Carpentry and Home Improvement Ideas

Posted By guest on January 27, 2012

The experience of baby-proofing a room for the first time can be an overwhelming one for new parents. With your child's safety at stake, it is incredibly important to pay attention to details and to change your habits so that you are not likely to undo your work with one ill-placed object. Luckily, by following these five easy steps, you can baby-proof your child's room perfectly.

1. Choose a soft floor covering, like a fluffy rug or a playroom mat. For your child's bedroom, it is important that everything is soft, since some children go through phases where they try to escape from things, like their cribs. In order to make sure the landing is safe, considering covering the nursery floor with a playroom mat for the first few years of your child's life.
    
2. Cover electrical outlets. This one may seem obvious, but it's a step you must stay constantly on top of. Try to get into the habit of always inserting outlet covers immediately after unplugging electric devices early, so that by the time your baby is mobile, the outlets are always covered.
    
3. Look out for corners. Babies seem to have a knack for hitting their heads on the corners of tables and other surfaces, so soften them with Styrofoam, or buy corner guards at your local baby store or online. It can be hard to become accustomed to the change in your home's appearance, but it is well worth the safety of your child.
    
4. Eliminate small pieces. This one is much easier to achieve in your child's room than in the rest of the house. Since your nursery is only going to include items you need for your baby, a habit of buying no toys with small pieces should keep them out. For the rest of your house, make sure you think before you set something down.
    
5. Keep cabinets locked. If your child is getting to the age when he is getting into everything, you should buy child-proof cabinet locks to keep them out. As an extra precaution, keep potentially dangerous items up high.

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Posted By Craig on January 6, 2012

We recently finished the construction of an unusual stair railing.  The homeowner wanted a unique look  and a style to complement his home.  The newel posts are solid douglas fir and distressed for an aged look.  The top and bottom rails and the cross members are 2 x 6 alder that has been distressed as well.  The truly unusual part of the railing is the metal screen placed between the posts.  This allows the railing to meet building codes but it also give the railing a farm yard look.  The stair ends are finished off with wood end caps, risers and a skirt board  mitered to the risers.  As you can tell from the pictures a stair railing can make a dramatic statement to the look and feel of your home.  With all of the options available to you,  your railing can be one of a kind and add value to your home.

Category: Stairs | 2 Comments »
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Posted By Craig on December 3, 2011

I am often asked by homeowners where the best place to buy home improvement material is.  With home improvement big box store within a few miles of most people it is easier than ever to shop for home supplies.  It is convenient to shop in one place for everything and the store hours fit into our busy schedules.  They lure us in with the promise of low prices and for some things they do have low prices.  I have found that some items have competitive prices compared to locally owned suppliers but if you want something unique or a little nicer the cost is much higher than the local stores.  The biggest disadvantages of the big box stores is the lack of knowledgeable advice and limited selection.  Few homeowners are aware of the other places to shop for home improvement materials.

Professional contractors have many places to shop in every community and many of these stores also sell to homeowners.  The stores may not be as close by or have shorter opening hours but the selection of products knowledgeable advice and value cannot be beat.  At local contractor oriented stores you have the benefit of employees with years of experience and a selection of items that will allow you to pick just the right look for your home.

Homeowners are surprised when I tell them that for material like baseboards, casing and other woodwork the local stores are half the price of the big box stores.  Doors come in many styles that are never found at the big stores and are available for the same price as the two common styles found in these stores.  For special orders or custom sizes the locally owned stores are your  best place to shop as they deal with  custom orders every day.

To find the locally owned stores look in the yellow pages, search online or even better call a contractor and ask him where he buys his material.  At the professional stores you will have the selection of home building materials to give your home a unique look and quality material that will give you years of enjoyment.

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Tags: building supplies

Posted By Craig on July 1, 2011

movable wood shutter

It has been said that windows are the eyes on the face of your home.  Eyes without eyebrows, eyelashes and makeup can look boring.  The same can be said of your windows, without shutters or other details your home does not look its best.  Shutters have been used on homes for hundreds of years for protection and looks.  Exterior shutters can be movable, allowing them to cover your windows in bad weather or fixed in place on the sides of your windows.  As homes have been built faster and cheaper  shutters are one of the details missing on many homes today.

