(guest post by Maureen Murray) This new deck makes the most of a wet outdoor environment. Trey Gregory is an animator and principal at Entertainment Creative Group (ECG) Productions, but like most of us, he’s also a homeowner. When he and his wife bought a home four years ago, they had no idea how deteriorated and unsafe the deck on the home had become. Many of the moisture-related dangers for decks go unseen until someone gets hurt. Constructed in the 1980s, the home’s original yellow pine deck was constantly under assault by moisture. The Gregorys yard backs up to a creek and dense woodland owned by Cobb County’s Board of Education. Both the uncovered and covered side of the deck, as well as the stairs leading up to it, had fallen victim to chronically wet conditions, which over time, rendered the original structure and surface dangerously rotted. “Our backyard is almost completely shaded, so when it gets wet it stays wet for weeks—plus we are near a stream,” said Gregory. “The deck stairs had rotted out and one of our landscape contractors almost fell through the top step, but luckily didn’t hurt himself. It was a warning sign!” After that incident, Gregory added yellow caution tape to his deck to prevent future injuries. In desperate need of a replacement, Gregory called in expert deck contractor John Lea. A seasoned deck builder and owner of Decksouth of Marietta, Georgia, John Lea has been serving Atlanta and the surrounding areas since 1998. Lea specializes in creating new outdoor additions for his customer’s homes with elegant looks and lasting craftsmanship. Upon inspecting Gregory’s decaying deck, Lea noticed the ledger wasn’t even bolted to the home’s sill. Lea advised Gregory that it was time for a replacement from the ground up. He also created more outdoor living space under the deck with a new patio using Belgard Pavers. Decksouth builds on a strong foundation of Sakrete footing forms. Sakrete was also used for the paver patio foundation. The Right Materials Lea has a great deal of experience with composite decking, working with it since it first came on the market. To provide a highly durable and budget-sensitive solution that could endure the damp environment of Gregory’s backyard, Lea proposed MoistureShield’s Elevate capped wood composite decking in Lake Fog, a rich gray shade. He also suggested a grooved profile so that hidden fasteners could be used to achieve a smooth, fastener-free surface. He went to work designing a new deck capable of withstanding the damp environment. In fact, MoistureShield is so moisture-resistant right to its core, that it can actually be submerged underwater. The scalloped design of the MoistureShield Elevate decking saves money on materials. The decking cuts cleanly and is easy to work with. Hidden fasteners installed along the grooved deck boards achieve a nail- and screw-free surface. After removing the old wooden structure, Lea began by replacing the original footings with concrete forms set with Sakrete High-Strength bagged concrete mix for added stability and moisture-resistance for the new 15-foot-high deck. “The bagged concrete was easy to work with and sets itself correctly. It doesn’t flash and it cures properly,” said Lea of Sakrete’s consistency. “It’s pure and smooth, and there are no chunks of aggregate. You can mix three bags together, and if you come up short, you can add a fourth without worrying about how it’s going to affect the whole mix. There’s no guesswork.” “The materials I use matter,” Lea said, explaining that’s why he chose the MoistureShield boards for the deck surface. “The Elevate capped boards are super-resistant to wear and tear and scratches during construction. We don’t even need to protect the surface with a drop cloth as we do with others. It doesn’t shred or feather when the board is cut, which is very important with a cost-conscious board.” Lea noted that some entry-level boards have so little cap-stock that you have to be careful to get a clean cap-stock separation at the cut line. Like all MoistureShield decking, Elevate’s proprietary Solid Core manufacturing process makes it impervious to damage from moisture, rot and insects, offering an ideal solution to standing up against Gregory’s sunlight deprived yard. “This stuff can truly do it all,” said Lea of the decking. “It’s rigid for workability, won’t swell, warp or rot—and insects don’t know what to do with it.” Adding finishing touches to the deck, Lea utilized different lengths of grooved decking in tandem with solid edge and fascia boards to deliver a polished, upscale look. “The litmus test for me is when you get down on your hands and knees and see zero board deflection and zero inconsistency in the board’s finish,” said Lea. Further adding to the Gregory’s new outdoor oasis, Lea chose Belgard pavers with the natural look of cut slate to create an elegant, color-matched hardscape space below the deck—and to create a transition to the backyard. The below-deck patio made of Belgard pavers provides more usable living space in an otherwise wet area of the property. “We used the Sakrete bagged concrete for the patio slab underneath the pavers (located below the deck) and along the border of the patio to secure the edge,” Lea said. He then filled the paver gaps with Techniseal® polymeric sand supplied by Masonry Supply, a division of Oldcastle APG, to seal the patio. “I like to use products that have synergy when creating outdoor living spaces,” Lea explained. “When I sit at a customer’s kitchen table and ask them to put their trust in me, I want to know that the brands we’re offering put their name on the line every day just like us. For my personal brand, it’s important that these materials perform consistently on each job and are always available. If my customer’s neighbor likes it, I want to be able to offer them the same colors, styles and warranties.” With Lea’s design visions for the deck and patio complete, the Gregorys can enjoy their new outdoor spaces that blend in seamlessly with the woodland views. They have the peace of mind knowing that it can stand up to the harsh conditions in their backyard—no caution tape or avoidance, just pure outdoor enjoyment. “We absolutely love it and can’t wait to have our first meal outdoors,” said Gregory. “John turned our nightmare deck into a dream space.” About Oldcastle APG Oldcastle APG, North America’s largest manufacturer of outdoor living products, is part of CRH’s Building Products division. CRH is a leading global diversified building materials group with operating locations in 32 countries worldwide. MoistureShield, a division of Oldcastle APG, proudly manufactures composite deck boards and related products, serving a range of retail and distribution customers across North America and several international markets. The development of new technologies and patents has enabled MoistureShield to manufacture superior composite products from recycled wood fiber and recycled polyethylene plastic. #construction #pavers #moistureshield #builder #deck #belgard #homeimprovement #contractor #decking #elevate #sakrete

In the world of interior design, choosing the right colors is paramount, and color trends are a hot topic again as paint brands launch their 'color of the year' for 2024. Benjamin Moore announced their color of the Year for 2024 as 'Blue Nova,' which is a comforting shade of blue with undertones of lavender. Sherwin Williams also went for blue for their 2024 color of the year, but chose a calming and muted shade of light blue. While it's common practice to choose a wallpaper that pairs well with a paint color, many homeowners want to go one step further and get an exact color match across both paint and paper, but it can be difficult to know how to achieve this. James Mellan-Matulewicz, Creative Director at wallpaper brand Bobbi Beck shares his expert advice when it comes to getting the exact same color for your paint and wallpaper: Top Tips for Matching Colors 1. Don’t rely on web colors as a reference. If you’re looking for a perfect match, then it’s important to get paper and paint samples in your hands, especially if you’re ordering online. Everyone’s screens have different settings, so colors represented online are often distorted. 2. Start with the paper. While some wallpaper brands offer customization, it’s generally easier to get a custom paint color to match the paper. The easiest thing to do is to get a paper sample and take it into a local paint store. They can scan the paper with a color reader and produce a paint in that color. 3. Double check your quantities. If you’re customizing a wallpaper or paint to match, you’re unlikely to be able to return any excess, as typically customized products are non-returnable. It’s therefore important to get as accurate as possible with how much paint and paper you need for your project. 4. Check colors in different lights. Before committing to your color, it's essential to sample it in the room you're decorating. Lighting and surroundings can significantly impact how a color appears. Test a small area of the wall with your chosen paint color and observe it at different times of the day to ensure it works well with your wallpaper. 5. Check batch numbers. If you’re ordering from a wallpaper supplier that manufactures in large batches, then you should check the batch number before ordering. You want to make sure your sample and final wallpaper order are from the same batch, as you can get color deviations between print runs. 6. Be realistic in your expectations. While you may be looking for a perfect color match between your paint and wallpaper, it's important to remember that they’re not the same products, so there may always be some minor color discrepancies. This could be based on how the paint reacts to certain walls, the different finishes across the materials, such as mattes, satins, and glosses, and how surrounding colors in the room can affect your perception of the other colors. Editor's Note: Bobbi Beck is a design and print studio specializing in sustainable luxury wallpaper. Bobbi Beck wallpaper is made to order, and the brand offers a color-matching service, allowing you to customize your wallpaper to a pre-existing paint color.

