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Inside: Low-cost, high-impact

home improvement projects

Hardscaping made easyGreen flooring: Durable while helping the environment

Advertising Supplement, Sun Journal, Lewiston, Maine, Friday, May 6, 20112 HOME

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Spruce up outdoor living space with stylish furnishingsMany homeowners these days extend their living spaces into the great outdoors—with decks and patios setting the stage for cookouts, family get-togethers or afternoon naps in the sunshine.

Today’s outdoor living space can be just as comfortable and stylish as your home’s interior, there are nearly endless furniture options available to reflect your personal tastes and interests. When selecting outdoor pieces, it’s important to look for dining and seating options that combine livable design with worry-free durability.

These tips can help you find the right furniture to make the most of your outdoor living space:

• Demand Durability — Think about the natural elements your outdoor furniture will need to endure on a regular basis and select tables and seating options that can stand up to the sun, rain, wind, saltwater or snow. Outdoor furniture should be both durable and weather-resistant. Also look for marine-grade cushions in all-weather fabrics that don’t need to be taken inside every time storm clouds threaten.

• Look for Low Maintenance — No one wants to spend more time maintaining than relaxing on outdoor furniture. Fortunately, wood-alternative materials require no staining, sealing and painting to remain beautiful over time-and they won’t rot, splinter or crack. Their “like new” appearance resists food spills, insects, mold and mildew. For extra protection, choose furniture with a five-year residential warranty.

• Go Green-Eco — Consciousness doesn’t have to be relegated to the indoors. Wood-alternative outdoor furniture is manufactured from a high percentage of recycled content. For instance, Trex Outdoor Furniture is created by the world’s largest manufacturer of wood-alternative decking and railing from a unique blend of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) raw materials—including post-consumer materials, such as milk jugs and detergent bottles. In fact, just one Adirondack chair is comprised of 240 recycled milk jugs.

• Design with Distinction — Today’s outdoor furniture is available in a variety of frame and fabric colors to suit any taste, whether your style is urban modern or country classic. For example, new Trex Outdoor Furniture offers themed collections that make it easy to create a completely customized look. Bold stripes and sailboat motifs represent the Nautical theme, while classic neutrals are prominent in Desert Safari. Ice blues and cool grays create the refreshing look of Glacier Mountain and vibrant greens and chocolate browns add a touch of the exotic to Tropical Palm.

Outdoor furniture is a great way to create a fashionable and relaxing backyard oasis.

Advertising Supplement, Sun Journal, Lewiston, Maine, Friday, May 6, 2011 HOME 3

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Solid surface products that a re made w it h composite mater ia ls a re g row i ng i n

popularity. Many contain quartz or other stone mixed with plastic and glass binders. These products tend to be easier to maintain than granite, and many come backed with manufacturer warranties.

Due to the solid surface materials of the past, these types of materials have garnered a bad name. But new innovations are so high-quality, that many consumers have difficulty deciphering between real granite and look-alikes.

Engineered stone is another option for homeowners. These products are made from bits of natural stone mixed with fillers and offer the same scratch- and heat-resistance as granite.

Depending on the material, solid surface products and engineered stone can cost anywhere from $35 to $125 per square foot. These surfaces are more cost-efficient than granite, which can start at around $50 per square foot.

If cost is not a factor and durability the chief concern, homeowners can consider another material –concrete. Concrete can be tinted or patterned in adherence to a homeowner’s desired design style. Because it can be labor-intensive to install, the price of concrete will likely rival granite.

Homeowners who want to buck tradition and consider a countertop material other than granite have plenty of attractive and durable options from which to choose.

Available alternatives to granite countertops

There are many alternatives to granite that can be both attractive and durable.

Do you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep through the night? The importance of a good night’s sleep is well known. According to the National Sleep Foundation, adequate sleep has been associated

with a better mood, better health and better job performance. It’s important to address factors that might interfere with a good night’s sleep. Light is one of these factors. The body responds to light as a cue

to stay awake, so sleeping in a dark, quiet room can help you fall asleep, stay asleep and wake up refreshed.

A full night’s sleep is especially important for children. Studies suggest that most children need about nine hours of sleep each night and that children who get enough sleep behave better and perform better in school than those who are chronically sleep-deprived. Additional research has shown that children who have sleep problems are at greater risk for depression and anxiety later in life, and they are more likely to abuse drugs and alcohol as teens and adults.

S ome s h a de s not on l y blo c k incoming light, but also provide insulation around your windows to help reduce heating and cooling costs.

Blackout shades need not be limited to the bedroom. Install them in a media room to eliminate screen glare.