Board and batten shutter

With shutters there are many design options and come in several types of material.  Traditionally shutters have been made with wood and can be painted to accent your homes color or stained to add richness and warmth.   Wood shutters can be made to fit any sized window and have the largest design possibilities of any shutter material.  The disadvantage of woo shutters is that they will need to be repainted or stained to keep them looking good.  They are very durable and will hold up to the most severe weather.  Vinyl  has been a popular alternative to wood over the last few decades.  They are the most affordable shutters and will not require maintenance.  They come in many colors or can be painted.  They have any styles and sizes available.  The downside  of Vinyl is that it does not match the look of wood and does not hold up as well to strong winds and will fade over time.  A new type of shutters is becoming popular that is made with composites or fiberglass.  They can mimic the look of wood and are durable and do not require maintenance.  The price is more than vinyl and comparable to wood.  Sizes and shapes of composites will be more limited than wood shutters.  For the utmost durability and carefree use you can not beat composite shutters.

Raised panel exterior shutter

Whichever shutter you choose for your home it is important that they complement the style of your homes and are in the right proportion to your windows.  They also need to be mounted securely.  Exterior shutters designed and installed properly  will make a dramatic transformation to the street appeal of your home.  They will increase your homes value and is a good way to personalize the exterior of your home.  An experienced carpenter can design and build you custom shutters or install ready made shutters.

Arched top wood shutter

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Posted By Craig on April 14, 2011

Hardwood mantelMantel with TV cabinet.

Mantel with TV cabinet.

Mantels are one of the best ways to customize your home and add value to it.  Most homes have the same look and feel to their family room.  A fireplace is the focal point of most rooms and offers you a great opportunity to create a room that is unique and fits your own style.  The mantel makes the most of your fireplace and adds to the warmth and feel to the fireplace.  A fireplace is incomplete without a mantel.

Mantels can be be built in many styles and designed to fit the size of any fireplace.  They can be built with the finest in hardwoods for a rich and warm feel or with paint grade materials for a lower cost option. Mantels can be incorporated into shelving or cabinets on the sides of the fireplace for a custom look.  Even if you already have a mantel it can

be  updated to create a new look and make your home look new.  This is a easy and effective way to enhance your home.

Fireplace mantels start will a basic shelf above the fireplace.  It can be built over the brick or stone above the fireplace or on the wall.  It can be a modern style, with clean lines, a traditional style with custom moldings or a rustic look with a simple wood beam or log.  Legs can be added to the mantel to surround the fireplace and increase the size and looks of the mantel.  This is a great way to put a border around the stone or tile around the fireplace.  The lintel above the fireplace can be arched or have a raised panel look.  The mantel can wrap around the sides of the fireplace.  Mantels can be designed to work with a TV screen above the fireplace or your artwork of decorations.  One mantel  I recently built had a cabinet on the side of the fireplace that housed a television and electronics in it.  The doors open and slide into the cabinet giving the homeowner a good view of the TV or the ability to hide it when not in use.

An experienced carpenter can help you design a mantel that sets your home apart from others and increase its value.  They can build a mantel that will fit any budget  and shape and style of your fireplace.  A well designed and built mantel will make a big impact to your home and will be the focal point of  the room it’s in.  It will give you a great way to decorate a room personalize your home.

fireplace before mantel

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Posted By Craig on March 11, 2011

Remodeled stairway

Basements can seem closed off from the rest of the house.  In a Utah home we recently helped change that problem.  Like a lot of houses the stairway going to the basement had a wall on both sides making the stairs seem confining and closing in the basement.  The lower sections of the stair walls were removed  and we widened the stairs.  A stair rail was installed in the place of the walls. This opens up the basement, allowing you to see down the stairs better and opens up the two sides of the basement.  It also makes it easier to move things to the basement as it is easier to turn the corner at the bottom of the stairs.  Many homes can be remodeled to open up their stairs.  Walls can be removed and replaced with a header to open up the basement and make it feel more like it’s part of the home.  In this home we used maple newel posts and railing with black metal balusters.  We installed stair caps on the sides of the open stairs and ran a maple stair skirt along the stair wall.  The wood work was stained a mahogany color giving it a rich and warm look and feel.

Category: Stairs, remodel | 2 Comments »
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Posted By Craig on March 7, 2011

Craftsman style entry door

Your choices in exterior doors used to be simple, you had one type of door, wood.  Wood doors are very attractive and come in an unlimited array of styles and wood types.  In spite of all the advantages of wood doors, for many people the disadvantages are to great.  The biggest disadvantage of wood doors is the maintenance required to keeping them looking good.  The weather and sun can take  its toll on wood doors.  Here in Utah our climate goes from hot to cold and the sun shines brightly.  This results in wood doors needing repainting or sealing to protect them.  Wood also will expand with humidity and can warp, so you do not always get a perfect fitting door. Wood doors are still very popular because homeowners do not want to give up the style and feel of real wood doors.