How to Paint Poly-coated Cabinets like the Pros Changing the cabinet color is one of the more impactful alterations you can make during a kitchen remodel. Cabinets occupy so much square footage along the wall that they serve as a focal point for most kitchen designs. The cabinet finish should integrate perfectly into a surrounding decorative scheme, so a color change is usually on the wish-list whenever the room gets a major renovation. Professional painters make good money painting kitchen cabinets because the job involves a lot of work and they know there’s a right way and wrong way to achieve lasting results. Here’s a look at what the pros know. Before: Oak cabinets in need of a facelift. Changing the Finish A word of warning to anyone who has yet to paint cabinets: The job requires a lot of time and labor. The work is not exactly difficult, but it is repetitive, requires meticulous attention to detail, and there is no way to speed up the process or cut corners without sacrificing the integrity of your paint finish. DIY’ers should expect to spend roughly a week working on the project, allowing for drying times. To change the color of pre-painted cabinets, they might only need a thorough cleaning, a coat of primer/sealer, and two new coats of paint. That situation, or painting unfinished cabinets, is the easiest circumstance to work under. However, cabinets finished with polyurethane, varnish, or a glaze have been given a protective coating to prevent stains and water penetration—meaning the surface resists anything bonding to it. To ensure the new paint will bond to the cabinets requires several phases of surface preparation. Because of this extra work involved, the cost for a professional to paint 144 square feet of poly-finished cabinets could range between $2,800 and $3,500, according to the estimates listed at Homewyse.com. An effective but labor-intensive approach would be to use a chemical stripper or power sander to remove the old finish entirely, then to begin anew as though painting unfinished cabinets. Caustic paint strippers generate a lot of fumes and a great deal of mess, though. Sanders create a mess too, albeit a dryer and dustier one. Nevertheless, for basic shaker-style cabinets with flat and square edges, sanding off the finish might be the simplest way to remove the poly and prepare for paint. However, sanding the swoops, edges, and ogees of decorative trim is more difficult. Sanding the detailed profiles of frame-and-panel doors and other similar styles can result in accidental damage to the trim. An alternative to sanding poly-finished cabinets is to give them a thorough cleaning, to scuff-sand the surface, then to apply a liquid surface-bonding product that professional painters generically call “liquid sandpaper.” The project requires substantial prep work, including TSP cleaning, scuff-sanding, “liquid sandpaper” and primer. Choose the Right Paint Purchase a high-quality paint intended for cabinets, which will provide a smooth finish. The best cabinet paints have self-leveling properties. A gloss finish will give your cabinets a sheen but may show a lot of dents or dings. Semi-gloss or satin finishes are typically used for kitchens. Flat finish paints can be difficult to clean. Edges and trim can be painted with a brush. To achieve a smooth finish on flat surfaces, you’ll get the best results using a High-Volume/Low-Pressure sprayer or using a 4-inch paint roller with a 1/4-in. mohair nap cover. When removing the doors, number them with painter’s tape for easy identification when reinstalling them. Drawer removal may not be necessary if the faces can be detached. Prepping the Surface Remove the doors and drawers, beginning at the bottom hinge and working toward the top on each one. Use painter’s tape to label the doors in sequence for easy identification when reinstalling them. Unscrew all the metal handles or pulls and store safely along with the hinges and other hardware. Depending on the construction of your cabinet drawers, it may not be necessary to remove the entire drawer. In some cases, the decorative faces are screwed onto the drawer fronts from the back, and you can remove the faces only. Gather all supplies, paint, primer and TSP (trisodium phosphate). Mask off the cabinet case with painter’s tape and the surrounding work area with plastic drop cloth. Arrange plenty of work space and designate a covered area for the doors to dry during the various prep and paint phases. First step is a thorough scrubbing with a TSP solution and a stripping pad. Rinse the surface after washing. First step is a thorough cleaning. Mix 1/2 cup powdered TSP with 2 gallons of water. Using gloves and 220-grit stripping pad, scrub all surfaces to be painted with the TSP mixture. Be thorough; you’ll be surprised how much grease and grime builds up on cabinets that is not always visible to the naked eye. Use a clean damp cloth to rinse off the TSP. After all the cabinet surfaces have been cleaned and dried, front and back, scuff-sand those same surfaces with 220-grit abrasive. Sand in the direction of the wood grain. Work the surface so a white powder shows on the surface, which indicates that the poly coating is coming off. This phase is called “de-glossing and etching,” and the abrasion gives the surface “tooth” that aids in bonding the paint to the surface. Sand the entire surface with 220-grit abrasive. You’ll need a variety of sanding equipment. A 220-grit stripping pad will flex to conform to curved profiles. Blow the dust off the surface with compressed air and wipe the residue away with a tack cloth. Sanding blocks cover the most surface area for door faces and case sides. Flexible stripping pads can conform to the curved shapes of decorative trim. The sides of cabinet cases are sometimes covered with a laminate material, which doesn’t have a true woodgrain, making the surface more suitable for an orbital power sander. All surfaces should be scuff-sanded to improve the bond with the paint. Once sanding is complete, it’s important to remove all the dust from the surface. Spray off the sanded surfaces with a leaf blower or compressed air, then wipe all surfaces down with a tack cloth to remove any remaining residue. Next step is to apply the “liquid sandpaper.” Available from a variety of manufacturers, the brand of Liquid Surface Preparation we used is called Wil-Bond (recommended by our friend Rob Robillard, “The Concorde Carpenter”). Note that a primer/sealer must be applied to the cabinet surface within 30 minutes of applying the Wil-Bond, so during this phase, plan on working with three or four doors at time. Work in a well-ventilated area wearing safety gloves, eyewear and a respiratory mask, because the liquid surface preparation produces noxious fumes. Stay far away from open flames. Saturate a rag with Wil-Bond and rub it over the cabinet surface until the rag “pulls” or “drags.” This stickiness will help ensure the primer coat goes on smoothly and lasts longer. Change the rag frequently as it picks up lint or debris. Wil-Bond is the brand name of our “liquid sandpaper.” When using the product, wear safety equipment and work in a well-ventilated area away from flame. Apply the liquid surface preparer with a saturated cloth, rubbing until the rag drags or pulls, indicating the surface is ready for application of the primer. Make sure you have all of your priming supplies set up and ready to go. Remember once you start applying the “liquid sandpaper” you have half an hour for the “tack” to remain active and for you to apply primer with a sprayer, roller or brush. Repeat the liquid prep/primer application procedure on all doors, cabinet case, and any surface to be painted. Once finished, promptly dispose of the chemically soaked rags outdoors in a metal container, because they are a fire hazard. The good news is that after the primer has been applied, all the extra prep work due to the poly-coat finish is over. You’re now dealing with a freshly primed batch of doors ready to paint with the same standard procedures as any interior painting job. Paint Application Although a mohair roller with a 1/4-in. nap can achieve a nice, smooth coat, you’ll probably appreciate the faster time-saving speed of a HVLP sprayer. You can pick up a quality Wagner sprayer with an integrated air turbine for as little as $80. This design keeps the airflow consistent and the pressure regulated for ideal spray performance. Faster than a brush to provide quick and easy coverage, the HVLP sprayer typically has a nozzle that adjusts the spray pattern for either vertical or horizontal fan. Strain the paint when loading the sprayer. Before painting the cabinets, always check the fan pattern and flow rate to make sure you have the sprayer’s pressure and material flow dialed in to deliver the smooth finish you expect. Make any necessary adjustments according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Hold the HVLP nozzle perpendicular to the surface and 7 inches away, applying the paint using a back-and-forth motion in a consistent pattern and overlapping to ensure coverage. Apply the primer within 30 minutes of applying the liquid sandpaper. Don’t skimp on the second coat of paint. Kitchen cabinets should get a coat of primer plus two coats of quality top-coat. Once the second coat is dry, you’re ready to reassemble the cabinets. Hang the doors, beginning at the top hinge and working downward. Consider applying felt pads to the backs of the door corners so they close softly and protect the new paint. A lightweight orbital sander can speed up the sanding of the cabinet case. Don’t overlook the corners, which you can access with a square sanding block. Mask off anything that you don’t want painted. Our team prefers using Frog Tape because it creates a seal when it comes in contact with paint. The cabinet case gets the same preparation as the doors: cleaning, sanding, liquid sandpaper, then primer. Your choice of cabinet paint should be a key consideration. The new C2 Cabinet and Trim Paint is specifically designed to achieve an easy, smooth finish with a short drying time. Paint tools also clean up easily with soap and water. Once the primer has dried, you’re ready to roll with your new top coat. As with any painting project, first cut in the edges with a brush. A 4” roller with a 1/4” mohair nap will achieve a smooth paint finish in areas where you want to avoid using a sprayer due to its overspray. Increase the productivity of your paint project by arranging a large, sheltered work area where you can spray multiple doors at once. Stand the doors so you can spray them without paint collecting along the edges. Shown here, we lean the door against blocking and rest the bottom on triangular wood strips so all edges can be sprayed without paint accumulation. Any joints or seams in the case can be sealed with caulk after the painting is complete. Tool Spotights Wagner Flexio 3500 HVLP Sprayer Homeowners who tackle paint and stain projects will appreciate the performance and easy use of the Wagner FLEXiO 3500. It applies a smooth, consistent finish to a wide range of interior and exterior projects and applies paint 10X faster than a brush. It can spray unthinned paints and stains right from the can. The sprayer features a compact, lightweight design that makes it easy to handle. It includes two nozzles: the iSpray nozzle for spraying broad surfaces like walls and a Detail Finish nozzle for spraying a smooth, fine finish on projects like cabinets and furniture. It also features multiple adjustable settings to suit your project needs, including an adjustable flow control, spray width, spray pattern and variable speed power dial. Visit www.wagnerspraytech.com. Diablo Sanders Diablo Tools has a full line of sanding sponges and pads, which conform to round or uneven surfaces better than a standard flat, rigid block. Diablo also offers sanding blocks made of a flexible, sponge-like material. They’re lightweight and dual sided with a “stiff” side and “soft” side, each of which can be fitted with a different abrasive so the tool can function as two sanders in one. Kitchen cabinets require a lot of sanding, so reusability is a nice feature in sanding equipment, and the blocks use Diablo’s SandNet sanding sheets with reusable technology. The SandNet sheets offer up to 10x longer life versus standard sandpaper. Each SandNet sheet features a clog-reducing nylon net design coated in a ceramic-blend grit for fast material removal while reducing buildup. The sheets are easy to clean and reuse multiple times by shaking, vacuuming, or rinsing the sheet to remove any pitch buildup. Visit www.diablotools.com. Bosch 18V Brushless 5” Random Orbit Sander The new 18V GEX18V-5 random orbit sander from Bosch is lightweight and easy to use, even on vertical surfaces such as cabinet cases. The new sander features a well-balanced ergonomic palm grip, which allows your hand to be closest to the work material to avoid tilting and pressing down, for best results. The easy-to-reach on/off switch offers intuitive operation. It has a vibration-dampening element to help minimize user fatigue. The powerful 18V brushless motor delivers similar stock removal to a corded sander. The speed selector delivers best results in different materials and applications. The sander has a 5-in. 8-hole sanding pad, which provides optimal dust collection when the sander is attached to a vacuum or a dust bag. Visit www.boschtools.com.