For more i n for mat ion about S l u m b e r S h a d e s , v i s i t w w w.comfortex.com. (NewsUSA)


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Tips on getting more use out of your garage

A g r o w i n g n u m b e r o f homeowners are finding t he y c a n s av e mone y

and get more from their home by reorganizing and remodeling their old garage.

It’s estimated there are more than 70 million garages (2007 Garage and Storage Shed Trends) in the United States and some say the average two-car garage has never been larger. Yet, due to the overflow of storage, few homeowners ever get to take full advantage of all the space it has to offer. Fortunately, there may be a way to change all of that.

Turning a garage into a room

Many homeowners are starting to view their garage as yet another area of a home that, if properly organized, can become another fully functional and spacious room of the home.

“By reclaiming the garage and making it a functional part of the home, families can get more entertainment and storage space than they’ve realized,” said Mario D’O v id io, g e ne r a l m a n a g e r, Gladiator GarageWorks. “Make the garage work for you. W hen everything has its place, you may

just need a quick sweep of the broom to get the space in tip-top shape to host a tailgate party or a happy hour.”

Space and convenience

Start by looking at your garage and determining how it’s used and where the entry points are in the space. Then determine what areas should be created and where they should be located to maximize space and convenience.

For instance, creating a recycling area near the entry door to the house limits the need to trek across the garage when tossing in those newspapers and aluminum cans.

Think dual purpose

Another way to save is to invest in pieces that are modular—items that can serve a dual purpose. One such sustainable materials, was orig ina l ly conceived as a workspace for garage hobbyists. However, the sturdy, natural work

surface can also work as a buffet table, bar or kids’ crafting station.

Modu la r item s c u ld i nclude work benche s, c a bi net s, w a l l

systems and components, such as shelves, baskets, bins and hooks, designed to help homeowners get more from their space. (NAPSI)

Some say that by reorganizing a garage to make it more functional, families can get more entertainment and storage space.

Blackout shades proven to help you sleep soundly

The United States Environmental Protection Association says that the average life of a household septic system is 20 years. The septic system at my home in Poland has lasted for 32 years, but the leach f ield, the area of underground piping that disperses water, needed to be replaced last summer.

Here are seven basic t ips for a successful septic system project.

1. Ident i f y t he ex tent of t he problem. Check with the people who have regularly pumped out your septic system. They can do a basic review to see if the tank needs to be cleaned out or if the tank or piping needs repair or unclogging.

2. Hire an engineer to create plans for your project. Every system needs to be carefully designed so that it can be approved by the local

code enforcement officer as well as meet all state regulations. A call to your town office can get you a list of engineers that the town has worked with on septic design.

3. Get your design plan approved by the town code enforcement officer. This is a must because no project can begin without town office approval.

4. Secure at least three written bids for the project. One contractor offered only a verbal commitment to do the job for $5,000 and said that he’d write up a contract if I wanted him to do the job. He said he could start the work the next day. (Yes, even before the town office approval was final.)

The next contractor did not offer a written bid, verbally estimated that the job would be $5,500, and he cautioned me that if I hired him he could not start the job until three weeks later.

The third contractor, — the one I hired — emailed me a written bid the next morning. He came highly recommend by the engineer who designed my replacement project. His bid was $2,700.

5. Check references. It is well worth your time to talk with previous customers of the contractors you are considering. It is especially important, as in my case, when one of the bids is about half the amounts the other contractors were quoting. Feel confident that the contractor has the reputation to get the job done.

6. Create a budget for the project. The leach field work was set at $2,700 while the engineering fee for the plans was $350 and the permit fee to the town was $175. I was fortunate that the septic tank did not need to be replaced or that the original leach field did not need to be excavated. According to www.costhelper.com, prices for septic

system replacements can easily range from $5,000 to $20,000 or more.

7. Follow recommendations given by the septic system contractor. With the new system installed, I was cautioned not to do continuous loads of laundry in one day, to conserve water usage as much as possible and to be careful in what chemicals and cleansers I used. Don’t plant trees and shrubs on any

part of the septic system and do not drive or park vehicles in that area.

For more information on septic system repair and maintenance, go to the Environmental Protection Agency website at www.epa.gov/owm/septic/pubs/homeowner_guide_long.pdf.


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Septic system project: 7 basic tips

Piping in leach field.The septic system prior to being covered.

Playgrounds can be an amazing place for children to have fun and entertain themselves while keeping physically active.

Modern playgrounds have come a long way from swing sets and monkey bars. Features now include wave slides, rock-climbing walls and even steering wheels and telescopes.

Her e a r e s ome helpf u l t ip s about making your playground equipment purchase.

