2012 Spring Home & Garden

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aDVertISIng SUPPLeMent • aPrIL 27, 2012

Banner Ad Along the Bottom. 6x2 Able Concrete

2B April 27, 2012 Sun ThiSweek ADVeRTiSinG SuPPLeMenT

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Challenge yourself to DIY gardening this springby Lauren Regnier

Murphy News service uNiversity of MiNNesota,

school of JourNalisM aNd Mass coMMuNicatioN

Minnesotans have traded in their bulky winter jackets for short sleeves as lawns turn a vibrant green and they prepare to take advantage of an early spring and gar-dening. this season’s challenge? do-it-yourself. diy garden projects are a great way to get your creative juices flowing, eric John-son of Minneapolis, author of “Garden drama: do-it-yourself Garden expres-sions and inspirations,” said. “Gardening is about expressing who we are in our gardening space,” Johnson said. “i like to help people find that in them-selves and then bring it into their garden.” one of the benefits of diy is that you can create individual pieces that no one else has because they didn’t come off the shelf at a store, Johnson said. creating unique projects can bring about a sense of self-satisfaction. “every time you use that thing (that you created yourself) … there is a sense of self-accomplishment,” Bruno Bornsztein of st. paul said. he created the website curbly.com, a blog with around 2 million page users per month, that focuses on home im-

provement, interior design, and diy. diy is sometimes about problem solv-ing, Bornsztein said. “the benefit is that you’re actually tak-ing the time to learn something and make something that you haven’t done before,” he said. “for me, that is fun.” another added bonus to diy is that you can save money, Johnson said, adding that he started from a “thrifty” point of view then realized that garden ornamentation brings focal points into the garden. “at the time i probably didn’t really have the mon-ey to go out and buy the pieces, so i wanted to start making them on my own,” Bornsztein said.

How to get started the internet is a great source for inspiration and ideas for diy garden projects. there are many blogs and websites solely dedicated to diy projects. so, where do you start? Bornsztein’s blog, www.curbly.com, has a diy section where us- e r s post projects they have done and give in-

structions on how to do them. Johnson’s blog Garden drama, www.gardendrama.com, is also a good starting point for ideas. he posts projects he has done and gives short descriptions of them. pinterest, the social photo-sharing web-site, has a multitude of project possibilities. the website allows users to keep a collec-

tion of theme-based image boards where they “pin” images that link to websites, and there is an entire section dedicated to gardening. “i did this project that took off like wildfire online,” Johnson said. “someone picked it up on pinterest and it has been re-pinned like crazy.” f o r diy newcom-ers, Johnson

said that you have to be willing to be a beginner at first.

“sometimes you have to kiss a lot of toads with diy projects,” he said. “you

have to try a lot before you get that really great piece that just works.”

Finding materials Many of the materials involved in diy projects can be found at hardware and home improvement stores, Johnson said. craft stores, dollar stores and junk shops are also great places to look. “i’m a big fan of junk shopping at sal-vation army and Goodwill,” he said. Keep an eye out for dumpsters and look through things that people are throw-ing away in their alleys, Johnson said. “whenever you see someone throwing a mirror away, get it and put it in your gar-den,” he said. “they really create a sense of mystery.”

Simple projects do you have one of those boring, 6-foot privacy fences in your backyard? here’s how you can jazz it up in two easy steps with Johnson’s glass marble privacy fence project. Materials: • Glass marbles • drill • privacy fence See garDenIng, 3B

Sun ThiSweek ADVeRTiSinG SuPPLeMenT April 27, 2012 3B

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Step 1: drill a hole just slightly smaller than the size of your marbles, so the marbles will stay in place. Step 2: insert the marble into the hole. repeat this process in any pattern you want all over the fence. Johnson recom-mends drilling test holes in scrap wood to determine the right size of the hole before you start on the fence.