The term “dry-stack” refers to a stone wall that appears to have been constructed without using mortar. A dry-stack landscape wall can integrate natural materials into the design of your outdoor living space. Although mortar can be used during construction of a dry-stack wall, it is hidden near the rear or interior of the wall, so only the natural rock is visible. The popularity of the dry-stack method is due in part to its versatility. A dry-stack wall can be integrated into a retaining wall system, used as a low-profile landscape border, or built as a freestanding wall. When used as a retaining wall, a dry-stack wall will have maximum strength if it slopes in two directions. This means the face of the wall must batter (lean backward) into the slope it retains, usually about 1/2 to 1 inch per foot. The top course should also pitch slightly toward the slope with the outward edge of the rim as the high point. Note: For building sites that have steep slopes, consult a soil engineer or landscape professional to help design a plan to handle drainage and mitigate erosion. Some local building codes require soil engineers to approve plans for retaining walls above 4 feet tall. Before starting the construction of the dry-stack retaining wall, determine the amount of stone you'll need. This will enable you to purchase all of your landscaping rock in bulk from one source, ensuring a uniform stone appearance and potentially reducing material costs. First step in constructing a dry-stack retaining wall is to excavate the ground in the rough shape you want the wall. Dig into the face of the slope at the same angle that the wall will batter. Another option is to construct the retaining wall at the bottom of the slope and then fill behind it with gravel and soil. In some cases, site and soil conditions require a combination of both methods, but in both cases, you should leave room behind the wall to add drainage gravel. The wall shown was made of several stone courses, the top of which was covered with the final layer of surface pavers. That final course of pavers was mortared onto the border wall and served as the capstone. After the wall was constructed, the bottom two wall courses were buried beneath a berm of compacted earth to help hold it in place along the slope. This short sidewalk border shown won’t retain much earth and water, but taller walls must support more weight and hydrostatic pressure that pushes outward against the wall. Therefore, taller walls require better drainage. Give it a Break Working with natural stone means dealing with irregularly shaped building materials. You need to envision the wall as a whole and the individual pieces required to assemble it. When those pieces are not readily available, you’ll need to break the stones into shape. In some cases, you’ll need a brick hammer to chip away projections from a stone to give it a flat surface on which to stack the following course. Sometimes you’ll need to dig out a trench beneath the first course to fit a rock that has an uneven bottom surface.You’ll often need to split the length or width of a rock to fit your wall design. These cuts are made on-site as needed with simple hand tools (not powered blades) to maintain the natural cleft face of the rock. The courses of stone are all laid in a 2- to 3-in. bed of masonry cement, applied along the rear edge of each course to keep the mortar hidden. The irregular shape of the stones leaves several gaps and voids in the wall. These voids should be filled with smaller rocks that are back-buttered with mortar and inserted to strengthen the wall and give it a more uniform appearance. The cut-off waste pieces are often used to fill these voids, but many of these gaps require pieces shaped with the brick hammer for a tight fit. Freestanding Dry-stack Walls A freestanding dry-stacked wall is constructed by building a double-sided sloped retaining wall where each side batters against the other, which presses the stones together and holds the wall upright. Make sure to plan for drainage around your walls. Shown below is the outlet for a drainpipe that runs beneath the stones so water can exit without pushing against the wall.

Ombre walls are set to make a comeback as homeowners and designers alike explore ways to make spaces more interesting. Ombre walls, a technique where multiple shades or hues gradually fade into each other, can add depth, dimension, and a unique focal point to your living space, making them a popular choice for accent walls, bedrooms, living rooms, and other interior areas. James Mellan-Matulewicz, Creative Director at design brand Bobbi Beck, shares his top tips when it comes to adding ombre to your walls. “There are two ways to achieve an ombre wall; paint or wallpaper. Painting an ombre wall is not quite as tricky as most would think and can be a bit more fun than putting up wallpaper. However, it can be limiting from a design perspective as it’s very difficult to get smooth gradients and tricky to blend multiple colors. Paint is therefore recommended if you’re looking for a more rustic finish in a single hue. Wallpaper on the other hand offers much greater variety when it comes to design. As the design is a non-repeat, you would be buying a mural, which are typically made custom to your wall size and sold by the square meter or square foot. However, murals are relatively simple to install and don’t differ too much from installing standard rolls of wallpaper. Styling tips for choosing an ombre wall “There are three main things to think about when choosing an ombre wall design; color, direction and texture. From a color perspective, the options are almost endless, but the options can be broken down. A simple starting point is a single hue, with a gradient from light to dark. This is good for more minimalist schemes where you don’t want too many colors, but want something more interesting than just block colors on the wall. The gradient from dark to light could be subtle or dramatic depending on your preference. Two hues blended together is a great way to integrate a coordinated color scheme into a room in an interesting and unique way. The possibilities are endless with this so it’s just about choosing colors that compliment each other and work with the rest of the space. While most people think of one or two colors with ombre walls, there’s no reason you can’t go for even more colors. There will of course be a limit with how many colors would work well together, but if you’re looking for something more interesting, then why not go for a multi-color option. When it comes to the direction of the gradient, the most popular option is to have it vertical. It’s more common to have the darker shade on the bottom and the lighter shade on the top, but reversing this could offer something more interesting. For something even more unique, you could have a horizontal ombre, with the colors blending from left to right or even a diagonal gradient. Vertical gradients can work well in rooms with low ceilings as it can help give the impression of extra height. Horizontal gradients help when you’re trying to encourage a sense of motion, like hallways, landings and walkways. Finally, the last thing to consider is texture. While the focus for an ombre wall is color, adding some texture or graphic detailing to the design can help take it to the next level. You don’t need to stop there. You could achieve an ombre effect while integrating a more literal design into the space, like a gradient forest or mountain mural. One of the most attractive things about ombre walls is their versatility. They can work in pretty much any spaces and can be adapted to multiple styles. Whether you're a minimalist or maximalist, a color-lover or a fan of neutrals, an ombre wall can be a great design solution that will add depth to your room." Learn more about creating ombre walls with wallpaper at Bobbi Beck. Editor's Note: All images in this post appear courtesy of Bobbi Beck.

Darin and Judy Epperson had a vision for their kitchen. Their home in Gulf Shores, Alabama, was to be remodeled with white cabinetry in the shaker style of construction. They also wanted a kitchen island to match but could not find one that offered the style, size, and amenities they envisioned. But that didn’t stop Darin from bringing his vision to life. Combining Cabinetry Rather than settle for a stock island that he didn’t love, Darin decided to expand on what was available. Home centers sell cabinet modules in stock sizes and trimmed in the same shaker style as the Epperson’s new cabinets. These modules are available in a variety of configurations; some with full-height doors, others with drawers and ball-bearing glides, and some with large pot-and-pan drawers, enabling all sorts of combinations. This provides a home-owner the opportunity to choose exactly the storage accessories they need to fit their lifestyle and cooking needs. Darin fastened together three separate cabinet bases plus a wall cabinet (for the tall doors) to form a large rectangular foundation for the kitchen island. “The hardest part of the project was integrating the parts of the cabinet to look like a single unit,” notes Darin. To connect the cases, he used 2x4 blocking where necessary to keep the outer edges of the cabinets aligned. The assembled island base featured a variety of drawers and doors, and—with a little creative carpentry—would even provide a home for a microwave oven. Darin Epperson fastened together four separate cabinet modules to form a single island base. Blocking made from 2x4 lumber was integrated where necessary to maintain alignment of the cabinet edges. Table Extension The next phase of the project required extending the top of the cabinet base to create a table supported by two 4x4 legs. The table area that topped the cabinet base would serve as a food-prep station. Darin constructed the extension long enough to bridge two side-by-side chairs, so the surface could double as a dining-room table. It’s important to note that the plywood walls of a cabinet base, typically ½- to ¾-in. thick, don’t have much bearing strength by themselves. Any sort of table extension should be supported by 2x4 blocking securely fastened to the base to provide a nailing surface and help carry the load of the table. To make the connection, Darin fastened horizontal 2x4 blocking flush with the top of the cabinet base. The 2x4 serves as a ledger board to carry two parallel 2x4 joists that support the table top. The ends of the joists terminate against the 4x4 legs where they’re screwed into another horizontal 2x4 that bridges between the posts and joists to maintain squareness of the table. Within the rectangular frame of the table extension, Darin incorporated diagonal blocking to strengthen each corner. He bridged the side joists with three evenly spaced 2x4s to keep the table frame rock-solid and provide support for the quartz slab that was destined to serve as the table top. A 2x4 ledger screwed to the island base supports one end of a table-top extension. The opposite end of the extension is built from two 4x4 legs and a 2x4 rim joist. The table surface is supported by two parallel 2x4 joists. Diagonal blocking strengthens each corner, and three evenly spaced 2x4s bridge the joists to keep the frame square and solid. Trim Detail With the table frame complete, Darin’s next move was to wrap the structure in trim that matched the cabinets. Shaker style trim consists of simple face-frames and flat boards with square edges to accentuate transitions and provide shadow lines. When properly installed, a shaker-style cabinet package provides a clean, classic look that has been popular for ages. By duplicating the trim sizes and reveal measurements that were built into the cabinets, Darin was able to cover his self-made table frame with a shaker package that matched