Buy the Fire, in Oxford, sells high-quality playground equipment and, according to owner Dianne Ferry, the most important safety aspect is finding the ideal location for the equipment in your yard.

“A sa fe play zone is a n a rea around your play system t hat transforms your yard into a safe and attractive play environment,” Ferry explained. “Location should be on even ground with a 6-foot safety surface in all directions of the playground and free from trees, garages, wires and rocks.”

For ground cover beneath the equipment, Ferry said, “For the safest environment, use rubber mulch with a depth of three to four inches for the base. Or wood mulch with a depth of six inches.”

Buy t he Fire ca r r ies Creat ive Play t h i ng products i nclud i ng Creative Play sets and the Playtime series.

Most sets can be added to with additional equipment such as fun decks, rock walls and club houses.

Lowe’s in Auburn a lso carries playground equipment, both in store and online.

“We carry Swing & Slide products,” said assistant manager, Nelson Peters. “They are kits that can be bought, slid into a truck and assembled as a family.”

Price ranges at Lowe’s are from $500 to $1,000 with larger kits online ranging from $1,200 to $2,000.

“The sky is the limit,” said Peters. “Depending on the child’s age, you can add climbing walls, tubular slides or picnic tables.”

Home Depot of Aubu r n ha s numerous kits as well.

“We carry Swing & Slide brand kits,” explained assistant manager, Gerr y Maskalenko, “as well as many individual pieces like swing sets or accessories to expand the kits. Prices range from $200 to $900 with more online to choose from.”

Swing & Slide sets and accessories sold at Lowe’s and Home Depot are designed to meet or exceed the strict safety standard established by the American Society for Testing and Materials.

Besides buy ing ASTM labeled equipment, adults need to be sure children play safe as well:

• C a r e f u l l y s u p e r v i s e y ou n g children when playing.

• Do not allow pushing or shoving.• Keep t r ippi ng ha za rds away

from area.• Never allow ropes or pet leashes to

be attached to equipment.• Periodically check for rust, sharp

or broken parts.• Make sure ramps and guardrails

are secure.

A playground can be an essential tool in children playing freely to use their imagination and spontaneity

while helping with mental and physical development.

“Children develop balance and muscle as they play,” said Ferry. “Their imaginations are limitless as they become pirates in a fort or with friends in a clubhouse. They never tire of the play systems.”

For any concerns about the safety of an existing swing set or playground, you can check out the product recall finder at parents.com.


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Playsets: 10 tips for parentsFew things work as well as an outdoor playset to get kids out of the house and into the fresh air. There are, however, several things to keep in mind:

1. Placement.

Find a spot with at least a six-foot space around the playset so kids don’t swing, jump or fall into or onto anything dangerous. Loose fill materials such as mulch, wood chips or reground plastic should be placed under the playset to cushion fa l ls. A lso, t he set shou ld be placed where parents can monitor children’s activities.

2. Lumber.

Look for a naturally decay- and weather-resistant lumber, such as cedar, which is also a natural insect repellent and blends well with any backyard.

3. Assembly.

Consider your options. Should the playset be hand-built? Will the lumber be hand-picked and the playset built with a kit? Or will the playset come ready to assemble-pre-cut, pre-sta ined a nd pre-drilled with all the hardware and accessories pre-packed?

4. Cost.

Most playsets are built to last whatever the price, but features vary. A playset is something to be enjoyed for years, so be sure it can grow with your family.

5. Safety Railings.

Safety features must be put in place during assembly. All elevated surfaces, such as platforms, need g uardrai ls, and sit-dow n bars should be above the slides. Most

quality sets will have an arched entrance area to protect little heads.

6. Anchoring.

Make sure the entire structure is firmly anchored to avoid tipping.

7. Maintenance.

Preventative maintenance helps keep kids safe and the warranty in effect. Every season, tighten a ny loose suppor ts, a nchors, bolts and screws and replace any missing nuts, bolts or protective caps. Following manufacturer’s direct ions, playsets should be periodically sealed, stained and painted to prevent deterioration.

9. Warranty.

You should know what type of warranty is offered and what it covers. Playsets should last a long time, so seek a warranty with long-term protection.

8. Everyone Plays.

Play set s shou ld be de velop-mentally appropriate, so consider the ages of the children who will play on it. Size depends on how many children will play on the set, as well. Consider how many swings

and how many features you need for a fun and safe environment for all.

10. Features.

Decide i f you need a n infa nt sw ing, a ha m mock or a t wo-

person glider. Accessories like a buoy ball, rock wall, gangplank, hammock or ship’s wheel create a fun play experience. With most quality playsets, accessories can be added later. You can see some of the features available for Backyard

D i s c ov er y pl ay s et s at w w w.swingsetsonline.com.

