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IN THIS ISSUE:

1) Making the case for dirt... a message from the Natural Handyman

2) Our appreciation to sites and publications that have recently linked to,
listed or featured NH!

3) Sweepstakes Central... win great home repair stuff!!

4) News from the Basement Annex!!

5) Q&A with our readers

6) Linkmaster’s Corner

7) Pass the hammer, would ya?"... NH's readers speak out!

8) Featured in the Natural Handyman Bookshop...
THE REAL GOODS SOLAR LIVING SOURCE BOOK by John Shaeffer

1) Making the case for dirt… a message from the Natural Handyman

From the first time my mother told me to clean my room, I have been resistant to the concept of “perpetual neatness”. Now, as people make lucrative careers writing books and lecturing people on the wonders of a clutter-free life, I have become more than a little wary of this neatness avalanche. If you look at the march of modern psychology and the new mental “diseases” being discovered each year, you have to wonder if there is a bit of self-interest driving this trend.

Being too organized can be a much as personal burden as being disorganized. Frankly, few people are truly crippled by disorganization. For most of us, disorganization is just another way of prioritizing. If something ends up is the pile of “stuff”, it usually wasn’t very important anyway. I know myself that, whenever I get the notion to clean my desk, more than half of the clippings, magazine articles, post-its and random chickenscratch end up in my trusty circular file. The rest is usually filed in real files, leaving a scant few items needing immediate attention. Then the pile builds yet again.

Using the actual disease of “hoarding”… the inability to clean house at all because of an exaggerated attachment to virtually everything… the tidiness police have cleverly convinced many of us that being untidy is somehow wrecking our lives. This couldn’t be further from the truth. The unexpected, the accidental…the “dirt of life” if you will… is in fact life’s essence. No... I’m not referring to the “primordial ooze” from which the first life sprung (though some messy homes I have worked in could qualify). I mean the dirt, dust and dander… the supreme messiness associated with really living life, life that may include, children, pets, hobbies, mail, guests, mildewed caulk, garbage cans overflowing with junk mail and the unexpected nest of carpenter ants.

Being too neat and clean can be stifling. (Mom, are you listening?) Having grown up in a home where the furniture was in a perpetual state of mummification under either plastic or fabric covers and there was NEVER a dirty dish in the sink, I can sympathize with the many families that have whole rooms off limits... except to valued guests. Though keeping your valuables things safe is always meritorious, turning one’s house into a museum seems antithetic with the concept of “home”... a warm place where one can find refuge from the insanity of the world at large.

Of course, I’m not implying that being organized is somehow evil either. There are, after all, benefits to being able to find one’s keys on a moment’s notice or the olfactory relief of not leaving uncovered food on the countertop for days. And I would be the first to say “thank you” to any client who for example moves the clutter aside for the handyman, or cleans under the sink for the plumber.

So what to make of all this? Sometimes, it only takes reducing a problem to its most basic level to find a solution. In this case, I think the concept of organization should be linked closely with our concept of survival. When being untidy begins to affect our health, our efficiency or safety we must move de-cluttering to the top of our list of priorities.

But the rest of the time, we must also be relaxed enough to “go with the flow” of everyday messes and realize that without them our lives will become as stale and bland as week-old bread!

NH

2) OUR APPRECIATION TO THE FOLLOWING SITES AND MEDIA FOR A MENTION OR LINK...

THE PLAN COLLECTION offers house plans and home designs from some of the finest designers and architects. Browse through thousands of floor plans of all architectural styles. Custom designs and modifications are available. Thanks for the link to our site!!
http://www.theplancollection.com
 

ONLY-LAMPS.COM features the most interesting and unique lamps on the planet. Their growing inventory includes animal, instrument, and lighthouse themed lamps, plus both Victorian and Tiffany-style table lamps.
http://www.only-lamps.com
 

LINK YOUR SITE TO OURS! We REALLY appreciate links to our site… you might even get your site mentioned here! Click below for more information…
http://www.naturalhandyman.com/linkslibrary/linkpolicy.html

3) SWEEPSTAKES CENTRAL

NEW CONTEST…

FIX YOUR OLD WINDOWS!! Andrew Coviello, the “Greenwich Window Doctor” is making housecalls for 5 lucky people in our latest sweepstakes! Win a copy of this great window repair videotape for yourself.

