Sponsored by WernerCo The first vehicle I ever owned was a truck, and I’ll always be a truck owner. I haul stuff every single day. The only downsides about trucks are that it’s tough to organize my stuff in the bed, and it’s not easy to lock it all up. That’s why I’m a big fan of truck bed tool boxes. My previous boxes were all saddle-style, but recently I tried out a Weather Guard PACK RAT® box....
If you hear outdoor carpet and think rough plastic shag that resembles synthetic turf, think again. Softer, more stylish and longer lasting than in the past, outdoor carpet is increasingly popular with homeowners who want to transform their patio or deck into an inviting space for relaxing or entertaining. Like its indoor counterpart, outdoor carpet is a versatile decorative feature that can brighten an open-air living space with a splash of color or eye-catching pattern while providing a comfortable surface for padding around in bare feet....
An American Institute of Architects Home Trends survey revealed pantries of all kinds are on the rise in new and existing kitchen designs. According to the survey, a pantry was the most popular kitchen feature. The survey reported the size of kitchens continues to grow, with additional food storage and prep areas like butler’s and food prep pantries. We turned to two experts to find out why pantries are in demand....
Outdoor adventures are an exciting way to spend free time—and having the right gear makes those outings more enjoyable. There are several retailers selling outdoor gear, clothing and supplies. When deciding where to shop, you’ll want a brand that offers durable products made with high-quality materials. As someone who enjoys the great outdoors, you’ll also likely want to consider whether a company is environmentally-conscious. When it comes to leading retailers of outdoor gear and clothing, two brands land at the top of any list: Patagonia and The North Face....
via Family Handyman Most of us wouldn’t think to paint a worn out old car seat or a leather purse, but this new Restore Coat paint allows you to do just that. Originally created with auto restoration in mind, this flexible, non-cracking, self-leveling paint product will restore or change colors on not only leather but vinyl, plastic, and other materials as well. Easy Application Restore Coat is a water-based interior/exterior paint that’s UV/water resistant and comes in a palette of nine colors....
I was a boy when Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 horror classic Psycho hit the theaters. Had I been a precocious lad and keener on physics watching the scene where Janet Leigh’s character is attacked while taking a shower, I would have stood up in the theatre and shouted, “The scene is fake! Look, there’s no shower curtain effect!” Indeed, the shower curtain did not move inward as it should have. It didn’t creepily cling to Ms....
The giant desert centipede (AKA the giant Arizona desert centipede) is commonly found slithering around the arid, hot Southwest region of the U.S. and parts of northern Mexico. As scary-looking as they can be, giant centipedes are also highly beneficial for maintaining the balance of our ecosystem. Find out more about these ominous-looking creatures. What Is the Giant (Desert) Centipede? The giant desert centipede is a terrestrial, carnivorous arthropod that feeds on insects, lizards, frogs, rodents and other small animals....
Farmers grow more than 50 million tons of sunflower seeds every year. The black ones end up in our bird feeders, as well as on our grocery store shelves as cooking oil. The striped ones mostly go in our lunch sacks, though some land in our bird feeders. “All sunflower seeds are edible and delicious,” says Randel Agrella, senior horticulturalist with Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. Humans mainly eat the striped ones, probably because the black ones are too small for us to crack open peaceably....
EmBaSy/Shutterstock The kitchen sponge is a well-used cleaning tool. From your dishes to your counters, it soaks up a lot of dirt and leaves your kitchen sparkling. That’s why it should come as no surprise that there is a hefty amount of bacteria in the sponge. In fact, one study published in Scientific Reports investigated how many critters are living in used kitchen sponges, and found some disturbing results. “We found 362 different species of bacteria, and locally, the density of bacteria reached up to 45 billion per square centimeter,” says Markus Egert, a microbiologist at Furtwangen University in Germany, who led the study....
lennystan/Shutterstock Before planting a flower bed, planning is crucial. And, did you know that there are many tools to help you plan your flower bed layouts? These flower bed planners can help you come up with a design with the right arrangement of flowers, along with additions such as water features, pathways and lighting, to help increase your home’s curb appeal. Here are five flower bed planners with online design tools to help you plan, whether you’re a beginner or an experienced gardener....