Taking these small steps toward a safer play area can make a big difference when it comes to long-term safety. (NAPSI)

Advertising Supplement, Sun Journal, Lewiston, Maine, Friday, May 6, 20118 HOME Advertising Supplement, Sun Journal, Lewiston, Maine, Friday, May 6, 2011 HOME 9

Farmington couple say key to successful home improvement project is building good relationship with contractor

A f t e r mu c h d i s c u s s ion a nd number-crunching, Mar y Beth and Scott Morrison finally agreed they could afford to add an artist’s studio and two-car garage to their 30-year old, two-story home in Farmington.

Then came the hard part.

Their house is nestled on a wooded lot on Mason Road off U. S. Route 2. It was big enough when the Morrisons were raising their two children, but now with both kids grow n, t he couple found t hey required different kinds of space to accommodate their changing needs.

Mary Beth is a full-time artist who works in watercolors, oi ls and pastels, does her own framing and matting and gives classes. Her dream was to have a dedicated space for her Bra ided St rea m Studio and Gallery, consolidate her “sprawl” and move out of the alcove off the dining room.

“I wanted something that had big windows, high ceilings, plenty of storage and a lot of light,” she said.

Scott, a manager at the Oliver Stores Inc. in Farmington, had a home office set up in an empty upstairs bedroom and wanted to move it to the first f loor. A garage to keep the family cars out of the weather was a priority, they said.

The planning process started last spring as they looked for a general contractor, checked references and asked for proposals. They eventually selected Craig Jordan Construction of Farmington.

Excavation began in August and t he project was completed in December.

“We couldn’t be happier. We are very pleased with how it all worked out,” Scott said.

The challenge was the design.

“We had a unique situation here. We wanted to see i f we could incorporate a garage and a studio/gallery into one addition. We didn’t know if it was feasible or if there would have to be two,” Scott said.

“We wanted it to look good and complement the rest of the house and blend with the existing roof lines,” he said.

Jordan proposed a single structure that included a 24-foot-by-24-foot studio, a new ent r y way that would extend the existing entrance through the studio, and a single-width garage that could comfortably hold two cars parked back to back. The design allowed for a full basement under the studio that connected to an existing cellar and was accessed through the garage.

The studio is an artist’s dream. Banks of double-hung windows open to the west and north, which provide the best natural light for artists, Mary Beth said.

There is a high ceiling with 15 recessed l ig hts a nd fou r sets of d i rect iona l t rack l ig hts to i l lu m i nate work stat ions a nd spotlight art on display. The layout of the room maximizes the space and has two built-in storage closets, and a new opening into the main house that provides direct access to the living room.

And she said she always wanted to have a window seat where she could read, draw or contemplate.

“It is so ‘freeing’ to have the space you need,” Mary Beth said. “We are both so glad we did this.”

A s homeow ners who had not u n d e r t a k e n a m a j o r h o m e improvement project before, the Morrisons learned a lot as the work unfolded.

One lesson was that even with a general contractor running the job, waiting for subcontractors and materials took longer than anticipated.

“That was a frustration. We were surprised about the delay in getting supply companies to deliver things on time,” Scott said. “Through no fault of the general contractor, the job was done one month later than we expected.”

Mar y Beth said the noise and activ it y into the fa l l unti l the addition was enclosed was more disrupting to her work than she had

counted on, but she realizes it was to be expected.

She commended Jordan and his crew for their conscientious work, for always cleaning up inside and around the house at the end of each day, and for carefully securing heav y dust barriers when they opened up the north wall of the house to put in a new door. Jordan was also on the job regularly.

“The crew was excellent and the work was very well done,” she said.

The Morrisons said Jordan listened carefully to their ideas and gave the

project a lot of thought because of its design challenges.

“Craig really addressed all the questions we came up with and he gave us images to work with. He gave us a lot of attention before anything was even signed,” Mary Beth said.

“He told us one thing to keep in mind is that you don’t want to change the way you use the house,” she said.

Jordan put the Morrisons together with draftsman Jerry Nash who developed a design for the builder and family to refer to.

“Having a plan on paper is valuable, but it is so important for t he homeowner and the contractor to be flexible,” Jordan said.

“I tell people that no matter how much pla nning went into t he design and how things look on paper, when it comes right down to it, when you see the physical bui lding ta ke shape, you w i l l want to change your mind about something,” he said. “You have to work with people and be f lexible, and give people the opportunity to look at something and adjust it.”