perfectly with the surrounding décor of the kitchen. Next step is to wrap the frame in matching trim. For shaker trim, home centers typically sell pre-primed trim boards in a variety of stock sizes made from both solid wood and medium-density fiberboard (MDF). When installing the trim boards, be careful to keep all mating faces completely flush and all joints square to achieve the desired effect. Install the components with glue and finish nails, so the small nail-heads can be filled and sanded flush with the wood surface. All joints should be sealed with a quality paintable caulk so the trim can be painted to achieve the seamless appearance and clean look of the shaker style. The shaker style trim of the new kitchen cabinets provided the stylistic model for the matching kitchen island. Shaker style trim uses flat boards and face-frames with square edges to accentuate transitions and provide shadow lines. Integrating the Electrical The quartz countertop for the Epperson’s countertop was delayed by back-order, but Darin used the wait time to install electrical supply lines in the kitchen island. This provided a handy 120-volt outlet on the kitchen-counter side of the cabinet base. He also removed one of the cabinet drawers and altered its face-frame to house a compact microwave oven, which was installed just beneath the island top. By adding a power supply and applying some creative carpentry to one of the cabinets, the Eppersons were able to incorporate a microwave oven into the island. Installation of the Island Top Installation of large stone slabs is usually left to the professionals due to the specialized equipment required to cut, shape and transport the hard, brittle material. In fact, many experienced remodeling contractors shy away from stone countertops because the weight and rigidity of the material requires extreme care to avoid damaging a slab. If the contractor accidentally breaks a customer’s slab, they’ll have to replace it, and the high cost of the expensive material can kill their profit margin. Pro installers use trucks equipped with special padded racks that isolate and secure the slabs to minimize vibration on the road. Special carts with rubber tires and other types of handling equipment are used to move the slabs around the job site. The island’s quartz table top is stain-resistant, maintenance-free, and won’t absorb moisture. The Eppersons selected a quartz table top because the surface is stain-resistant and, unlike granite, maintenance-free. Quartz won’t absorb moisture from raw or leftover food, which can harbor harmful bacteria. Quartz surfaces are also more durable than granite, resist chipping and scratching, and usually offer a stronger product warranty. After the quartz was installed, the top of the Eppersons’ island made a perfect match to their kitchen countertops. One of the main reasons that quartz has grown so popular is due to appearance, which has the look of stone while also allowing homeowners to customize the design. Although granite offers many options in terms of appearance, it’s a natural material, so you may have to search for the right piece to match your color scheme. Quartz is not 100 percent natural. Instead, quartz countertops are manufactured using 95 percent ground natural quartz and 5 percent polymer resins. Since quartz is engineered, the selection process is easier. Furthermore, quartz is easy to maintain. All countertops should be cleaned daily with soap and water, but that’s about it in terms of maintenance for a quartz countertop. Unsealed granite countertops can be stained by certain oils and acids, so it’s best to reseal a granite top once a year. Although quartz is more expensive than granite, its solid surface means there is no need to have your countertops resealed. Here’s the finished project once the kitchen remodel was complete. Dining In Once completed, the Epperson’s kitchen island integrated beautifully into the overall décor of the home. With its matching hardware and trim, the project made a perfect match to the new shaker-style kitchen cabinets. When the home center doesn’t carry what you want, DIY homeowners can take a cue from Darin’s approach by thinking outside the box—or outside the “big box store”—and putting a new, creative spin on stock items. With a little ingenuity, some know-how, and a clear vision in mind, you can make exactly what you want, even if you can’t purchase it from a store. SIDE NOTE 1 Want to Build an Island from the Ground Up? Click HERE to read how to build a rustic-style custom kitchen island! Kitchen Remodeling: Gas or Electric? Gas appliances have long reigned as the supreme cooking method. Hailed by professionals and home chefs alike, a gas stove or range offers immediately responsive heat control, even heat distribution, and the cooking can continue unaffected by power outages. Research suggests, however, that living with a gas appliance has led to increased risks of asthma and other illnesses due to air pollutants like nitrogen dioxide and methane. And the emissions occur even when the appliance is not active. According to reports, more than three-quarters of emissions happen while the appliance is not in use. Those same pollutants have been deemed harmful to the environment. For that reason, some cities are now banning new gas hookups for appliances to reduce air pollution and emissions to help in “fighting climate change.” A ban on gas appliances has already been instated in New York City, where new buildings under seven stories cannot have gas hookups starting in 2023. The ban on taller buildings will go into effect in 2027. In fact, the State of New York is considering a version of this ban in 2027, as well. The San Francisco Bay Area has already had a similar ban in place for the past year. Although avid chefs tend to prefer the performance of a gas range and oven, electric appliances do offer some attractive advantages to homeowners. Namely, electric appliances are safe, easy to clean, and will make any kitchen renovation easier by eliminating installation of the gas supply. When selecting an appliance, you should weigh the advantages and disadvantages of each system. Your love of cooking might trump your concerns about gas-appliance emissions—after all, American homes have been cooking with gas for generations. Keep in mind, however, that as far as the government regulators are concerned, they intend for electric appliances to be the way of the future.

What do professional gutter installers have that the average homeowner doesn’t? Expensive gutter extruding machines, for starters. All gutters can be categorized as seamless or sectional. Seamless gutters are installed by professionals using specialized machinery that shapes a roll of sheet metal into a continuous, straight length of gutter to fit the house. The only seams are found at corner miters and downspouts. Seamless gutters are considered more durable because the seams of sectional gutters can weaken years down the road. As outdoor temperatures fluctuate, the constant expansion and contraction of the gutters tends to crack the sealant at the sectional joints. If this happens, the seams have to be re-caulked from the inside with a special gutter sealant. Seamless Gutters A seamless gutter won’t have the same maintenance issues as one with seams. Furthermore, the seams of sectional gutters are visible, which some homeowners don’t like for aesthetic reasons. For homes in areas prone to leaf accumulation, professional gutter installers offer another advantage: seamless covers to match your seamless gutters. While the gutters protect your home by handling the rain, the covers protect the gutters by guarding them from leaves, pine straw, twigs, and other such organic matter than can clog them and prevent proper drainage. The professional installation method is to measure the roof-line, then feed sheet-metal into the shaping machines to form a rigid K-profile gutter, which is cut to the exact length needed. Next, the installers pre-attach the gutter hangers and end caps, and cut out any downspout openings as needed. The gutter cap is machine-formed in the same manner to the length needed. I paid a visit to Tommy Mooney and Andrew Pardo of The Ultimate Gutter Guard Company in Birmingham, Alabama, as they installed a new gutter-and-cover system in my neighborhood. Professional installer Tommy Mooney uses a gutter machine to form a continuous straight run with no seams. The gutter hangers are pre-attached at ground level. For any gutter installation job, it helps to assemble the components on the ground and make as many modifications as possible before carrying it to roof level. Tommy installs a rain screen that will be located below a roof valley. The screen gets painted to match the gutter and cover. Once assembled, the large gutter sections can be installed at one time. The gutter cover is formed and extruded the same way. The cover is cut to match and installed right on top of the gutter. It was nice to see the professional attention to detail. For example, after the installers cut a valley opening in the gutter cover, they fit it with a rain screen spray-painted to match the gutter. By the way, that’s another advantage of professional gutter installation — more available color options than the typical white-painted sectional systems available from most “big box” stores. In the end, the home gets a slick-looking, seamless, covered system that blends well into the roof line. The Gutter Guard allows the gutters to collect roof runoff while preventing leaf buildup. And believe me — for anyone living in a tree-towered neighborhood, gutter covers are a MUST to reduce maintenance. Sectional Gutters Seamless gutters are very nice, but you’ll also have to pay for professional installation, which is considerably more expensive than the DIY approach. For homeowners on a budget (or contractors without an extruding machine), you can pick up lengths of sectional gutter and downspouts at most “big box” stores and assemble them using folding aluminum “seamer”” pieces and gutter sealant to glue the sections. Sectional covers for DIY’ers assemble with gutter sealant and “seamer” pieces that fold over the joints. This diagram appears courtesy of Amerimax, which has products available at Home Depot. DIY Tips for Sectional Gutters First step is to sketch out your gutter system on paper so you can quantify the various components required. Measure your roof line to determine the number of 10-ft. sections of gutter. Measure your wall height to calculate the number and length of downspouts you’ll need. Next, account for the number of seamers (which are placed at joints between gutter sections), end caps, inside or outside corner miters, downspout elbows, and end drops which direct water from the gutter to the downspouts (plus flanges for the end drops). All these components will be sold at your gutter-supply store. Gutter sealant is required to seal all the joints. You’ll also need sheet-metal screws to connect the downspout sections, and downspout bands to fasten against the house. Ladders It’s a good idea to attach a ladder stabilizer to the top of your ladder. It prevents the ladder from swaying while you stand on it. The stabilizer also provides a 10-in. standoff from the roof line, which makes it easy to work on the fascia and gutter without obstruction. The stabilizer rests on the roof, rather than on the shingles, gutter, or fascia to avoid any accidental damage from that ladder contact. Preassembly To limit your time working atop the ladder, the safest approach is to assemble as much of the gutter system on the ground as possible. But keep the sections small enough to carry up the ladder safely. A sectional gutter requires an “end-drop” at each downspout location. You can carefully cut an end-drop in the bottom of the gutter or attach a sectional