DIY Sun Jar sun Jars are a great way to light up a garden. the sun charges them during the day and at night they light up. however, they can be very expensive. here’s a way to make

your own that doesn’t break the bank. Materials: • Mason jar • solar garden light (can be found at the hardware store) • aa battery • Blu-tack reusable putty • Glass-frosting spray or tracing paper • screwdriver • utility knife Step 1: take apart the innards of the solar garden light using a utility knife and insert the battery. Step 2: put all of light’s innards into the Mason jar using blu-tack to keep ev-erything together. Make sure that the solar

garDenIng, from 2B

See garDenIng, 10B


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when it comes to reno-vating a home, homeowners expect to spend money. No home renovation or home improvement project is free, but some are less costly than others. the addition of a half-bathroom is a popular project among homeown-ers, and it won’t necessarily break the bank. if convert-

ing existing floor space into a half-bathroom, such a renovation can cost as little as a few thousand dollars, making the addition of a powder room one of the few home improvement projects where the value added to the home exceeds the cost of the renovation. Before deciding to add a half-bath-room, it helps to consider

some of the pros and cons of the project.

Pros • convenience: a half-bathroom is often added on the home’s main floor or in the basement or attic. this makes it more conve-nient for guests to use the restroom during a dinner party or when coming over

Is it time to add a half-bathroom?to watch the big game in a basement home-theater

area. • problem-free: half-

bathrooms are smaller because they don’t have a shower or bathtub. that means common bathroom problems like mold and mil-dew are not as big a concern as they are for full bath-rooms. • More choices: Because mold and mildew aren’t likely to present a problem in a half-bathroom, ho-meowners have more op-tions at their disposal when choosing floors and coun-tertops.

Cons • space: as their name implies, half-bathrooms are much smaller than full bathrooms. as a result, they tend to feel cramped. • value: though an in-expensive half-bathroom addition might recoup its value and then some at re-sale, the project won’t add as much resale value to a

See BatH, 5B


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home as a full bathroom addition might. • loss of storage: if storage around the house is sparse, homeowners might be better off keep-ing the area designated for the half-bathroom as a storage closet instead of a bathroom. once the pros and cons have been weighed, homeowners who want to go forward with the project should then check with their local municipality to ensure the codes and require-ments won’t restrict their project. size or window restrictions might cur-tail the project or limit what homeowners can do, which might change their minds on the proj-ect altogether. the addition of a half-bathroom often makes practical and financial sense. But before making any addition, homeown-ers must weight the pros and cons to make the best decision possible.

BatH, from 4B


statepoiNt – for many families, the kitchen is the most important room in the house, topping the list of rooms where they gather most. and it’s almost always the busiest room when entertaining friends. But if your kitchen is outmoded or look-ing just plain drab, some easy, cost-efficient updates can make it more inviting, without undertaking a major remodeling job.

Walls wallpaper styles come and go. and if your walls were papered more than a few

Quick and easy ways to update your kitchen

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years ago, you are probably living with a design that’s no longer in fashion. for a timeless look, strip the dated wall-paper and replace it with a bright new coat of paint. Be sure to choose a color that nicely complements the floors, countertops and cabinets. for a modern take on wallpaper, look for mosaic tile collections that showcase beautiful tiles and patterns, providing tex-ture for any wall in your home. for exam-ple, trend usa offers patterns ideally suit-ed to give tired accent walls a fresh twist.

Countertops inconvenience is a major factor with a full kitchen remodel. But you can update the overall appearance of the kitchen by redoing just the countertops. a kitchen can be transformed in one day by replac-ing countertops with heat, cold and scratch resistant glass or granite. for an even more elegant look, consider opting for mosaic tiles, inspired by tradi-tional italian glass mosaics.

See kItCHen, 7B


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appliances when is the last time you replaced your kitchen appliances? No appliance, however durable, will perform optimally forever. it may be time to evaluate if your products are really doing the job. replacing major appliances like stoves and refrigerators might sound like an ex-pensive prospect, but outdated products

are not always as energy-efficient as newer models. swapping these items will not only give your kitchen a sleek new look, they might also save you money on utilities in the long run. according to real estate experts, kitchen updates offer homeowners the highest re-turn on investment than any other home improvement job. so whether you’re plan-ning to sell your home, or simply bring it into the 21st century, you’d be wise to start with the kitchen.