He said he realizes that customers often want the work to be done faster but delays in l ining up subcontractors and waiting for deliveries is to be expected. “The time it takes to do a quality job has to be taken into consideration. I would rather take longer and have the customer be happy than rush through it,” Jordan said.

The project included a large artist’s studio and gallery for Mary Beth, an artist.

The project included a two-car garage where the cars are parked bumper-to-bumper rather than side-by-side to save on space.

By Betty Jespersen Feature Writer / Photographer

Home renovation tips from local homeowner

Whether updating your kitchen, building a backyard deck or re-siding your home, living through a major home renovation, whether you or the professionals are doing it, presents its challenges. Over the past eight years my husband and I have gutted and updated our kitchen, replaced an asphalt patio with a vinyl deck, had our roof re-shingled, put in some new windows and done many other things to renew or maintain our home. Utilizing tips learned from our personal experiences, enhance your own efforts in home improvement and repair.

If some or your entire home project entails hiring outside help, get cost estimates from multiple sources. The differences in price quotes for siding and roofing for my house were substantial (be careful not to compromise workmanship to save a few dollars). Ask for references, especially from friends and neighbors who have contracted to have similar work done. Certainly, if using someone unknown to you or your circle of acquaintances, check with the attorney general’s off ice to see if this individual or company has any complaints lodged against them. In fact a call or website visit to this government agency (http://w w w.ma i ne.gov/ag/consu mer/i ndex .shtml) will provide you with information about t he lega l r ights you have as a consumer when you contract with a service provider or purchase tools, appliances or other materials for your home overhaul. In tandem with these factors, your comfort level with an individual(s) who will be at or in your home for hours, days, weeks or even months at a time is also important.

Updating our k itchen was something we mostly did ourselves. With today’s Inter net oppor t u n it ies, t he average homeowner can Google videos on www.YouTube.com, www.Askthebuilder.com, a nd w w w.doit you rsel f.com or easi ly f ind other user-fr iendly detai led and il lustrated information on an array of home projects. Also, during operational hours, many companies offer “live chats” to accommodate the need for assistance

should you waiver about where to begin or get stuck. But if you lack the know-how or bravado to attempt an entire redo, consider what aspects entail little expertise and which might just take your time or effort. Removing old tiles or cabinetry, bringing loads of demolished materials to the dump, and other tasks that don’t take an expert to accomplish, can effectuate significant cost savings if you are willing or able to do them. Conversely, using the pros for those tasks that demand time or an expertise you lack can not only help you save your energy, but money, too (we learned the hard way that our plumbing skills are inadequate).

“The right tool for the right job,” is my husband’s motto, but do you need to pay for, own and store it, or should you rent or borrow it? A friend first lent us her table saw for several weeks while we worked on our kitchen. Inspecting our handiwork was such a confidence builder and the construction process so enjoyable, we ultimately thought it was worth purchasing our own, an expense that has since been justified given all the jobs we’ve tackled and the savings from not paying exorbitant fees to professionals.

Finally, an unmentioned and overlooked hazard to any interior demolition and/or reconstruction: air quality health issues. A f ter ex per iencing severe breat h ing problems (I have asthma) and an exam with a pulmonologist and some invasive cardiac tests, I was fortunate to have a savvy cardiologist who asked, “Are you doing some home remodeling?”

Since then, we are careful to maximize the work we do outside (especially sawing), to contain the workspace by hanging plastic sheets over the doorway(s) to the room(s), to place drop cloths on furniture, and to use an air purifier (not filter).

Despite the learning cur ve involved, the f inancial sav ings, a long w ith the satisfaction of viewing our workmanship, has made the process of expanding and increasing our home renovation knowledge worthwhile. Complimentary comments from friends and even the pros have only added to our incentive to do as much of the work ourselves as possible.

The “before” photo showing the Dubord home prior to the renovations.

At left Chris Giles and Keith Lemieux, of KL Construction & Real Estate, remove the siding from the Dubord home. Above new siding is in place; just waiting for the shutters which are on back order.

By Nancy Dubord Feature Writer / Photographer

Your home is, most likely, your biggest investment. Here, from an assortment of experts, are a few hints on how to keep it in good shape:

1. Good Clean Fun: When it comes to cleaning ceramic f loors, there’s no need to wax. Just sweep and mop on a regular basis and they stay clean and shiny. Mop f loors with clear water or just a dash of liquid dish soap. Be sure to change the water when it gets cloudy. Too much soap or dirty water will make floors dull or sticky. Don’t use scrub pads on ceramic tile f loors or you might scratch them. Professional cleaners wash most floors by hand, cleaning and drying a small area at a time. That’s the advice from Merry Maids comprehensive cleaning service, which can scale a plan—weekly, biweekly or monthly—to meet your needs and your budget.