end-drop. To join the end-drop to the gutter—or to join any gutter section to another—requires a “seamer.” The seamer is a piece of aluminum that matches the gutter in size and shape. First thoroughly apply gutter sealant to the side of the seamer piece that will contact the gutter from below. Butt the gutter sections together, then wrap the seamer around the joint from below. Bend the front of the seamer so it hooks over the front edges of the butted gutters. The back edge of the seamer extends above the rear of the seam, and you fold this metal flap over the edge of the gutter sections. Use pliers to crimp the front and rear lip of the seamer tightly onto the gutter. Cover the seam inside the gutter with a generous bead of sealant. A gutter’s end cap will be shaped and sized to match the gutter. Install it by caulking the edges with gutter sealant and pushing the end of the gutter into the seams of the end cap. It’s also a good idea to install the end-drop flanges into the gutter section while it’s still on the ground. The flanges provide a mounting place for the downspouts, which will be installed after the gutter is in place. These days, gutters are fastened to the house using the hidden hangers with integrated screws. Clip the hangers in place every couple of feet along the length of the section. Make sure to locate a fastener near the end of each section to minimize stress at the joint locations. Before installing a gutter section, give the sealant a few hours to dry and gain some rigidity at the joints. Assemble as much gutter on the ground as possible. Paint the gutter prior to hanging it. All joints must be sealed with a quality gutter sealant like the WeatherMaster brand from Titebond. Crimp the connections together with pliers. A buzz-cutter (AKA oscillating multi-tool) with a metal-cutting blade is handy device for cutting end-drops into a gutter when necessary. Cut away the flaps from the end-drop hole, apply sealant to the rim of the flange outlet, and insert it into the hole flush with the bottom of the gutter. The downspout connects to the flange outlet. Attach “hidden” gutter hangers every couple of feet. Installation Mark gutter layout on the house fascia with a chalk line. At one corner, mark the highest point of the gutter run 1-1/4 in. below the roof line (or drip edge flashing if installed). Unreel the chalk line and move the gutter to the opposite end of the fascia. At that corner, first level the string, and then drop the downspout end of the gutter about 1 inch per 20 feet and snap the chalk line. This achieves a slope that helps gravity pull water to the downspout locations. Note that gutter sections longer than 35 feet should have a downspout at each end. In this case, make two separate chalk lines, pitching the gutter from the center to each downspout. Drive the screws of the hidden hangers into the fascia, being careful not to drive them too tight, which can bend the hangers and distort the gutter’s shape. If you don’t have a solid wood fascia to hold the fasteners, you will need to locate the rafter tails. These 2x framing members should be located every 16 inches behind the fascia. Mark the tails along the chalk line and pre-drill the fastener holes to prevent splitting the wood with the gutter screws. Avoid over-tightening the gutter hangers, which will crush the gutter. The drip edge flashing at the roof line should overlap the edge of the gutter to direct water into the trough. Downspouts Once your gutters are installed, the downspouts are your final piece of the puzzle. Use screws and sealant to fasten a flange outlet inside the hole of each end drop. Duct-tape an elbow section onto each flange outlet. Use a straight edge to follow the path of the elbow to the wall where the second elbow will be located. Tape the second elbow in place on the wall. Measure the downspout section needed to install between the two elbows. Each downspout and elbow has one end crimped; the larger end fits over the smaller end to form a slip joint. Account for the overlapping slip joint when measuring—usually about 1 inch of downspout overlapping the elbow at each end. Assemble your downspout at ground level, driving two primed aluminum screws into pre-drilled holes at each joint. Avoid leaks by making sure the upper downspout sections tuck into the lower sections. Nail or screw the downspouts snugly against the wall using two flexible downspout bands per each 10-foot section. Duct tape will hold the downspout stationary while fastening. Attach a front or side elbow at the bottom of the downspout. Finally, use drain extensions or splash blocks to direct water away from the building foundation. We recommend DIY’ers limit their gutter installation adventures to first-level roof lines. For multi-level homes, your safest move is to call a pro. You can also retrofit your gutters (seamless or sectional) with a variety of different gutter-cover products to prevent leaves and debris from building up and causing clogs. However, if you’re not comfortable working at heights and you have a multi-level house, then professional installation is probably the smart way to go. When it comes to leaf and debris accumulation, this is the kind of crap we have to deal with on a regular basis in our neighborhood. Clogged gutters aren’t much fun to clean. To end the clogged-gutter madness, I installed retro-fit gutter covers at my home. These can be applied to sectional or seamless gutters. The product shown here simply snaps onto a K-profile gutter with no need for tools. SIDE NOTE Cutting Gutters to Size When assembling the gutter and downspouts, you will likely have to cut some of the materials to length. One method is to clamp the gutter sections to a couple of saw horses and cut using a hacksaw. A pair of metal snips can also do the job, but it can be tough to keep the cuts clean and straight. Another option is to use a 12-in. miter saw with a fine-toothed blade turned backwards. The speed of the blade combined with the backwards teeth make a straight, clean cut with very little effort. When cutting gutter material on the miter saw, turn the section upside down so the blade enters the underside of the gutter rather than the top edges. After cutting, be sure to return the blade to its original cutting direction so nobody uses the backward blade when not intended. #gutters #downspout #seamless #homeimprovement #protector #cover #installation #gutter #guttering #guard #remodeling #sectional

Wood lovers know that sometimes you just can’t compete with the unique character of certain pieces that come straight out of nature. Fireplace mantles and similar floating shelves made from solid slabs capture the wood's natural character, often incorporating the live edge of the tree for a one-of-a-kind look. To install smaller wood slabs 2”-3” thick, you can find ready-made metal brackets which can be fastened to the wall and anchored to the studs. The brackets include metal rods that extend outward at right angles from the wall, and the solid shelf must be drilled through its rear edge so it will slip onto the bracket with the rods inserting into the holes and supporting the shelf from within. This may sound simple in concept, but the operation requires a high-torque drill, expensive drill bits, and precise alignment so the shelf holes marry with the rod placement like keys in locks. Installation only gets more complicated as the slabs get larger. As they increase in size, the slabs get substantially heavier, and lifting them into place can require professional equipment. These large slabs are usually supported by 1” threaded rod driven at 90 degrees into the solid wall framing. The slabs are carefully drilled out to receive the threaded rods along the rear edge, in the same way the wall brackets interface with the shelves as described above. All connections between the threaded rods and the wood can be strengthened by applying construction glue. SIDE NOTE Managing the Weight Brian “Bucket” Kirkpatrick of Bucket Services HVAC installed a 6x12 live-edge Black Walnut slab as a floating fireplace mantle in his home. In order to provide the strongest internal support across the length of slab, he cut the threaded rods to match the varying depths of the slab. The rods are driven through the brick and mounted into a solid wood header within the wall. Note how Kirkpatrick used an adjustable wheeled scaffold to support the heavy mantle as he carefully installed it over the rods. For friendly and reliable HVAC professionals in the central Alabama area, you can find Bucket Services at https://www.bucketserviceshvac.com/. Photos courtesy of Jaime Kirkpatrick.

Anyone can make shabby board-and-batten shutters. Go grab three long boards off a shelf, nail a couple short boards across them, and voilà! You’ve got rustic shutters … right? Maybe even squirt some caulk between the boards, because, why not?! You shouldn’t do that because wood swells and contracts with changes in temperature, causing separation between the joints and resulting in that melted cheese look from the caulk failing between your shutter boards. It ain’t pretty. And now it’s on the front of your house. The truth is that you get what you pay for, and the guys at Rustic Shelves & Shutters of Gardendale, Alabama, build theirs to look great and last long. Their decorative shutters are made from genuine cedar, and the vertical boards are all edge-joined with wood biscuits and strengthened with Titebond III wood glue, then clamped into a solid unit. They offer router detailing, sanding and/or planing for the texture of your preference, plus a wide array of finish options. Once stained and fully assembled, a UV protective clear-coat is applied and a water-seal coating is added to the backs. Board-and-batten shutters look deceptively simple to construct, but poorly-built shutters will soon show signs of deterioration. Why Cedar? The shutters from Rustic Shelves & Shutters are all made of genuine cedar lumber. Cedar is versatile, sustainable and beautiful with rich color tones in the grain, which is also free of pitch and resin, making it ideal for accepting a wide range of finishes. Compared to other coniferous woods, cedar is dimensionally stable with a very low shrinkage factor, so it resists warping, twisting and checking—critical to the look and performance of your shutters. Cedar is also an excellent choice for outdoor applications thanks to its natural durability. The wood contains natural oils that make it resistant to rot, decay and insect attacks. Properly finished and maintained, cedar will deliver decades of trouble-free service. Measuring Most homeowners prefer shutters to match the height of the window glass. Some customers request shutters slightly taller than the window, but you should avoid making shutters that will be too short for the window. The width of the shutters will be determined by the style and taste of the homeowner, but a good rule of thumb is to limit each shutter’s width to half the width of the window. The most commonly available board sizes for rustic cedar shutters are 1x4 and 1x6, which can be configured in a variety of patterns for decorative appeal. The basics of construction rely on vertical boards edge-joined into a panel with horizontal or diagonal battens attached on top, which adds strength to the construction. Planing/Sanding Depending on the condition of the lumber, planing the cedar boards to a common thickness prior to assembly might not be required. A DIY homeowner can take the time to carefully hand-select boards that won’t require planning, but a professional will find a power planer incredibly useful if making shutters on a regular basis. Carpenters who make shutters on a regular basis will use a thickness planer to process the boards before assembly. The crew at Rustic Shelves & Shutters relies on the DeWalt DW735 