A cheaper type of exterior door is hollow metal doors.  Metal doors are very durable and need less maintenance that wood doors.  They come in many styles and give you a tighter seal than wood doors, making them more energy efficient.  The disadvantage of metal doors is they do not look like wood and they dent easily. For the last few decades metal doors were the only alternative to wood. Metal doors are the most popular doors on newer houses, especially on lower priced homes.

The last few years door manufactures have made advancements in a new type of door.  The new modern doors are made out of fiberglass. Fiberglass doors have many advantages over other doors. They are more durable than wood or metal doors and come with longer warranties. . They are more energy efficient, five times the insulation value of wood, and do not expand with changes in the weather. They do not dent like metal or split and warp like wood.  They come in an increasing amount of styles and can be made to look like wood.  Fiberglass doors come in textures that have the look and feel of wood.  They can be painted or stained to resemble many types of wood.  The downside to fiberglass doors has been their price.  In the last few years the supply of fiberglass doors has brought their price down.  Now fiberglass doors are priced close to metal doors removing the one advantage metal doors have.  If you have not looked at a fiberglass door lately you will be surprised at how attractive they are.  Fiberglass doors can fit any budget as they come in numerous styles and prices.  Just like metal and wood doors they come with several window and sidelight options.  Given the longer warranties, durability, efficiency and looks of fiberglass doors, for many homeowners they are the perfect door.  A properly installed fiberglass front door will be the last door you will ever need and will enhance the value of your home.

Category: Doors | 1 Comment »
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Posted By Craig on February 18, 2011

Stain and fade resistant deck

composite and metal railing

The last few years have brought big changes to outdoor decks.  With the slowing economy and people staying in their homes longer it has changed the deck market.   The size of the average deck is getting smaller and homeowners are focusing on value and a good design that meets their needs . Decks are still split among wood and composite in the same ratios as the last several years but the type of composite decking they use is changing.  With less new houses being built, the houses are getting older and many homeowner have put of repairing their old decks.  This means that there are more old and unsafe decks on houses than ever before.  People are staying home more and looking for ways to make their homes more inviting and useful to them.

Analysts who follow the construction industry and have analyzed  the housing data predict that the market will stay slower than the heated market of the past but it will grow from the low levels of the last

Horizon composite deck with metal railing

couple of years.  There will be more deck renovations and repair of older decks . Homeowners are also looking more to low maintanence decks and focusing on the long term use of their decks.   As homeowners are staying in their homes longer they are looking for the little things that will make their deck unique and more useful to them.

Deck lighting

The decking industry has responded to the needs of home owners and designed deck and railing products that meet their needs.  The composite deck market has changed significantly in the last few years and 2011 continues that trend.   The appearance of composite decking is changing and looking more like wood with a deeper richer look.  Most good decking is now made with a hidden fastener system so that you do not see the fasteners.  They have also greatly improved the durability and stain and fade resistance of decking.   The top brands are now producing deck boards that the wood core is covered with plastic to improve the looks and durability of the boards.  The boards have the look of domestic wood and even exotic tropical woods.  The warranties are also improved as they now offer stain and fade guarantees.  If you have not seen what a modern composite deck can look like you are in for a surprise.

Deck and stair railing are also changing . There are more options and styles than ever before.  Deck owners are discovering that the design of the railing can add real personality to their deck and give it character.  No longer does the railing have to look the same as the deck.  Different materials and colors can be used to fit your own style and budget.  Metal railings are still popular and offer more varieties and options than ever.  Composite railings come in many colors and cane be mixed with metal giving you a custom look.  Wood railings can also be mixed with metal for a unique look.  Post caps come in many different styles and give your deck the finished look. One leading company make a gate that can be used with your railing or stairway to increase the safety of your deck.

Another change is in the use of lighting on your deck.  People find that deck lighting allows them to use their deck longer and it creates a relaxed and comfortable mood.  Deck lighting will also increase the

Solar post cap

safety of your deck, especially by using lights on the stairs . LED lights are coming out in many unique looks and offer a tremendous energy savings.  They are small and can be put almost anywhere on your deck or railing.  Solar lights are also more popular than ever and are very easy to install.

