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When asked to think of a brick building, you might conjure up an image of a red brick schoolhouse or a similar traditional structure, but “brick” doesn’t refer to a single material. Bricks can be made of many different materials for different purposes. The types of bricks are categorized according to their component materials and method of manufacture. Here, look at the five most common types of brick that are the best for construction and home renovation—burnt clay, sand lime, concrete, fly ash clay, and engineering bricks—and the uses for each....

Review these five main types of cleaning sponges to determine the right one for your next task. leventina / Getty Images kittijaroon / Getty Images A lot of these sponges are color-coded according to their level of toughness. Unfortunately, there is no standard between companies or even within a single brand for the color-coded system. Your best bet is to carefully read the packaging to determine if the abrasive sponge is right for your surfaces....

One member of the team will dip their wand into the color of their choice and blow a bubble. The other teammate has to hold up a piece of paper and catch the bubble, so that it pops onto the paper, leaving a splash of color on the page. This continues until the player with the bubble wand has used all the colors he wishes to create a design on the paper....

Before putting the wreaths away, make sure to get any dust, dirt, or moisture off using a clean microfiber towel. If the wreaths are fully artificial and could use a little extra cleaning this time around, wash dirt and grime off with warm water, then let them air dry completely before storing them away. Read to store your wreaths? Read on for six smart wreath storage ideas you can use year after year....

Not least to consider, these plants are going to be eaten by you and your loved ones, so if you haven’t given organic gardening much thought before, you might want to consider it now. What to Consider Before Planting Your Vegetable Garden The good news is that most vegetables have similar growing requirements, so when you are deciding where to put your vegetable garden, you can follow these guidelines....

Add Architectural Details and AppliquesConsider adding some architectural details like molding or wood appliqués. Paint them the same color as the chest for a subtle look or in a contrasting color to make them stand out. Remember to lightly sand the area where you plan to add the appliqués and then attach them using wood glue or a silicone adhesive.Apply a French PolishIf the chest has a nice wood grain it can be enhanced and made more elegant with a French polish....

This is particularly key because, as McCollum notes, “Pairing autumn-inspired colors with white trim and light natural wood accents lets the color transition no matter the season.” “You don’t need to commit to painting all four walls of a room to bring the warmth and autumn feel into your home," she says. “Focusing on one accent wall, trims, or backsplashes is a great way to start integrating warm colors into a space in an impactful and refined way....

But be warned: You may want to avoid Thai mats filled with Kapok fibers. While the organic material is considered a cushy substitute for goose down, it’s highly flammable. While you can use any fabric you please, for the best comfort, stick to 100-percent prewashed, organic cotton. Stuffing the mattress with organic buckwheat hulls will naturally combat dust mites. The hulls are also fire-resistant and biodegradable.

Sending Christmas and other holiday cards is a simple task, but there are some specific things you should keep in mind. Here are some helpful tips to ensure that you put your best foot forward as you send a little bit of seasonal joy to everyone on your Christmas card list. Designate Which Cards Go to Each Family You should always set up a system that helps you to remember which of your friends actually celebrate Christmas and which ones do not....

Even without companion benefits, the vegetable garden is a lovely place to plant flowers intended for cutting. You can snip them as you’re selecting vegetables for dinner. Here are nine of the best flowers to add a new dimension to your vegetable garden. Some borage flowers are pink and some are blue. Light, temperature, and other external conditions can cause this color variation. One theory is the color changes from pink to blue as the flowers age and lose their pollen....

In this series, This Is Home, we’re sharing unique houses from all around the world in which everyone from DIY enthusiasts to design experts has transformed an unexpected space into one that’s not only livable but design-focused, too. These stories delve into the backgrounds of remarkable places, the processes, and all the challenges and wins along the way while making a home out of it, whether it’s a barn, castle, cabin, or schoolhouse....

A possible solution to this problem is offered by self-adhesive tile mats, which are especially popular for backsplash applications behind countertops in kitchens and bathrooms. Adhesive mats are akin to large sheets of double-stick tape. Sold in rolls, the mats have adhesive applied to both sides, with peel-off paper protecting both surfaces. One side of the mat sticks to the wall, with the exposed side providing a surface for sticking the ceramic tiles in place....

You have several options for cooling a hot garage, depending on your local conditions. Garages in areas with mild summers can get away with an exhaust fan that provides large air changes throughout the day, but if your summers are hot, muggy or both, you may be eyeing a full-blown window air conditioning unit as the best solution. Benefits to Air Conditioning the Garage Not only will adding air conditioning to your garage make it a more pleasant place in the summer, but it can also help with your home air-conditioning expenses....

This is quite a slow-growing tree, generally adding no more than 6 to 9 inches per year, very gradually achieving a mature height. It is normally planted as a bare-root specimen in late winter or early spring. Though ripe nuts are quite edible, unripe nuts contain small amounts of a mild toxin known as fagin, confined mostly in the skin of the nuts. Large quantities of unripe nuts need to be consumed before ill effects occur, but this does occasionally happen with dogs and grazing animals....

Are phantom loads contributing an extra 10% to your energy bill? Refer to this list of common phantoms to find out: TVsVCRs and DVRsCell phone chargers (and any other battery chargers)Clock radiosComputers and printersCoffeemakersPower stripsMicrowave ovensAnswering machinesAny device with a remote controlAny device with a clockAny device that is programmableAny device with a power light or standby indicator light Have some of these phantoms in your home? If so, here are some simple changes that you can make to eliminate them....

However, there are several considerations that must be met for an attic to be suitable for converting into a living space, and some involve the structure of the floor. Unless the attic floor is suitable for carrying the additional weight of active living space, the attic can’t be converted. Determining Your Attic Framing Structure The way your home was framed during construction will have a major impact on the potential for converting your empty attic into additional living space....

How Old Are These Birds? Typically, young birds visiting feeders or hopping on the ground are fledglings, birds that have grown enough of their adult plumage to begin flying but that are not yet fully mature. These birds may be anywhere from two to five weeks old depending on the species and how much they have developed. They demonstrate many youthful characteristics, including both physical and behavioral traits that can help you identify them successfully....