A newly purchased Pennsylvania home came with one major, expensive surprise for new homeowners Sara Weaver and her husband: an estimated 450,000 honeybees living behind the home’s walls, according to CNN. It reportedly cost close to $12,000 to relocate the bees from the 1872 farmhouse in Skippack, Pennsylvania, to a honey farm and fix the damage to the walls. The house is currently being rented, and the tenants noticed a few bees in spring, according to CNN....
The Trex composite deck system offers a popular alternative to traditional wood construction because it weathers beautifully over time and homeowners find its low-maintenance requirements appealing. Trex decking costs more than wood construction at installation, however, homeowners tend to get that investment back over time. A composite deck never requires refinishing, and that can potentially save the homeowner thousands of dollars through the deck’s lifespan. Simple, semi-annual cleanings keep a Trex deck looking bright and new....
Family Handyman editor, Jeff Gorton, shows you how to use a QEP drill bit kit to drill holes in tile without cracking the tile. Get a perfect worry-free hole every time. What to Use to Drill a Hole in Tile Drilling a hole through tile can be nerve-wrecking because if done incorrectly tile can crack easily. But with the QEP’s diamond drill kit, drilling through tile is simple. The kit contains a water cooling system, a drill guide, adhesive pads and a diamond drill bit....
You generally don’t think about your car’s battery until it starts giving you problems. When it’s time to replace that battery, it’s usually an easy process to swap it out. But what do you do with that old, dead battery? Don’t just throw it away — recycle it. Why Proper Battery Disposal Is Important A typical car battery is made of lead plates and sulfuric acid. As you probably know, lead is one of the most toxic heavy metals....
Going for walks in the winter can be a great way to get some fresh air — until it comes time to bundle up in layer upon layer. And if you happen to work outside, you know how chilly those long days and nights can be. If you’re ready to stop shivering every time you go out on a cold winter’s night, we’ve found the perfect product for you: a heated vest....
Toto, a Japanese toilet manufacturing company, has long worked as a leader in the bidet toilet market and it’s also an industry leader in water conservation. Not ready for such a investment in your bathroom? You can retrofit your toilet now with one of these bidet attachments. A Toto study found Japanese women flushed the toilet 2.3 times in each visit to the bathroom. A spokesperson with the company says that in an office building that has around 1,000, the sound feature, called the “princess” sound can add up to an annual savings of $37,000....
I don’t think it’s possible to garden where daylilies grow and not be tempted to plant one or two (or more!). I live close to a daylily farm so I have several varieties in my garden. My favorites include ‘Hyperion,’ an heirloom variety first introduced in the 1920s, and ‘Notify Ground Crew,’ which has flower scapes (stems) almost six feet tall. What Are Daylilies? Daylilies are popular, easy-to-grow perennials with long, strappy foliage and lily-like flowers that grow on stems called scapes....
I ran this floor cleaner over the vinyl tile in my back entryway for about five minutes, then emptied its dirty water bucket. Now I’m a believer. Let me explain. I don’t mind cleaning my hard-surface floors by hand occasionally. Sure, it’s a chore. But the results are good, and I can do it all with simple cleaning liquids and rags. The problem is, it can take a couple of hours to move all the furniture and sweep, clean and dry the wood....
If you set out to create a home garden and find your intended plot features clay soil, you might assume your garden are extremely limited. Clay soil is often regarded as the enemy. It’s hard to work with, difficult to grow in and a death sentence for many plants. And while a lot of clay soil’s bad rap is deserved, the reality isn’t all black and white. With the right approach, you can work with clay soil, take advantage of its benefits, and coax it into helping you create a flourishing home garden....
Your vehicle runs as much on electricity as it does on gasoline. According to statista.com, by 2030 electronics will account for 50 percent of a vehicle’s cost. This is a far cry from the 1930s, when hazard warning (four-way) flashers first became available as a safety feature. Your vehicle lights in particular are vital. Here’s what you need to know about these important parts of your car. Vehicle Lights: Bulbs and Sockets Family Handyman...