13” two-speed planer. When it is necessary, the RS&S crew uses a DeWalt DW735 thickness planer to level all the boards to the same size. The best practice is to give the boards shallow passes through the planer to remove the least amount of material necessary. A planer is also a good time- and labor-saving tool to smooth the wood surface instead of sanding the boards. The wood texture ultimately impacts the look of the shutter. Once a stain is applied, smooth board textures tend to show more grain differentiation than rough-sawn wood, which will have a more uniform appearance. If you don’t have a planer at your disposal and you want the smooth grain to shine though, then power sanders can be used to prep the wood for a new coating. The wood texture will affect the final finish. Smooth-sanded surfaces tend to show more grain detail while rough-sawn textures absorb more stain for a darker, more uniform look. Cut Boards to Length Next step in shutter construction is to cut the vertical boards to length. Pro tip: The guys at RS&S cut their vertical boards 1 inch longer than the final shutter measurement. Once the shutters are completely assembled, the carpenters use a saw guide on that extra inch to make a final cut along the top and bottom edge, ensuring the board ends are in perfect alignment. When cutting several boards to the same length on a miter saw, measure one board and set a stop to cut the rest. Some miter-saw stands come equipped with a stop, or you can make your own by attaching a fence to a workbench square to your miter saw’s fence. Routing A popular option for cedar shutters is to apply detail to the board edges using a router. The most common request is to cut a bevel along the inner edge of the vertical boards. When the beveled edges are assembled, they form V-grooves between the boards for more visible differentiation. Customers may also want a similar detail applied to the batten edges. A variety of router bits can produce differently shaped profiles along the board edges. The most popular edge profiles for shutters are bevel and cove shapes. Bosh makes an awesome palm router that's great for edge detailing. Note that if you decide to rout the boards, do it prior to cutting slots in the the board edges with a plate joiner. Otherwise, the slots made by the plate joiner (a.k.a. biscuit joiner) can interfere with the guide wheel of the router bit, causing the bit to misalign and disrupting the cut. Mark the Panels For each shutter, the long, vertical boards are first assembled into a panel by joining the long edges using glue and biscuits. The first step is to mark the biscuit locations. You’ll need a flat, sturdy work surface that won’t be ruined by exposure to wood glue. It might be helpful to screw two scrap boards onto your workbench in L-formation to serve as fences along one side and one end of the shutters while you group the shutter boards together. Align the long edges of the panel boards (typically 3 to 5 boards) so their ends are flush. Write numbers or letters on the boards to keep them in sequence. Use a framing square and pencil to draw 90-degree lines square across the panel at each biscuit location. The shutters usually get three to five plate-joining biscuits between each board, depending on the length of the shutter. Mark biscuit lines 3-4 inches from the ends of the shutter panel and space the other biscuit lines evenly between them. Draw circles at each intersection where the lines cross the joint between two shutters. The circles indicate where to make the biscuit cuts using the plate joiner. (Note: Instead of assembling the shutters with plate-joining biscuits, you can use pocket screws as an alternative). Cut the Biscuit Slots A plate joiner is a power tool that enables you to make extremely strong and accurate joints in wood. The tool works by a plunging a blade to precisely cut crescent-shaped slots for the placement of flat wooden dowels or “biscuits” that will bridge between the mating boards. To make shutters, the biscuits are all located along the edges where the boards meet. The RS&S crew uses a DeWalt DW682 plate joiner for this operation. Make sure you’ve selected the proper depth setting for your biscuits. (Use 1/2-in. cutting depth for the recommended #20 biscuits). Clamp each board firmly and align the plate joiner’s center registration mark with your layout mark inside the half circle. Bring the blade up to full speed, position the fence squarely against the board edge, and plunge the blade until it bottoms against the stop. Repeat the procedure to cut slots at each biscuit location in all the boards. Pro tip: Use compressed air to clear the slots of any sawdust or wood chips that can interfere with insertion of the biscuits. Return the boards to your workbench for assembly, arranging them according to their numbered or lettered sequence. Insert biscuits into the slots and check the alignment between boards. Make adjustments as necessary. Glue and Clamp Remove the biscuits from the slots and apply quality wood glue to the edges of the adjoining shutter boards. RS&S recommends using Titebond III adhesive. Use a rubber brush to spread the glue completely over the mating edges, making sure to work glue into the biscuit slots. Replace the biscuits in the slots, assemble the joint, and clamp until dry. For a biscuit joint to be most effective, it is important that the biscuits themselves be in contact with the glue. This is because the biscuits absorb moisture in the glue and expand to form a tight joint. Fun fact: A joint made with proper application of quality wood glue is actually stronger than wood. You will need several clamps to hold the board edges together across the body of the shutter while the glue dries. Make sure the shutter panel remains in a flat plane. This may require clamping the boards down onto the workbench. Use a plastic scraper to remove excess glue that squeezes out between the joints. Clamp the shutter panels for 24 hours. The shutters each require two to three bar clamps to hold the edges together, and a variety of smaller clamps to hold them flat to the work surface while drying. Final Cuts The width of the shutter panels will determine the length of the battens. Enhance your cutting accuracy by skipping the tape measure and instead place the batten boards directly over the panels and mark the cutlines in place. Cut the boards to length on the miter saw. In case of slight discrepancies in shutter size, keep the battens and their corresponding panels together. Don’t forget to cut any excess length off the shutter panels prior to applying the finish. This Festool plunge saw with a guide track ensures the cutting accuracy. Prefinish the Shutters Stain the panels and battens separately before attaching the battens. Finish options abound, but the guys at RS&S prefer to spray-apply General Finishes brand water-based wood stains to their shutters. Attach the Battens Once the stain has dried, the battens can be attached to the panel. A simple shop-made spacing jig can help keep the batten placement consistent. Otherwise measure and mark each shutter carefully, apply glue to the backs of the battens, and fasten them in place through the back of the shutter with crown staples or wood screws. Clamps are often necessary to hold the battens flat to the shutter. Note: Once the battens are attached, the glue tends to run down the face of the shutters if they are stored upright before the adhesive dries. For this reason, it’s best to keep the shutters laid flat horizontal overnight. Final Touches Once the batten glue has dried, RS&S coats the backs of the shutters with Thompson’s Water Seal. The fronts of the shutters get sprayed with General Finishes Exterior 450 water-based topcoat, which has UV absorbers and built-in mildewcides. You might even consider additional accessories such as decorative hardware, or even black vinyl hinges and shutter dogs, which provide a classical look at a fraction of the price of metal hardware. Say no to shabby shutters and humdrum curb appeal. Follow these tips to make super shutters that are built to look great for years to come. You can follow Rustic Shelves & Shutters online at facebook.com/supershutters. Editor’s Note: Thanks to Cary Lott of Birmingham, Al., for help with this article. SIDE NOTE: Strut Your Stuff We’ve covered the basics of construction, and the rest is up to you. Research shutter photos online to get an idea of all the available batten patterns to give your project a style of its own. You’ll also find lots of decorative hardware styles to accentuate the look, including S-shaped hold-back hooks, corner brackets, “hand-forged” nail heads, and hinges of all shapes and sizes. Experiment with detailed cut-outs or arch-shaped tops. Sketch a few designs on paper and play with the look until you get exactly what you want. Whether you make your own shutters or hire a carpenter for the construction, creating a custom design is a great way to put a personal stamp on your home.

You have a number of options when it comes to installing shutters, and methods vary based on home construction. Do you mind visible fasteners, or would you prefer to hide them? Are you nailing into wood, Hardiboard, or brick? Fastener type should match the substrate. If you’re nailing through cement-board, metal or wood siding, pre-drill the holes and use wood screws long enough to penetrate solidly through the house sheathing. Shutters on brick, block or concrete walls can be installed with concrete screws long enough to embed at least 1 in. deep into the substrate. You’ll need a hammer-drill and masonry bit to pre-drill the fastener holes. Drive concrete screws into brick or block rather than into the mortar joints. Masonry walls will require masonry anchors. Rustic Shelves & Shutters recommends using 4 to 6 fasteners per shutter, depending on size, with the first four placed near the corners of each shutter to prevent vibration in the wind. One option is to use color-matched fasteners driven flush with the shutter surface. This method permits easy removal for maintenance. Another option is to slightly countersink the fasteners and cover the heads with color-matched wood putty. Decorative hinges provide a prime location to drive screws (painted to match the hardware) right through the shutter, leaving the heads exposed. You can then pin down the opposite corners using Fine Screws, which have a small trim-head that is easy to conceal. Another option for discerning homeowners is to hang the shutters with countersunk fasteners that are covered with stain-matched wood plugs. Pro tip: If drilling holes in the shutters for wood plugs, it’s important to use a Forstner bit, which cuts a very clean hole for the plug. Spade bits and even spiral bits tend to splinter or chip the wood around the holes, causing noticeable damage to the finished surface. The clean hole of a Forstner bit will provide a snug, tidy fit for the plug, achieving an attractive finished look. When drilling 1/2” holes for wood plugs, be sure to use a Forstner bit, which will cut clean holes in the finished shutter surface to provide a tidy fit for the stain-matched plugs. To hang the shutters, Randy Stephenson of Cropwell, Al., uses a simple layout jig to make sure the fastener placement is consistent among the shutters and that his concrete screws will embed into brick rather than mortar joints. With the fastener locations established, the plug holes serve as a guide to drill pilot holes into the brick with a hammer-drill. The shutters are anchored with Tapcon concrete screws, and Stephenson prefers the 1/4” versions. Make sure the shutters are plumb, level, and aligned with the window. The concrete screws should embed into the brick by at least 1”. The color-matched wood plugs will tap snugly into the holes to conceal the fasteners and complete the project.

