Carpet vs. Hardwood Flooring Most modern carpet is created by threading closely spaced loops of synthetic fibers through large sheets of backing material. There are some natural-fiber carpets—mostly cotton or wool—but the vast majority use synthetic materials, such as nylon to polyester. Carpeting is manufactured in huge rolls, and consumers buy it by the foot, in whatever quantities they need. Modern hardwood flooring generally comes in one of two forms. Solid hardwood flooring is, as the name suggests, boards of solid wood that are milled from rough lumber taken from felled hardwood trees....

If you’ve ever visited a college dorm, it’s likely you spotted at least one bean bag chair. These super comfy chairs make for the perfect temporary furniture pieces in dorm rooms. But believe it or not, there’s also a ton of options that appeal to adults too. We tested out the Chill Sack to check out its comfort level, ease of cleaning, durability, price, size, style, and recommended age range....

Almost as important as picking the right Christmas tree is choosing the best Christmas tree stand—one that’s simple to set up, will securely hold the tree, and make watering simple. I tested out the Cinco Express Tree Stand, available in small (C-152E), medium (C-148E), and large (C-144E), to see if it could take the drama out of the holiday tradition. Setup: Wow On its label, the Cinco C-148E Express calls itself “the two-minute tree stand....

Problem: Dryer Won’t Heat Solutions: If you have a gas dryer, check the supply line valve. It must be fully open to operate properly. Electric dryers use two household fuses or circuit breakers. The drum can still turn if just one fuse is blown, but there will be no heat. You may need to replace both fuses or reset both circuit breakers. If the dryer’s thermal fuse has blown due to a power surge or other mechanical problem, the dryer won’t heat....

Then PEX and related fittings came along, and it all changed. The Shift From Galvanized and Copper to PEX Galvanized pipe requires the user to learn complicated connection techniques. Using copper means mastering the delicate art of sweating copper fittings (the various connection points of elbows and tees that join copper pipes) with a torch and solder. Even though both are learnable skills, many novice plumbers would balk at this point, preferring the competent but expensive work of a professional plumber....

Growing in popularity, steampunk is close to mainstream now; with clothing, furniture, decorating items and films all designed to suit the Victorian, yet modern sensibility. Despite its climb to conventional, steampunk still relies on an individual outlook, a taste for modifying and adapting secondhand objects, and a sense of humor and whimsy. A steampunk-themed bedroom—whether it’s the primary bedroom, a ​child’s room, or a teen’s hideout—is a great choice for anyone who loves the Victorian style, marches to the beat of their own drummer, or just loves the anachronistic/futuristic/industrial look....

Plants Deer Like to Eat Deer love narrow-leaf evergreens, especially arborvitae and fir. Deer show a preference for hostas, daylilies, and English ivy. The heaviest garden browsing is from October through February. Many growers note that deer seem to prefer plants that have been fertilized. Plants That Deer Do Not Like to Eat (Usually) Bear in mind that the first rule of deer-proofing is that there are really no plants that are completely deer-proof....

The device goes by several commonly used names such as volt-ohm-meter (VOM), multi-tester, multi-meter, and others. Multi-meter Is a Must-Have Tool It is an essential tool for home repair projects involving electrical work at the branch electrical circuit level or with HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) repair. This display on this electronic device may be analog or digital. The analog version uses a calibrated meter with a needle. The digital version is more common and used as a fully electronic display....

These DIY buffet tables and sideboards are most often placed in dining rooms, as the top of the buffet can be used to serve food or to display some of your special decor items. The inside is a great place to store dishes, tablecloths, napkins, and anything else you’d like to have within reach. Use these tables for whatever you want, whether for a TV or a busy hallway. Once you’ve decided where it’s going and how you will use it, check out the following plans....

DIY backsplashes tend to be lightweight and made of materials that are easier to apply than the usual ceramic or glass. Many come with pre-applied adhesive backing, while others stay up with light brads or construction glue. Yes, vinyl, self-stick products are a staple of DIY backsplashes. But this idea is different. Wallpaper comes in large sections, so you can roll it out across a wall in one strip instead of methodically assembling small pieces....

Keep in mind that these ugly Christmas sweater ideas can be made as is or you can use them as inspiration to create your own unique sweater. Take a look at the projects along with the materials they used, and let your imagination go wild. There aren’t many rules when it comes to DIY ugly Christmas sweaters, so don’t be afraid to go wild. Gingerbread Man Ugly Christmas Sweater from Pretty Providence A DIY Tacky Christmas Sweater from Life After Laundry...

In Classical Times, Faux Painting Became Popular The most recent comeback of faux painting was during the late 1980s and early 1990s when wallpaper began to lose its popularity. At this time, faux painting began to emerge in homes, with high-end homes leading the trend. Many painters and artist began faux painting services and businesses during this time but most of these painting techniques are simple enough for homeowners to create themselves....

Natural Foods for Robins American robins are widespread thrushes, closely related to bluebirds, hermit thrushes, wood thrushes, and Townsend’s solitaires. Like most other thrushes, robins are omnivorous and have a wide-ranging, opportunistic diet that changes with the seasons, habitat, and general availability of different food sources. A robin’s typical diet consists of 40 percent insects and 60 percent fruits, with popular foods such as: Earthworms, insect larvae, grubs, caterpillars, and snailsSpiders, beetles, grasshoppers, termites, crickets, and other insectsBerries such as blueberries, mulberries, winterberries, juniper, honeysuckle, and hollySmall tree fruits including cherries, crabapples, chokecherries, dogwood, and hawthornVine fruits such as wild and domesticated grapes...

To find the family area of your home, stand in the front door looking in. As you’re looking into your home (or with a floor plan), divide the space into a three-by-three grid. The center left section of the grid is the family or Zhen position. In this diagram, it’s the green section. Once you’ve found Zhen position in your home, try out some feng shui tips to enhance this area....

Feng shui practitioners work with the five elements to evaluate what is going on energetically with a client and their space. Need more wood feng shui energy in your home? Here are some easy home decor tips that will bring the vibrant energy of this element to your space. What Is the Wood Element? Wood element is vitality, growth, and kindness. Wood energy is also related to flexibility and human-heartedness....

If you live in an area at risk for wildfires—like Southern California or much of the West—you may have heard of certain plants that are fire-resistant. It makes sense to take measures to landscape your property with shrubs, trees, perennials, and succulents that may, in some cases, possibly save your house from burning down. But what about the most flammable plants—the ones you should consider removing or at least not planting?...

The garage door opener does not do the actual lifting, but with the use of counterbalance springs attached to the door, the tension of the garage door’s torsion springs lift and close the garage door. A garage door opener controls how far the doors close and open and the force that the garage door experts. Garage door openers also act as a lock for the door. High-Tech Doors Garage doors seem to get better and better....

Gorilla Carts is a Minnesota-based company that specializes in garden and utility carts sold through big box home improvement and farm stores. To see if its larger 6-cubic-foot Gorilla Carts Heavy-Duty Poly Dump Cart delivered on its promise of being an easy-to-use alternative to basic wheelbarrows, we tested it over several weeks in our home’s garden in Colorado. We assessed its durability, stability, as well as its quick-release dumping feature....