With all the new products and design trends in decking, it is important that you consult with an experienced deck builder, before you build your deck.  You will enjoy your deck for many years to come if it is built properly and designed to fit your lifestyle.  The weather conditions in the Utah area are extreme and your deck needs to be able to handle what the weather throws at it.  Safety is also important as deck failures are one of the leading cause of injury around homes.  An experienced licensed contractor is more important than ever before to help you design and build your deck and railing.

LED deck lighting

Deck gate

Category: Stairs, decks | 1 Comment »
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Posted By Craig on February 14, 2011

Bead board with craftsman style window casing.

craftsman wainscoting

It seems that a lot of people are interested in adding detail to their offices and bedrooms.  We have installed wainscoting and wall panels in several Salt Lake area homes lately.  Wall paneling or wainscoting takes many forms and can enhance the feel of any room.  If you look at a home built in the early 1900′s, chances are that it will have some kind of trim on the walls.  In an effort to speed up the building time and to cut costs, many of the details that gives older homes character have been lost.  As people are staying in their homes longer now, they are looking for ways to add character to their homes.  One of the most dramatic and cost effective ways to add character is to add a design to the walls.

Wall treatments can be as easy as installing bead board with a chair rail. This is a classic style found in seaside homes and in the country. It adds a casual and comfortable feel to a room. Bead board works well in less formal areas of a house, like a bathroom or a family room. Kitchens can also receive a more comfortable feel by putting bead board on the sides of cabinets or on the front of an island. For a simpler look V groove board can be used. It has cleaner lines and a distinctive look.

Craftsman style wall panels give you a completely different look.  The bungalows and Arts and Craft style homes built in the first half of the twentieth century used this style frequently.  This is the most cost effective style of wall panels as your existing sheet rock can make up the panels.  Flat boards are used to make up the panels and they go over the sheet rock.  A bigger board is used for the base and chair rail.  The height of the panels can vary according to your style and room size. A cap can be put on the top to act as a picture or plate rail and finishes the design.  Another name for this style is board and batten.  It can have square edges on the boards or a routed profile can be put on to give you a richer look.

Raised panels are the most formal of all the wall panels and will give a room the look of sophistication. Raised panels are used in dining rooms, entry  and stair ways.  There are many options that can be used with raised panels to fit any budget and look.

The simplest of all the looks is a shadow box or square panels created by putting a pencil mold trim over the existing walls creating a box.  Chair rail goes above the boxes or the boxes can be built above the chair rail.  The boxes and wall can be painted one color or the trim can be a second color giving you a unique look.  This style works best when your walls have a smooth texture on them.

Which ever style of wainscoting you pick it will improve the feel of your home and give it character.  An experienced carpenter will be able to advise you on the style that is right for your home and can

install the wall panels quickly.  At Apex Carpentry we have installed all the type of wainscoting in Utah homes and recognize the advantages of each design.

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Posted By Craig on January 20, 2011

mud room lockers

With kids it can be a real challenge to organize and store all their belongings.  Between coats, shoes and school backpacks your house can become very disorganized and cluttered.   A  good solution to this problem is to have an area in the house to store all their belongings in an area that is close to the door and easy to access.  Many homes have an area near the garage that is called a mudroom.  This can be a small room or hallway that has room for storage. Some house have a laundry room or utility room that can be used as a mudroom.

mudroom bench

There are many ways to add storage to an area even if  the area is small.  Simply putting coat hooks on a hallway wall or along a stair way can help organize coats. To dress it up bead board can go on the wall  below the hooks and a shelf can be placed above the hooks to store hats or gloves.   For homes that have more room storage lockers or cubbies are a great way to store items that are used every day.  They can be simple with inexpensive  paint grade wood or more elaborate  with doors or custom wood trim.  A bench with storage shelves under it is a good way to have a place to remove shoes and store them.  Lockers can be built so that each person in the house has a separate storage area.  To store small things, drawers are great idea and will be a good addition to your storage space.   Lockers can store shoes on the lower section, hang coats on hooks and have shelves for school supplies and outdoor clothing.  Cabinets can be installed to store things out of sight.

There is a way to organize the clutter to fit any budget.  A good finish carpenter can build your storage with a custom look and ideally  suited to your specific needs.  With a little imagination almost any area of the home can be used to store everyday items that seem to get scattered every where in the house.

mud room lockers with drawers

hall way coat hooks and cabinets

cubbies in mudroom

Kids storage lockers

coat and shoe storage lockers

Shelves for shoes

Hat storage

coat hooks with bead board

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Tags: cubbies and lockers, mud room storage