CONTEST WINNERS ANNOUNCED…

We have selected the winners of 5 copies of “AIR CONDITIONING THE COOL AND E-Z WAY” by Curtis Gavel. And the winners are…

Diane Dubay from Dover, New Hampshire
Louise Kolb from Chapin, South Carolina
Daniel Belisle from Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
Frank Dendwick from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Christine Perry of Tallahassee, Florida

Congratulations one and all!

CURRENT CONTESTS…

(1) Win a DELTA UNISAW from Rocker Woodworking
(2) Win a copy of “DARE TO REPAIR” by Julie Sussman and Stephanie Glakas-Tenet
(3) Win a COOL TOOL at the JHL TOOL SUPPLY monthly giveaway
(4) Win a copy of THE PRACTICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF FENG SHUI by Gill Hale

To enter any of our contests follow this link to SWEEPSTAKES CENTRAL:
http://www.naturalhandyman.com/contest 

4) NEWS FROM THE BASEMENT ANNEX

SMOKE DETECTORS…
We’ve made a few changes in our article on smoke detectors… notably special information for people who live in mobile homes with a smoke alarm.
http://www.naturalhandyman.com/iip/inffire/infsmokealarm.html
 

THE LINKMASTER IS DEAD. LONG LIVE THE LINKMEISTER!!
In our ongoing battle against SPAM, we are "experimenting" with our mail system. Certain of our email addresses are under heavy assault! To fight back, we are changing our Linkmaster to “LINKMEISTER”. It will be interesting to see how long it takes the SPAMMERS to find us again!

PLEASE …RATE OUR NEWSLETTER!

A few times a year, we ask our readers to rate our newsletter at the CUMULI EZINE FINDER. A good rating helps us attract more subscribers… important for a “niche” newsletter such as ours. You help is appreciated!
http://www.cumuli.com/ezines/ra20523.rate
 

HELP OUR WEBSITE STAY STRONG… AND FREE!!

There are a few ways you can “give back” to our site for the help we offer 24/7 to do-it-yourselfers like you!

1) Make your online BOOK purchases through us!

We are affiliates of AMAZON.COM, the great online bookstore. Every time a book purchased through our BOOKSHOP, we receive a small commission. Whether you buy through us or direct through their site, YOU PAY THE SAME PRICE for your books!

So if you are an AMAZON.COM shopper, take a moment and bookmark their site by clicking on the link below! You will get full instructions when you get there. Then, every time you visit and shop at AMAZON.COM, you will be making a small but significant contribution to our site! It’s painless and essentially free… but it will mean a lot to us! Thanks!
http://www.naturalhandyman.com/amazon

2) Make a DIRECT CONTRIBUTION to our site…

If we have given you a valuable tip (even saved you a little money), love our newsletter or don’t want NH to be eating dog food (just kidding), consider making a donation of “any size” to our site. You may be surprised to learn that many donors give a few dollars! Every cent goes a long way, covering our overhead and helping to expand our growing library of home repair help and encouragement!

Please visit our donation page at http://www.naturalhandyman.com/friends

You can also mail your donation to us at:

THE NATURAL HANDYMAN
16 Hilltop Drive
Canton, CT 06019

Please make your check payable to “The Natural Handyman”. And thanks!

5) Q&A WITH OUR READERS...

Dear NH,

I have a client with an unglazed stone floor called “travertine”. She was told there is a specific cleaning/stripping/waxing product that should be used for this type of tile. I have two questions. First, what cleaning products should I use? Second, what can be used to increase the shine? The builder sealed it only 5 months ago and it is already very scuffed and dull. The customer would like the tile stripped and then waxed to a high glossy shine.

