BMoxies 2nd Ever Photo Week – Day 1 (Shades of Ed) :: Test Painting Colors
To figure which colors to use in painting our house in 2006, we started with some tests on the shed. This shed was site-built and clad with T1-11 (a type of treated...
Tag Archives: Exteriors
Formstone :: BMoxies 1st Ever Photo Week – Day 2 (the Polyester of Brick)
Generically known as "formstone" a sort of "stamped stucco" remains on the street-facing exterior of many (row)homes in Baltimore, Maryland. It was applied widely from the 1930s to the 1960s. But as...
Above Ground Pools: Three Solutions for Sprucing Em Up
An above ground pool seemed like the best choice for my wallet, but then I began to think of the stigma/image/everything else that goes with one in your yard. All I can...
Grow Grass Without Weeds :: Soil Types, Aerating, Watering & More
Unfortunately, everybody's yard is different, there's no silver bullet and lawn care techniques are confusing. Will my yard benefit from aerating? How do I get rid of crabgrass? What is runoff? These...
Top Rated Decking Materials :: Stack the Deck in Your Favor
Many homeowners prefer, or default to, wooden decking. But my dears, we are living in the age of options. You can build a deck out of ginger ale bottles, if you want...
Earth Day :: Three Simple Acts Around the House That Can Make A Difference
Today (April 22nd) is Earth Day, and the theme of this year's Earth Day is A Billion Acts of Green. The basic idea is that if at least a billion of us...
Tips for Cleaning a Wood Deck :: Spring Cleaning Tips for Your Decking
I hate the words “spring cleaning.” I hate long checklists that remind me of all the things I don’t feel like doing. I hate the hours of dirty, sweaty work required to...
Can Your Wood Deck Survive Another Harsh Winter? :: How to Winterize a Wood Deck
Unfortunately, when it comes to wood decking, poor maintenance can also pose a safety hazard. Dry rot, weakened ledger connections and failing footings can all contribute to deck collapse. Not to get...
Winter Fence Maintenance :: Nursing Your Wood Fence Through a Cold, Hard Winter
There's a price to pay come spring when the sun reappears and sheds light on all of the deterioration your yard has experienced throughout the winter. This is especially true if you...
Staying On the Grid, Part II: A Call to Arms to the Citizen Farmer
I've managed to see first hand how relatively simple, natural approaches to soil management can produce extraordinary results in compact spaces. Provided, of course, you're willing to invest the required sweat equity...
Exterior Restoration and Preservation :: Siding, Paint and Windows
We decided almost immediately that we were not going to remove or cover the near original german clapboard siding. (Did replacing it cross our minds? At that time, honestly, no.) We had...
How to Remodel a Bungalow :: Start Where the Water Is and Then Move to the Air
They always say put the money where the water is. In other words, you as a homeowner often get the most from your remodeling dollar with work on the kitchen and on...