2. Floor Facts: To maintain your carpets’ appearance, they should be professionally cleaned every six to 12 months. If, however, you’ve suffered damage from water, fire or smoke, they need help right away. The ServiceMaster Clean re sident ia l ser v ic e s d iv i s ion specialists in carpet and upholstery cleaning can help either way. In an emergency, their yellow trucks can be dispatched 24/7, 365 days a year to restore your home to pre-disaster condition.

3. When Your Yard Wants to Be a Lawn: Great lawns require great soi l w it h t he r ight ba lance of alkaline and acid. If your soil is out of balance, you can adjust the pH with lime, potassium or other micronutrients. To help your lawn grow great, a leading prov ider of lawn and landscape services, TruGreen, delivers customized solut ion s t hat a re ef fe c t ive, innovative and responsible.

4. Best the Pests: Household pests are more than an embarrassing nuisance. They can carry harmful Ter m i n i x i nto you r home. To protect you r home, keep t he f i rewood pi le away f rom t he house. Seal any cracks around windows and doors and be sure all screens are in good repair. A quarterly pest control plan from Terminix can help eradicate any pests. The program is managed by certif ied professionals who can also recommend modifications to prevent new infestations.

5. Deter Termites: You can also make your house less attractive to termites. Since the pests need moisture to sur vive, grade the soil around your foundation so it carries water away from the house. Keep gutters and downspouts in good repair. Consider a Termite Inspection and Protection Plan from Terminix. You get an annual inspection of home and property. If new termite activity is later found, the damage will be covered at no cost to you.

6. Protect Your Appliances: For example, it’s a cool idea to clean the refrigerator’s interior shelves, shell and gaskets at least every three months. Once a year, clean the coils on the back or underneath with a vacuum cleaner. You can get a home warranty from American Home Shield that can be one of the best defenses against extensive and unexpected covered repair costs, with a national contractor network made up of over 11,000 approved, independent ly insured home-service contractors.

Learn more at www.servicemaster.com and (866) 348-7672. (NAPSI)


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Living in smaller spacesWith many smaller spaces planned for renovations and new homes, most who plan to live in them are moving from larger homes and are faced w ith cha l lenges l ike f inding sma l ler f urniture a nd understanding how to make the most of fewer, smaller rooms.

In some cases, an open concept is new to people who are accustomed to more pr iv ac y a nd hav i ng ded icated spaces for reg u la r activities; efficient smaller homes use areas for different functions at different times of the day. Open concept living takes getting used to because fewer walls mean less privacy and more ambient noise, but smaller spaces offer greater rewards on saved uti l it ies and cleaning t ime, including more time for pursuing long-deferred hobbies or interests. Living in small spaces requires more discipline, i.e. deciding how many back issues of your favorite magazines to keep, how you shop, and which clothes you keep: once you master the organization, small-space living can lead to a simpler lifestyle.

Downsizing is an involved process of ident i f y ing a nd eva luat ing current possessions to determine their place in a new, smaller home. Harder than it sounds, sentimental items distort our judgment, so it’s useful to have objective help. Once you know what you’ll take with you and what can be repurposed in t he new space, f inding t he right furniture is often difficult because most factories are stil l making furniture that is too big and not supportive. At Endicott Home Furnishings, we have been designing furniture with better American factories for over six years, and most of our sales come f rom desig ns inspired by our downsizing customers.

Furniture that does more than one duty without looking too much like a specific room setting is helpful: a bed that is also a desk, but doesn’t look too much like bedroom or office furniture is excellent for a small room that can serve as home off ice and bedroom. A second bedroom can be a den with a small desk and sofa, and then become a guest room when the sofa opens out into a comfortable sleeper.

We often modify designs to work in smaller settings. In a small dining area, modified bookcases replace china cabinets, with glass doors for displaying dishes on top shelves and solid panel doors to hide liquor or other storage below. Small, sturdy benches with a shelf constructed from reclaimed barn wood become coffee tables with a

drawer, made the height of a dining chair at 18 inches tall. A category we often call the “cocktail bench,” it works as a place to put up your feet, place a drink or magazines, or as extra seating in the living or dining room.

Any move is worthy of careful planning. W hen possible, get professional, objective help, and spend t ime w it h l ike-minded

downsizers to learn what’s worked for them. Visit stores like ours early, and share your ideas, too. If we don’t have it, we can design it with you and have it made (right here in the USA).

