Bamboo, known for its hardness and durability, is also one of the greenest options around. Rapidly growing and highly sustainable, bamboo is an ideal material for countertops and other food preparation surfaces. Teragren is the manufacturer of these bamboo countertops, as well as other work surfaces, flooring and panels. All their products are made of Moso bamboo, which is harvested at maturity every 5-6 years. (They don’t do it any earlier because immature bamboo is still too pliable, or “green” if you will, and can warp.) [click to continue…]
Kitchen
I came across these peel and stick metal tiles while browsing through This Old House’s website. From Aspect Ideas, this tile series can be used for either practical or decorative applications. You can use them as a back splash in the kitchen or bath, or dress up a wall area for a more artistic look. The metal tiles come in four different color finishes; stainless, champagne, brushed bronze, and copper with the option of long or short grain. [click to continue…]
Ever heard of engineered flooring and panels? This is the practice of using a thin layer of wood, typically around 1/8” thick, laminated to a substrate. It’s like using really thick veneer. Think about it. You want your flooring or paneling to look real and feel real and maybe you want to use a distressed finish. Thin veneer, like what’s on the plywood we buy from the lumber yard, isn’t durable enough for floors, and of course distressing is not an option. Engineering your product is the key. [click to continue…]
Thanksgiving week is here already and many of us are gearing up to cook up some large birds. I can almost feel that tryptophan coma setting in right now. Most of us are cooking in an oven. But this is the United States! So, of course, a large number of people intend to fry their turkeys. It’s part of the US diet and culture: when in doubt fry it! Frying a turkey involves filling a huge pot with oil, heating it with a high-power propane burner – often during festivities that involve copious amounts of alcohol. What could possibly go wrong? [click to continue…]
Finishing this article this month seemed like the smart thing to do as it goes hand in hand with finishing your project as well. Plus we get a little continuity going here which makes my wife very happy. Making my wife happy means I am happy. ‘Nuff said. [click to continue…]
