not be exactly the same as you’ve been seeing on your phone’s display. But it’s a free, high-tech alternative to endless sample strips, and a great way to record a favored shade on the go and match it to real-life products.
Cost: Free
Source:Mashable.com
Any experienced homeowner can regale you with stories of hiring contractors. The stories almost always seem to fall into two neat categories "Look at what a great job they did!" and "Let me tell you about the time the guy put the back hoe through my garage "We've experienced both ourselves, so here's our handy guide to hiring help around the house so that all your stories can begin like "You need a new roof? Let me tell you about this fantastic roofer I hired!" Read More
One of the essential tool you will need for your home work station that will enable you to make most carpentry based projects a breeze is a Miter saw. This power tool will enable you to make those to quick, accurate crosscut in a workpiece. The Makita Dual Slide Compound Miter Saw with Laser guide, and Fluorescent Lamp is one miter to consider.
Makita LS1214FL 12" Dual Slide Compound Miter Saw, Laser guide, and Fluorescent Lamp Makita owes its reputation for building outstanding quality power tools to the drive and determination for excellence that began over 85 years ago as a manufacturer of electric motors. In 1958, Makita introduced their first electric tool and today Makita is one of the world's largest power tool manufacturers. Makita LS1214FL 12" Dual Slide Compound Miter Saw, Laser guide, and Fluorescent Lamp Features: • Built-in laser with micro fine adjustments clearly indicates line of cut; independent switch allows laser to be seen independently of blade rotation.
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• Built-in high output fluorescent light illuminates work area and lasts 2,000 hours on average. • Dual steel rails supported by linear ball bearings ensure stable, accurate cutting. • Powerful, direct drive 15 AMP motor never slips or bogs down. • 9 positive stops at 15°, 22.5°, 31.6°, 45° left or right and at 0° for the most common miter cuts. • Bevel positive stops at 33.9° and 45° left with 45° right. • Electronic speed control maintains constant speed under load; soft start feature for controlled operation. • Single cast aluminum base has built-in wrench storage for operator convenience. • Long slide track and wide pivot angle allow cross cuts up to 4 x 12 material. • Large turn base and adjustable pivot fence supports larger stock Makita LS1214FL 12" Dual Slide Compound Miter Saw, Laser guide, and Fluorescent Lamp Specifications: • Blade Diameter: 12" • Arbor: 1" • No Load RPM: 3,200 • AMPS: 15.0 • Size(L x W x H): 28-1/2" x 20-1/2" x 28-1/4" • Net Weight (lbs.): 52.9 • Shipping Weight (lbs.): 75 • UPC Code: 088381071079 • TOOL INCLUDES: - 12" x 70T Carbide-Tipped Blade (A-94443) - Vertical Vise (122540-9) - Dust Bag (122523-9) - 2 ea. Extension Wing (322932-4) - Sub-Fence (right) (153898-5) - Triangular Rule (762001-3) - Socket Wrench #13 (782212-4)
I confess: I very rarely clean the baseboards in my home. The job is just too big and I can't imagine when I'd carve out a whole afternoon to get down on my hands and knees to scrub these seemingly endless strips of wood, which seem to attract dirt and dust like a magnet.
But it's those finishing touches that give a room that polished look. The truth is, baseboard cleaning doesn't have to be so daunting. Frequent touch-ups and preventive maintenance are key to avoiding a big job down the road. Here are a few tips for taking the toil out of cleaning your baseboards.
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