Live edge wood slabs can blend raw beauty with a refined appearance for countertops, shelves, tables and more. The term “live edge” refers to the natural edge that has been left uncut along the bark-side of a wood piece, preserving its unique look and character. Selecting a Slab You probably won’t find wood slabs at a “big box” home center. Local sawmills and lumber yards can supply them, but a kiln-dried slab will best reduce shrinking and swelling of the wood, so you might need to purchase from a hardwood supplier. You’ll also find many slab suppliers online and on social-media marketplaces. The required thickness of your slab will depend on how it will be used. Thicker slabs usually look more natural. Tables and countertops should be 3 to 4 inches thick, but shelving can be as thin as 1 to 2 inches, depending on how they’re fastened to the wall. Ask your lumber supplier to cut the slab, and choose as flat of a workpiece as possible, because slabs are often too large to fit into a planer. You’ll find a huge assortment of wood species available as slabs, and they vary greatly in appearance and price. Keep in mind that a hardwood species will better withstand scratches and dents than a softwood variety. Choices include Sweet/Red Gum, Eastern Red Cedar, Cypress, Sassafras, Walnut, Maple, Cherry, Red Oak, Poplar, White Oak and other species. Available from sawmills, lumber yards, and hardwood suppliers, live-edge slabs retain the natural outer edge of the tree on at least one side. The cherry slabs shown were purchased from City Hardwoods of Birmingham, Alabama. You can strip off the bark and sand the wood smooth, or preserve the bark and the rough surface texture for a more rugged appearance. Floating Shelves Shelves can be installed in many ways, but metal hardware will help when anchoring “floating” slabs to a wall so no fasteners are visible. Live Edge shelves will need to have the opposite edge cut to mount flush against a wall. The Floating Shelf Brackets shown in this article are sold by SemiExact.com and each consists of a 1/4-in. steel bracket that is screwed into the wall studs. To carry the shelves, 6-in. steel rods bolted to the bracket will slide into holes drilled into the back of the wood slab, which conceals the hardware when the shelf is pushed flush to the wall. The slabs should be at least 1-1/2 in. thick if using this method of installation. To drill the shelves for the hardware, it’s important to arrange a stable work surface and to clamp the shelves securely in place. A chalk-line can help mark the mid-point along the rear of the shelf slabs. Center the metal bracket and mark the holes for the metal rods. The installation process is fairly simple, but it’s important to use the right tools. The rods are 5/8-in. diameter, and a lot of power is required to drill a 5/8-in. hole 6 inches deep into hardwood, as shown with the solid cherry shelves shown here. An entry-level cordless drill might not cut it, so I recommend using a high-torque drill with a side handle. A 5/8-in. auger bit or spiral bit will do the best job of making accurate holes. You’ll need to align the metal bracket along the lengthwise center-line of the rear shelf edge. Once in place, mark the holes for the steel rods. To drill the 6” deep 5/8” diameter holes in hardwood, we recommend using a high-torque drill with a side handle. An auger or spiral bit will work best. Note that the holes drilled in the wood must be perfectly square to the bracket and aligned with the rod locations, or the wood will bind against the metal and resist sliding over the rods. For this reason, avoid trying to drill the holes free-handed. Using a drill press would be ideal, but the length of drill bit plus the depth of the shelf (10-1/2”) means only a large, floor-model drill press will have the capacity to drill the shelf edge. Most people don’t have that tool at their disposal, but you can use a homemade “guide block” as an alternative. Avoid drilling the slabs with the plunge-type accessory that guides a drill-chuck down to the workpiece along parallel bars. We've tried that method, but the torque was too much for the 1/4-inch drive of the accessory chuck, and it broke before we completed two holes. You can, however, use one of those dual-bar drill guides or a small drill press to fashion your own “guide block” with which to drill your shelves. To do so, first drill a 5/8-in. hole at 90-degrees through a square block of hardwood that is a couple of inches thick. Then, screw or clamp the hardwood block to the rear edge of the shelf and use the 5/8-in. hole as a sleeve to guide your drill bit in a perfectly square trajectory through the back of the shelf. The only downfall of this method is that with repeat use, the guide hole will wear around the edge and lose its accuracy, requiring you to drill new guide holes. To keep the drill bit at a 90-degree angle, we first drilled a 5/8” hole in a scrap hardwood block and screwed it to the shelf. The 5/8-in. hole serves as a sleeve to guide the drill bit into the shelf back. You’ll need to remove the guide block to finish drilling the last couple of inches deep. After drilling the rod holes a little more than 6 inches deep, work the bit along the inside of the holes to widen them slightly and create extra clearance to fit the shelves. You can also flare out the openings with a step bit to help the rods slide inside more easily. If you plan to make a lot of floating shelves, we recommend using the metal V-Drillguide from Big Gator Tools. It matches eight different bit sizes—up to 5/8 inch—and its durable steel construction won’t wear out from repeat use. A step bit provides a handy way to flare out the mouths of the holes for an easier fit over the rods. Be sure to test-fit the brackets onto the backs of the shelves before mounting them to the walls, because it will be much easier to make any necessary adjustments from your workbench. For the tightest fit against the wall, use a router to create a recess in the shelf as deep as your bracket to hide the hardware. Test-fit the hardware on the shelves and make any necessary adjustments. After prepping the shelves for installation, sand the surface, clean it thoroughly, and apply your finish of choice. You can strip all bark from the live edge and sand it smooth, or leave some bark and even add distressed texture for more rustic appeal. Apply a durable clear-coat to the wood finish to protect the surface from moisture damage or stains. You might find it helpful to leave the rods slightly loose on the bracket, which allows a degree of movement that can help when sliding the slabs over the rods. When hanging the shelves, you’ll get the strongest hold by mounting the Floating Shelf Brackets into wall studs. Use a stud finder to find the solid framing. Otherwise, use the appropriate wall anchors or screws (i.e., drywall, masonry, concrete). For stud mounting, carefully level the bracket at your desired height and drive 3-in. wood screws through the holes provided in the hardware into the solid wall framing. Repeat this for each shelf bracket. Slide the slabs onto the bracket rods and enjoy your new shelves. Mark the studs, align the mounting holes, and carefully level the shelf hardware. When hanging multiple shelves, I prefer to mark the studs with vertical strips of painter’s tape. When driving screws close to a mounting rod, a bit extender can be helpful to keep the screw aligned with the wall studs. To hang the shelves, align the rods with the mounting holes and slide the slabs in place. This vertical shelf application can be used with virtually any number and size of shelves that match the hardware, and the wood can be finished in wide assortment of colors and finishes to suit your home’s décor. But wait, there's MORE! Are you planning to install an even larger shelf, such as a fireplace mantle? Then read this first...

Dust Deputy Low-Pro Lid Separator Kick Dust to the Curb with the new Dust Deputy Low-Pro Lid Separator from Oneida Air. The HIR staff uses Oneida Air products to mitigate dust in our carpentry shop, and these systems are a great solution for either pro-grade or DIY work. The new Dust Deputy Low-Pro offers 50 airflow (CFM) than other lid style separators. Designed for wet/dry vacuums with 2.5-in. hoses, it attaches percent more to most standard 5-gallon. At 4 inches tall, the Dust Deputy Low-Pro is the most compact separator available from Oneida Air, allowing it to fit underneath a workbench and in other tight spaces. Uniquely designed to allow more CFM and debris to pass through unobstructed—two common limitationsof other lid-style separators—the Dust Deputy Low-Pro excels in its ability to collect a variety of materials, from wood dust to trash, and more. Like the original Dust Deputy cyclone, the new Dust Deputy Low-Pro pre-separates 99% of dust and debris before it reaches your vacuum’s filter, eliminating clogging and suction loss while extending the life of your filter. It’s made in the USA from clear, durable resin. Visit www.oneida-air.com. Worx 2000 PSI Pressure Washer The HIR staff has been testing out the new Worx 200psi Electric Pressure Washer and loving it. I’ve long been a gas-powered fan, but now that the low-maintenance electric models are rolling out with more muscle, I’m changing my tune. This Worx model has ample power, quiet motor operation, a trigger-style wand, three nozzles, a detergent tank, and a handy hose reel. It’s super easy to use: Attach the hose, turn on the water, plug in the machine, then get busy. No messy oil to deal with and no leaky fuel lines! If you aren’t washing parking lots for a living, then this may be the model for you. Learn more at www.worx.com. Stiletto TrimBone Hammer Stiletto expands their lineup with the TrimBone Titanium Hammer, designed with specialized features for finish carpentry, including mallet caps, replaceable steel faces, and replaceable colored grips that provide a personalized touch for the user. The TrimBone is designed to hit like steel, built with all-titanium construction to minimize harmful recoil shock. The hammer weighs 45 percent less than a standard steel hammer and reduces harmful shock vibrations that cause injury over time. Equipped with a compact D-face, the hammer can fit in tight spaces, and the trim claw is best suited for pulling a wide range of nails and prying trim and molding. Located on the side of the hammer is a 180° nail puller ideal for easily pulling carpentry nail sizes from 2D to 16D (1-inch to 3-1/2 inch). Visit https://www.stiletto.com. Irrigreen Irrigation Technology Whereas traditional sprinklers leave households wasting tens of thousands of gallons each year as water bills skyrocket, Irrigreen uses precise technology to digitally map out where water is needed. This new technology can reduce 50 percent water usage, benefitting the environment and saving consumers money. It creates an effortless digital ecosystem powered by weather data and controlled via a smartphone app. Visit https://irrigreen.com. Easy-Slide with Large Flex The 1791 EDC Easy-Slide with Large Flex is an everyday tool organizer designed with three main accessory sleeves to carry everyday items such as multitools, flashlights, pocket