kItCHen, from 6B


warm weather is here and many consumers are looking to make home im-provements while sticking to a budget. the Better Business Bureau of Min-nesota and North dakota advises consumers to bal-ance cost effectiveness with energy efficiency, as more efficient windows, doors and skylights can make a big difference in energy con-sumption over time. start by looking for products that carry the en-ergy performance ratings label from the National fenestration rating coun-cil. the label can help de-termine how well a product will perform its key func-tions - helping to keep your home cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter, keeping out wind, and re-sisting condensation. By using the information con-tained on the label, builders and consumers can reliably

compare one product with another and make informed decisions. as with any home im-provement project, it’s im-portant to make sure you’re dealing with a reputable contractor and reputable materials. the BBB encour-ages consumers to consult with their home contractor to see that all energy perfor-mance materials carry this label. if you’re looking for a well insulated room, check the window’s u-factor. during the cold winter months, you’ll want to make sure your windows are trapping heat. u-factor rat-ings generally fall between 0.20 and 1.20. the lower the u-value, the greater a window’s resistance to heat flow and the better its insu-lating value. is your room sunny and bright? the solar heat Gain coefficient rates how much

solar radiation is admitted through the window. shGc is expressed as a number be-tween 0 and 1. the lower a window’s solar heat gain co-efficient, the less solar heat it transmits in the house. are you looking for a well-lit room or one that’s on the dimmer side? visible transmittance is an opti-cal property that indicates the amount of visible light transmitted through the window. vt is expressed as a number between 0 and 1. a higher vt means more light is transmitted. Make sure your win-dow doesn’t emit unwanted breeziness. heat loss and gain occur by air leakage through cracks in the win-dow assembly. the lower the al, the less air will pass through cracks in the win-dow assembly. check to see that your window will be free from

energy efficient windows: a clear improvement?

See WInDoWS, 9B


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any water leakage. the higher the condensation resistance (cr) rating, the better that product is at re-sisting condensation forma-tion. while this rating can-

not predict condensation, it can provide a credible meth-od of comparing the poten-tial of various products for condensation formation. cr is expressed as a num-ber between 1 and 100. for additional tips on

home improvement, visit http: / /www.bbb.org/us/consumer-tips/. for more information on the energy performance ratings label, visit www.nfrc.org.

WInDoWS, from 8B

2. this is the name of the window man-ufacturer.

1. look for this label for assurance that this window has been independently rated using a procedure es-tablished by the Nfrc. al-though other labels may be present, the Nfrc label is your best source of energy performance information.

3. u-factor is a measure of heat transfer by the entire window (frame, sash and glass), either into or out of the building. a smaller u-factor will provide a win-dow which is more com-fortable to sit next to on cold days. try to purchase a window with the lowest u-factor.

4. solar heat Gain coefficient (shGc) is a measure of the solar energy enter-ing the building through the entire window. a lower shGc will reduce air conditioning costs and provide a more comfortable window to sit next to on hot days.

5. visible light transmis-sion (vlt) is a measure of the amount of visible light entering through the window. this measurement is not a percent-age, but rather a rating between 0 and 1 with zero blocking out visible light and one allowing all visible light to enter the room. (a double pane of clear insulated glass has a vlt of .59)

6. air leakage is an indicator of win-dow quality, the lower the number the less air will pass through the win-dow assembly.

7. this is the manufactur-er’s description of the labeled product.


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tuesday evenings in the Garden, an an-nual series of outdoor classes offered by Master Gardeners of dakota county, will be offered May to November at the dakota county Master Gardener research and display Gardens in uMore park, 1605 w. 160th st., rosemount. classes run 6:30 to 8 p.m. on tuesdays. the schedule includes: • May 29, a Match Made in heaven – elizabeth spedaliere. tomatoes and basil; tips for growing, preserving and cooking with this great tasting combo. cost: $10.