JG

JG,

Try the ALDON CHEMICAL website. They are manufacturers of sealing and maintenance products for stone and marble:

http://www.aldonchem.com/mt-limestone-marble-travertine.htm

This should get you started, at least product-wise.

Waxing the floor might be a mistake. Waxing tends to make floors quite slippery, plus on an uneven surface such as the travertene the high spots will wear quickly. One of the more durable finishes (such as the type Aldon sells) will give a good gloss but not be as slippery-when-wet. It will also last much longer than wax. With stone sealers (and, in fact, natural oil finished for woods, too), more coats produce greater gloss. Multiple thin coats are always preferred, allowing you to precisely control the gloss.

Even if you use another product, Aldon has a great FAQ to help you through this job!
……………………………………

Dear NH,

I am painting my walls red “barn” color over flat white. I’m on my third coat using a paint roller for satin paint and roller marks are still showing through! I paid $31.00 a gallon for the paint. What am I doing wrong? I’m ready to panel over them!

BM

BM,

Poor coverage can be caused by a variety of issues. The first, of course, is that the paint you are using is not top quality, though at $31.00/gal. it’s unlikely. Mid-to-low-quality paints will not hide as well as the best paints, thus requiring more coats. When you have a severe color change using the best quality paint is essential. Most painters find and stick to what works for them. It's harder for the homeowner to know how good their paint choice is, especially since every company says their paints are "one coat" capable. Frankly, for many of them this is BS.

Another possibility is the condition of the walls. Even if your old walls were a flat finish, sometimes the new paint just doesn't spread and stick evenly, leaving high and low spots (we're talking hundredths of an inch here) that can show as roller marks when making a severe color change. Sometimes even multiple coats will still show through white, your situation. The solution is to first prime the walls with a quality primer (latex or oil) that is tinted to closely match the finish color. Primers are designed to stick better to difficult surfaces so you know you will get the best coverage from your finish paint.

This doesn't mean you won't need two finish coats... it does mean that needing three will be almost impossible. Even with a tinted primer, multiple finish coats are often necessary when using very dark or rich colors.

You may also be using a roller with too short a nap. For virtually all wall paint, a 3/8" nap roller will assure good coverage. 1/4" rollers give a smoother, less "orange peel" look but put less paint on the wall... not what you want with a severe color change. So-called "pearl" or "eggshell" finishes can be applied with 3/8" or 1/4" rollers. Higher glosses usually are applied with 1/4" rollers. Your paint, "satin", may be eggshell or it could be considered flat... depends on the company!

It's probably not necessary to prime since you already have a few coats on the wall. Try a 3/8" roller if you haven't been using one. In any event don't give up... even if it takes two more coats the beauty of the finished room will make the extra work worthwhile.

(Check out the letter from MR in our “Pass The Hammer” section below… she solved her problem AND received a refund for the wasted paint!)

NH

6) LINKMEISTER’S CORNER

FIBER CEMENT SIDING by James Hardie Building Products.
If wood siding just doesn’t cut the mustard in your seaside neighborhood, or your climate makes mincemeat of cedar, consider replacing it with cement siding. Fiber cement siding is hard, durable and virtually impervious to humidity, rain, snow, salt air and even termites! Worth a look if you are considering residing your home!
http://www.jameshardie.com
 

CRACKED, DRY SKIN from this winter’s worst? ZIMS’ CRACK CRÈME is the only skin care product NH has found that actually works! And it doesn’t leave your hands slimy like lanolin-based products… important for working guys and gals! This stuff is even better than Cornhusker’s Lotion, and that’s saying something!
http://www.crackcreme.com
 

KLENKS EPOXY FINISHES manufactures epoxy refinishing kits can make your old sinks and tubs look like new. The kits include everything you need, right down to the gloves. The illustrated instructions are also a nice touch!
http://www.klenks.com
 