knives, pens, etc., and also includes an attached key ring for keys or carabiners. The Easy-Slide with Large Flex contains two belt loops and a reinforced rear loop for secure carry on the belt. It’s handcrafted with high-quality, durable materials using premium full-grain leather, made in the USA, and comes with a lifetime warranty. Find it at www.Amazon.com. SimpliFire Forum Outdoor Electric Fireplace Electric fireplaces continue to see a surge in use nationally given their ease of installation, aesthetic, affordability, energy efficiency and overall versatility. Heat & Glo expands its portfolio with its first-ever electric model designed exclusively for the outdoors. The SimpliFire Forum Outdoor Electric Fireplace can now be installed flush to any wall surface without the need for venting. The Forum is weather-proof and safe as a plug-in or hard-wired to a GFI outlet. Extend your fireplace enjoyment to the great outdoors by adding a hearth feature to a patio setting that’s as easy as installing a flat-screen TV. Visit https://www.heatnglo.com. Sterling Ensemble Shower Base Built of solid Vikrell for material strength and lasting beauty, the Sterling’s Ensemble Guard+ shower base is much faster and easier to install than a tile floor. Customize your look by pairing an Ensemble shower base with tile or an Ensemble complete wall set. Its smooth, shiny surface is easy to clean. The solid, durable Vikrell material offers complete bath and shower solutions created for trade professionals who demand fast, easy installation and rock-solid durability. Visit https://sterling.kohler.com/en. Georgia Boots Durablend Sports Hikers The HIR staff has been kicking around the new Durablend Sports Hikers from Georgia Boots on several different kinds of jobs over the last few weeks. The mid-ankle height makes them more maneuverable and less clunky than the steel-toe boots I’d been wearing. The shoes still offer heavy-duty protection, though, with a “Nano Comp” toe. These hikers are hardy and waterproof and comfortable to wear with the Durablend foam interior cushioning. The 5-inch ankle adds support and protection, and the Carbo-Tec rubber outsole is heat, chemical, abrasion, and slip-resistant. Not a fan of the red shoestrings? No prob—some black ones come in the box, but I’ve been too tuckered out after work to bother swapping them. Visit https://www.georgiaboot.com. Buyers Products 2-½” Towing Package Buyers Products, a leading manufacturer in the work truck and trailer equipment industry, announces a new series of 2-½-inch towing accessories to accommodate growing demand with 2-½-inch hitches. The new line features a 2-½ inch bolt-on receiver tube, a stowable, adjustable tri-ball hitch for 2-½-inch hitch receivers, and a 2-½-inch to 2-inch receiver tube adapter. The new bolt-on receiver tube is rated for 20,000 pounds maximum gross trailer weight (GTW) and 2,000 pounds maximum vertical load, and easily bolts to any hitch plate with standard pintle hook bolt patterns. The stowable, adjustable tri-ball hitch makes for tool-and-hassle-free height adjustment and allows the user to select a 1 7/8-inch ball, 2-inch ball, or 2 5/16-inch ball rated at 6,000/10,000/15,000 pounds respectively. Visit www.buyersproducts.com. Ryobi 40V HP Brushless Kinetic Log Splitter Ryobi introduces the world's first cordless kinetic log splitter. The all-new 40V HP Brushless Kinetic Log Splitter delivers more power, runtime, durability, and speed utilizing powerful brushless motors, advanced electronics, and high-performance lithium technology. This all-new Kinetic Log Splitter outperforms gas and corded products with the convenience of cordless. Featuring 40V HP Technology, this all-new cordless log splitter delivers 12 tons of splitting force, providing more power than an 80cc gas log splitter and faster operation via its kinetic splitting feature compared to hydraulic log splitters. Best of all, being part of the 40V platform means no fumes, maintenance, noise, or hassle that users experience with gas units. The Log Splitter's kinetic design delivers an ultra-fast 2-second cycle time with 10X faster splitting. With the 40V 4Ah battery included in the kit, users can perform up to 150 splits per charge. Effortlessly split logs up to 20" in length and 10" wide. Transporting the Kinetic Log Splitter is made easy with robust 11-inch all-terrain wheels and comfortable hand grips. The heavy-duty steel frame and protected battery enclosure means it can be operated in any season. Visit www.ryobitools.com. Trex Select T-Rail Composite Railing System The Trex Select T-Rail composite railing system, featuring a popular T-shaped top rail, is designed to make the beauty and convenience of Trex’s high-performance composite and aluminum railing available to a wider audience with pricing that competes head-to-head with PVC vinyl railing. Engineered for ease, efficiency and economic value, Trex Select T-Rail features a classic T design on top with a choice of two infill options – square composite balusters in Classic White for a cohesive, coordinated look, or round aluminum balusters in Charcoal Black for a more modern contrast. Full-span top and bottom rails in Classic White are offered in 36- and 42-in. heights and 6- and 8-ft. lengths. The versatile design of Trex Select T-Rail adds a perfect frame to any deck and retains its clean look with minimal maintenance. Visit Trex.com. Board & Batten Profile for Cedar Renditions Aluminum Siding Westlake Royal Building Products announced the addition of a Board & Batten siding profile to its award-winning Cedar Renditions aluminum siding line. The Board & Batten siding has a unique woodgrain look that can be used as an accent to enhance any exterior facade. The profile can also complement the existing Cedar Renditions siding, together with the trim and accessories. Cedar Renditions provides exceptional curb appeal without the maintenance or flammability issues of wood, and is backed by a 25-year Prorated Limited Warranty. Visit https://royalbuildingproducts.com/cedarrenditions. Bosch ProFactor 18V 8-1/4 In. Portable Table Saw The Bosch GTS18V-08N cordless table saw combines the power of a workshop corded saw with easy mobility you can bring to the job site. The new saw delivers a powerful 5,500 rpm using BITURBO Brushless Technology, which is a high-performance motor and drive-train system designed to deliver power comparable to high-demand corded tools. It is part of the ProFactor System, which pairs the saw with a Bosch CORE18V ProFactor battery. Featuring an innovative rack-and-pinion fence design, the table saw provides easy micro adjustments for cutting accuracy. It allows for adjustment with a dial, without having to tap and knock the fence into place. The table offers 25-in. rip capacity to the right of the blade, and the 8-in. blade has the capacity to tackle 2x materials. The motor has restart protection, overload protection and soft-start technology. The saw has a lightweight, easy-to-carry, singlehanded design that makes it ideal for moving around. It also features on-tool storage of the rip fence, miter gauge, Smart Guard System and push stick. The table area and blade size is not meant for the larger jobs of a 10-in. contractor saw, but this cordless version has plenty of power. The HIR test model is currently set up with dado blades, and we’ve been using it to speed up production on some shelves that we’re building. Visit www.boschtools.com. Spazio Range Hood Falmec, an elite Italian appliance manufacturer in the ventilation industry, introduces the Spazio range hood. The Spazio is suspended from the ceiling and designed with the purpose of making the most out of the unused area above the island. The 70-inch/180 cm structure features dynamic lighting that illuminates the whole entire length of the hood in addition to other unique elements. The primary function of the hood, namely extraction, is guaranteed using Falmec’s exclusive Circle.Tech technology, ensuring the outgoing air spreads evenly for effective filtering by the filters surrounding the motor. Spazio also boasts special Carbon.Zeo filters composed of natural materials such as activated carbon and zeolite, ideal for absorbing organic compounds and water vapor. Optional features are available with Spazio, including a spice shelf, tablet holder, and an elevated area perfect for keeping small herb plants out of the way but within arm's reach. Visit falmecnorthamerica.com. FlexScreen FlexScreen is marketed as the world's first and only flexible window screens. As seen on ABC's Shark Tank, these screens feature a unique compressible design that makes installation effortless. Simply squeeze, slide into the spot, and let go. They’re custom-made to fit your windows, and no hardware is required for installation. The screens fit firmly into already existing screen tracks for an invisible appearance. The screens are compatible with casement, double-hung, single-hung, slider windows, and more. Choose from six different meshes. Visit www.flexscreenretail.com. XtraBond Liquid Flashing Premier Building Solutions now offers XtraBond 9714, a liquid-applied flashing membrane that can be used to create a continuous, smooth barrier to protect a building envelope against the elements. The seamless air and water barrier provides instant protection. Working with traditional flashing tape around complex window and door openings can be an overly complex task with endless cutting, folding and reconfiguring. These applications are where XtraBond 9714 is ideal. The product flows easily, taking the shape of the substrate, regardless of the complexity. XtraBond®9714 can be found listed in the Fenestration and Glazing Industry Alliance’s(FGIA) latest document, AAMA714-22 Specification for Liquid Applied Flashing Used to Create a Water-Resistive Seal Around Exterior Wall Openings in Buildings. This new publication establishes minimum performance requirements for liquid applied flashing used to provide water-resistive seals around exterior wall openings in buildings. Visit www.XtraBond.com. Engineered Performance Series (EPS) Whole House Fans Solatube International Inc. launched of the Engineered Performance Series (EPS) Whole House Fans, which effortlessly pulls in refreshing, cool outside air through a home’s windows while simultaneously expelling hot, stagnant indoor air from the attic and vents. Unlike air-conditioning systems that simply recirculate air, this home ventilation solution replaces the air in the main living spaces and attic with fresh air. With a sleek and modern look achieved by eliminating visible grille fasteners, the EPS Whole House Fan seamlessly integrates with any home. Homeowners can enjoy whisper-quiet airflow due to the innovative HushMount 2 technology, along with an impressive reduction in temperatures of up to 30 degrees, leading to significantly cooler indoor environments and reduced air conditioning usage. Equipped with seven variable speed options, the Comfort Control Remote also allows homeowners an easy way to fine-tune their settings for personalized comfort. Four models are available that can be used alone or combined to cool any size house or number of zones. Visit https://solatube.com/residential/whole-house-fans.