For more i n for m at ion a bout living in smaller spaces, contact Ross Endicott at Endicott Home Furnishings (207) 883-3264 or online at www.condofurniture.com

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Hardscaping made easySome of t he nicer elements in your nex t la ndscaping project may be called “hardscaping,” but that doesn’t mean that they are hard to build.

W het her lay i ng pav i ng t i les, placing terrace steps, building a retaining wa l l, or spreading cr ushed rock, t he t r ick, loca l merchants say, is to plan ahead.

“The most cr it ica l part is t he part you don’t see,” said George Allen, manager of Gagne & Son’s Riverside Drive store, in Auburn. That, he said, means paying careful attention to what goes below and behind your stone features.

“My joke to everybody is that the three most important things are the base, the base and the base,” agreed John Petrocel l i, ow ner of Pet ro’s ACE Ha rdwa re a nd Landscape Center, in Auburn. “I give that speech 100 times a day.”

Crushed rock: Because drainage is so important, crushed rock is vital to any hardscape project.

“You use it a lot ,” sa id R ick Gammon, ow ner of Gammon’s Landscape Nursery, in Auburn. “You really want it to drain water away, so there’s no freezing and buckling.”

For a base, Gammon recommends using “inch-and-a-half minus” — a mix of rock from fine grains up to pieces 1-1/2 inches across.

“It makes a nice, stable base to set your surface material on,” he said. “It all compacts together, so there are no big air pockets, for settling to happen.”

For use as a mulch, or a “drip strip” around the home, Gammon said 3/8- to 3/4-inch crushed rock works best. Also made locally is crushed brick which, being made of clay, aids moisture retention of dressed plants, in addition to adding a dash of color.

Although more expensive, river rock is best for areas where bare feet may tread, given its worn, rounded edges.

“Vermont is the closest state that allows people to mine rock out of river beds, so, transportation escalates the cost,” said Gammon.

A top-dressing of any kind of stone should be no deeper than three inches, said Gammon. Any more than that may damage underlying root systems. But whatever type is used, don’t forget to lay landscape fabric beneath it, said Gammon. Don’t use plastic sheets or felt material, he warned. Instead, be sure to lay down a purpose-made woven mesh, porous enough to let water drain through, but solid enough to block weeds.

“Make sure you overlap the seams,” said Gammon, “because if you leave any opening at all, any little pucker, the weeds will pop right up through.”

Retaining walls: A llen a lso stressed the importance of using crushed rock for drainage. Too often, he said, people backf i l l

reta i n i ng wa l ls w it h t he d i r t they’ve excavated. That, he says, causes cracks at frost time.

“If you live in Maine, the ground is going to move,” he said. “You have to get rid of the water to get rid of your troubles.”

Although soil is fine fill for a foot-hig h ga rden wa l l, sa id A l len, crushed rock, and maybe even a perforated drainage pipe, should be buried beneath the top soil behind any retaining wall. If the wall gets near four feet in height, merigrid — a type of rebar mesh — should be used. The bars are set between rows of the natural-f inish concrete blocks used for wall construction and extend into the earth, through layers of base material. That way, Allen said, when frost comes, the land moves with the wall, instead of against it.

With a base firmly in place, actual construction is fairly simple, said Allen. “The beauty of it is that, if you can follow a tape measure, you can do it yourself. Just make sure the first course of blocks is level, because every other course will follow the path of the first.”

Terrace steps: Water also figures into the pre-planning needed to lay terrace steps, said Matt Engleman, genera l ma nager of A merica n Concrete Industries, in Auburn. It’s important, he said, to angle step platforms down 1/8 of an inch. This lets rainwater and spring melt drain off, but is a slight enough pitch that it doesn’t affect use.

Risers should be the standard 7-1/2 inches used for all steps, said Engleman. Varying step height may

create a nice aesthetic, he said, but it’s sure to send someone tumbling.

The cast-concrete terrace steps used by American Concrete are single risers, stacked one on top of the other, with long platforms that, like merigrid, are buried to create a solid whole which moves with the surrounding environment.

“It seems like steps really suffer in landscaping,” said Engleman. “A lot of times people use rocks and fieldstone, or railroad ties, so they end up with steps that look great, but end up being really scary after the first winter.

“Whatever material people use for their steps, they need to think about how it’s going to change over time, so that it stays safe,” said Engleman.

Pavers: “The beauty of pavers s p e a k for t hem s el v e s ,” s a id Petrocelli, adding that the choice of color and style is almost limitless.

“What is underneath the product determines how long what’s on top will stay looking nice,” he said. “If installed correctly, it’s physically impossible for anything to ever grow up through it and you can plow right over it in the winter.”