CARADCO offers a full line of windows for the home, but what will most interest do-it-yourselfers is their “ZapPack” replacement double-hung window system. They claim you can replace an old double-hung window in 20 minutes with their insulated tilt-in window set. Gentlemen, start your timers!
http://www.caradco.com
 

1WINDOWQUILTS.COM features the original "Window Quilt", the only truly insulating shade. Both attractive and functional, the Window Quilt has an R-value of 4.9, which translates into a 67% energy saving over insulated glass alone! If you have conventional windows the savings are even more dramatic. Each shade is custom made for your home.
http://www.1windowquilts.com
 

CELLULARWINDOWSHADES.COM, located in sunny Northern Vermont, manufactures and sells their own "Symphony" line of honeycomb, energy-efficient window shades. The energy savings compared with conventional shades are phenomenal and the prices very reasonable. Their line includes light filtering, room darkening, motorized, skylight shades and more to suit most every window!
http://www.cellularwindowshades.com

HAVE A LINK YOU WANT MENTIONED HERE?
Click HERE to drop a note to our picky “LINKMEISTER”

7) PASS THE HAMMER, WOULD YA? ... NH’S READERS SPEAK OUT

Dear NH,

I was searching the web to solve a water heater problem and came across your site. I have a home repair/handyman business. Unfortunately, the high cost of liability insurance stopped me as an independent building contractor.

It’s sad that most things new are not built to last. Build it quick and in 5,10, or 20 years replace it. Give me the old houses of the 19th century. I want quality, not quantity!

Thanks for being here, NH. Some new things do have value. There's hope after all.

DC

DC,

Thanks for writing and for your kind words. We’re not exactly new (we’re rapidly approaching our 6th anniversary online), but I understand and appreciate your sentiments!

Being a builder/contractor is not the easiest business to run. As you know, there is much more to it than just being a great carpenter. You need to really be a manager first, worker second if you want to really succeed in the contracting business. It's a hard transition for some of us "doers" to make.

Being an independent handyman isn’t a walk in the park either, but there are definite advantages. You do have more control over your day-to-day destiny and those "little jobs" are always... repeat ALWAYS… going to be there.

That is, as long as you are reliable, competent, and available!

NH

……………………………………..

Dear NH,

Just wanted to share this info that I learned about… too late for my kitchen, though! We decided to use a bright red paint on the walls and were NEVER told to use a dark gray colored primer at the home improvement store where the Behr paint was purchased. The coverage was horrible over the white primer, necessitating the purchase of more red paint to get a smooth color.

When I went to another branch of this home improvement store to make this additional purchase, the paint salesman told me to call Behr and lodge a complaint. I did so, and received a full refund from Behr. Nowhere on the can or at the store was the info posted about tinting the primer for better depth of color. Heads up for all the novice painters like me!

MR

MR,

Your experience is common for novice painters. Gray is better than white as an undercoat for a rich color, but not as good as actually tinting the primer to a close color match.

Paint store clerks should ALWAYS suggest tinting the primer when selling rich colors to their customers. Alas, none of us are perfect!

There is a wealth of information at the PAINT QUALITY INSTITUTE on what makes a good paint great. They also have an informative pictorial on interior and exterior paint failure that is enlightening (and frightening)!
http://www.paintquality.com
 

NH

8) FEATURED IN THE NATURAL HANDYMAN BOOKSHOP...

THE REAL GOOD SOLAR LIVING SOURCE BOOK by John Shaeffer
With over 500 pages of alternative energy, efficiency and conservation wisdom, this book features the finest technologies for home energy independence.

See this and other fine books in our BOOKSHOP at:
http://www.naturalhandyman.com/bookshop
 

PURCHASE ALL YOUR BOOKS ONLINE THROUGH US!

By making a special AMAZON.COM bookmark through our site, you not only get the finest books available but also help our site with a small, essentially free donation with each purchase! Click below for more information…
http://www.naturalhandyman.com/amazon

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