Most Serene Jobsite Award Goes to...

I love spring. I always get the landscaping fever and end up ordering unusual plants to put somewhere around our yard. This year the weirdest is a giant plant called "Dinosaur Food". :)

Anyway, I was working last week at an home in the older part of Old Hickory that has to get the award for one of the most pleasant places to work. The yard was just full of all kinds of well-groomed and cared for plants. All of this next to a front porch that spanned the entire front of the house with a very inviting porch swing.

I was working right in the middle of it all, mixing grout for tile and cutting some flooring for the kitchen.

-Peter

www.CarpentryGuy.com

My Buddies at Home Depot

My son Noah is 5 which means he loves working with any kind of tools to build things, especially when he gets to help me on a project.

Last weekend we were painting our house and made a Home Depot run to buy paint. Before we left, Noah had to suit up in his work apron and, of course, his hard hat. The crew at Home Depot enjoyed seeing him and we had to get a picture with the 'snow man' in the tool rental department.

Now you know that we take our work very seriously around our house... :)

Merry Christmas!

-Peter

www.CarpentryGuy.com

A Beauty Treatment for Ugly Walls

We've been sorting through boxes to reclaim part of our house and we found an issue of House Beautiful from June 1953. It's really fascinating to see ways that our homes have changed, as well as our lifestyles over the past 56+ years.

One ad for Romany Tiles caught my eye that describes their ceramic tiles as "wear proof, fade proof, flame proof, stain proof- and so easy to keep clean." They call it "A Beauty Treatment for Ugly Walls." It reminds me of all the bathrooms in all those 50's ranch homes that I've seen covered with tile of all colors and designs. Usually it's still in great shape, so maybe Romany was right?

I also noticed at least two different ads for toilet seats. Of course, both are bold colors to match the tile & fixtures of the day. Olsonite is the brand for "America's Smartest Bathrooms", while Church Seats say they are "The Best Seat in The House". Kind of humorous today, I suppose.

The cover article is about a $20,000 house that utilizes low-cost production techniques with custom-design quality, including a refrigerator, washing machine, and a TV set! They also feature a house that they call suitable for families with an income of $7000 a year!

Things have certainly changed. Have they changed for the better? Perhaps it's doesn't matter, but what are we doing with the changes? Hopefully, it has increased our quality of life and not just are anxiety and busyness, right?

Something to think about next time you're admiring your generic white toilet seat... :)

-Peter

www.CarpentryGuy.com

An Unusual Job with a Nice View!

I get asked to do all kinds of work for people. I enjoy that kind of variety. Today, was certainly an unusual chore.

My dad has been diving into amateur, also known as ham, radio. As he gets more serious, he also gets more antennae! Today, he wanted me to take down the old TV antenna that hasn't been used for years and replace it with one that will broaden his radio reception.

The tower tops out around 32 feet high and I made sure to have a safety belt on. I could attach the belt to the tower, which allowed me the use of both hands. It took a few trips up and down, but I got the old one off and installed a new rotor and the new antenna that had a 20 foot span.

We also grouted some tile, but that didn't seem nearly as interesting... :)

-Peter

www.CarpentryGuy.com

Can You Spot the Problems?

I was just cruising the Internet and found a challenging game on the Fine Homebuilding website called "The Inspector".

They've doctored up a photo and challenged readers to click on the code or safety violations. Play the game here.

I tend to 'play' this game in my head whenever I walk through a home. (Sometimes it drives me crazy!) I'll notice things that need to be fixed or items that weren't repaired or installed correctly.

Now, I know I'm not perfect, and someone else may give my work a critical eye. I suppose that's just the nature of the job.

Take some time and try out "The Inspector" for yourself and see how you do! I found the first few items okay, but the last ones are fairly tricky... You'll see what I mean if you try it... :)

-Peter

www.CarpentryGuy.com

Use a Studfinder to Nail with Confidence

If you haven't added a studfinder to your toolbag, now is the time. The days of putting eight holes in the drywall before you locate the stud are over.

There are numerous occasions when a studfinder is invaluable. For instance, the other day I was installing crown moulding in a finished room. With the studfinder I was able to locate a place to nail so that the crown doesn't sag later like it did at the house from this post.


It's also helpful when hanging heavy objects or installing a bookshelf or even a baby gate that you want to hold when the kids are climbing over it. :)

Basically, you just press a button the studfinder and slide it across the wall. When it finds a stud it lights up and even has a beep to alert you. As you can see in the picture, they are so easy to use so that even my 4-year-old could go around the house finding studs.

I've got a Zircon StudSensor SL, which is a fairly baisc model that sells for around $15 at Home Depot. There are some that get quite fancy and also find live wires within the wall and other hidden items.

Next time you want to hang a heavy mirror or bookshelf that won't give you the drop, make sure you find the studs first.

-Peter

http://www.carpentryguy.com/

Painting is All Smiles

Once in while, I'll have time to do a project around our house. A little while ago, I was preparing to paint our nursery and had a little help from my four-year-old, Noah. This was such a great picture that I had to post it:


Whenever I get out my tools, Noah is ready to join in the work. He especially likes the electric screw driver and anything messy like painting or digging. I have to keep an eye on him, but I wouldn't want it any other way!

Working on the house is downright fun for the whole family.

-Peter

http://www.carpentryguy.com/