• June 5, the science of pruning – duane Brusehaver. learn the proper way to prune trees and shrubs to keep plants healthy and promote healing. cost: $10. • June 12, Bon appétit! – Kay schutte. this class explores cooking with edible weeds and flowers. cost: $10. • June 26, taming Garden Godzillas – elizabeth spedaliere. learn strategies to help manage Japanese beetle and emerald ash borer in the home landscape. cost: $10. • July 17, the digital eye – Jo anne sabin. create better photos of your gar-

den and its wildlife with just a few digital photo editing tech-niques. cost: $10. • July 24, lasagna Garden-ing – Mickey scullard. this no-dig method saves labor and creates an environmentally friendly vegetable or flower bed. cost: $10. • July 31, the well-tended Garden – faith appelquist. hands-on tips from an expert on plant care, insect and dis-ease control, and extending bloom time. cost: $10. • aug. 7, the sustainable landscape – Janet erdman. see the newly created sustain-able garden and learn how na-tive plants create a landscape that needs less care and preserves biodiver-sity. cost: $10. • aug. 14, hypertufa Garden art – cheryl Mann. create a garden mushroom that has an aged, concrete appearance and is light weight. cost: $25. • aug. 21, harvesting the herb Garden – shari Mayer. for a fresh garden taste all winter long, learn how to gather, dry and store herbs. cost: $10. • aug. 28, fairy Garden – Kathy Bon-nett. create an adorable, mini fairy garden

that can be used indoors or out. all sup-plies are included. cost: $40. • sept. 11, seed savers – claudia Zwe-ber. collect seeds from the heirloom flower garden and learn how to harvest and store seeds. cost: $10. class size is limited; register by calling (651) 480-7700. visit the Master Garden blog at http://blog.lib.umn.edu/mgweb/da-kota for more information. in the event of rain, classes will be held at the uMore park office across the street from the gardens.

Master gardeners offer tuesday evenings in the garden classes

photo by eric Johnson, special to sun thisweek

Eric Johnson turned his privacy fence into a work of art with glass marbles.

panel is face up so that the sun can charge it. Step 3: cut out a strip of tracing paper and insert it into the jar or use glass-frosting spray.

close the lid and voila! you’ve now got your very own sun Jar. Make sure that the lid is made of glass and not metal so that the sun can get through and charge it up. this project was found

at www.apartmenttherapy.com.

Lauren Regnier is studying journalism at the University of Minnesota.

garDenIng, from 3B


whether you are looking to have your home windows replaced, new siding installed on your garage or a pool built for the summer months ahead, it’s always important to find a home contractor that you can trust. Better Business Bureau recommends follow-ing this smart shopper check-list before choosing in 2011, BBB received more than 6,000 complaints against general contractors, which was up 11 percent from the previous year. while there are many trustworthy and reliable contractors out there, there are always those unscrupulous few that end up charging too much and doing too little … or nothing at all. “you want a home con-tractor you can trust, so watch out for red flags from those just looking to make a quick buck,” said Katherine hutt, spokesperson for the council of Better Business Bureaus. “Be especially wary of doing business with a con-tractor who solicits business door-to-door. this could

mean that the contractor is not from a local, established business and is instead just passing through and trying to scam innocent consumers.” BBB advises consumers to follow this smart shopper checklist before choosing a home contractor: Be picky and have lots of options. seek at least three bids from prospective con-tractors based on the same specifications, materials and labor needed to complete the project. homeowners should discuss bids in detail with each contractor and ask questions about variations in pricing. the lowest-priced contractor may not be the best. Make sure they are certi-fied and insured. consumers should ask whether the com-pany is insured against claims covering workers’ compensa-tion, property damage and personal liability in case of accidents. consumers should obtain the name of the insur-ance carrier and call to verify coverage. ask whether the

contractor meets licensing and bonding requirements set by the state, county or city. check with local authorities to find out whether permits are needed before proceeding with the work. the contrac-tor also should be aware of any required permits. Get everything in writing. ask whether the contrac-tor will provide a lien waiver upon completion of the job. a lien waiver is a statement by the contractor that all suppliers and subcontractors have been paid for their work. read and understand the contract before signing. Get all verbal promises in writing. include start and completion dates in the contract. remember the rule of thirds and follow it. pay one third at the start of the proj-ect, one third when work is 50 percent completed and one third after completion. BBB has Business reviews on more than 100,000 gen-eral contractors across North america, available for free at www.bbb.org/search.

Hiring a home contractor: Do you know the red flags?

2012 Spring Home & Garden

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