Petrocelli said the key to building a base for pavers is to “go deep enoug h so ever y t h i ng moves together.” The base should be six-to-12 inches of crushed gravel, highly compacted and topped with an inch of masonry sand, he explained. Pavers should be angled for drainage. The polymer sand swept between them makes a patio move as one unit and prevents g r a ss f rom seed i ng bet ween individual pavers.

By Duke Harrington Feature Writer


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Green flooring: Durable while helping the environment

There are varied alternatives in home i mprovement product s for c on su mer s i ntere ste d i n buying “green,” those products t hat improve t he qua l it y a nd preservation of the environment.

According to FloorMall University (university.f loormall.com), there are many ways to define “green” f looring products with each one referring directly to the impact that a product’s production, refining, or maintenance may have on the environment as a whole.

Rich Veilleux, operations manager at Floor Systems in Lisbon, has a section of the store called the “Green Zone,” where earth friendly f looring can be found. He often advises customers to do research about a product if they want an item that is 100 percent green, wh i le some vendors say t hat their cork f looring is ‘green,’ it isn’t completely if formaldehyde adhesive has been used in its processing,” said Veilleux, noting that much of the product comes f rom Ch i na where t he g reen production standards may not be as stringent as in the United States.

The “Green Zone” offers cork and bamboo f looring as well as many l ines of t radit iona l ha rdwood f looring that can be purchased as green products.

“The green’ alternative is identical to the traditional one except that it was harvested from an FSC [Forest Stewardship Council] certified area,” said Veilleux. “The FSC certification says that for every tree harvested, at least two more are planted.”

Pricing for FSC certified f looring is usually 15 percent to 20 percent higher than non-certified products.

Todd Lebel, a kitchen designer at Sherm Arnold’s Flooring and Kitchen Design Center in Lewiston, often suggests bamboo as a “green” floor product.

“Bamboo wears as good, if not better t ha n, sol id woods l i ke oak or maple,” said Lebel. “It is ver y durable, wears well, and, surprisingly, costs less money, which is rare with green products.”

A comparison between bamboo flooring and traditional flooring shows that pricing can be up to 15 percent less with this green alternative.

Lebel says that bamboo is one of the fastest growing trees on the planet and can be harvested every five to seven years without the need to

replant because the root system is left intact when harvested.

Cork flooring is a “green” alternative that is popular and durable with the bonus of a spongy texture that gives it a unique character.

“You know how a wine bottle cork expands after you pop it, the flooring has the same quality, but with a hard, durable finish,” said Lebel.

According to a promotional flyer at Sherm Arnold’s, cork is made from the bark of what is called a bark oak tree. The bark is removed by hand and grows back after being harvested. Cork trees are never cut down and one tree can be harvested about 20 times in its lifetime.

Lebel says that cork flooring ranges from $4 to $9 per square foot while bamboo generally runs $3.29 to $5.50 a square foot.

Floor Systems offers a linoleum flooring called Marmoleum that is made entirely of natural products, t he sa me i ng red ients of old-fashioned linoleum manufactured before the arrival of vinyl flooring. “It even wears a bit better than vinyl,” said Veilleux.

Both f looring stores offer a line of new ca r pet i ng made f rom recycled carpets and recycled plastics. While Lebel and Veilleux are pleased to offer green flooring produc t s, c on su mer i ntere st remains low.

“I may have someone looking for green f looring maybe once every two months,” said Lebel.

“I’d say that between 5 percent to 10 percent of our customers are looking specifically for green products,” noted Veilleux. “In time, I think there will be more.”

Todd Lebel holds a sample of bamboo flooring that is as durable as hard oak. Rich Veilleux shows off a kiosk of bamboo and cork products in a corner of Floor

Systems called the Green Zone.

Marmoleum is an old-fashioned kind of linoleum similar to flooring produced before the introduction of vinyl.

By Dan Marois Feature Writer / Photographer


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If you’re looking for an inexpensive way to brighten up your home’s decor, consider painting high-profile features such as doors or cabinets. Fixing up these smaller spaces ca n rea l ly ma ke a big impact.

Here are a few tips from the experts at Behr on how to proceed:

How to Paint an Exterior Door: The Door Frame

Step 1. Starting at the top door frame, begin painting the inside of the frame. Work outward from the edge of the door.

Step 2. Continue until the frame is complete. Wipe away the excess paint.

The Door Trim

Step 1. Starting at the top corner of the door trim, paint along the side edge of the trim where it meets the

wall. Continue until all side edges of the trim are complete.

Step 2. Return to the top of the door trim and paint the face of the trim.

Step 3. Continue until the door trim is complete.

The Door

Step 1. Pour thoroughly mixed paint into a bucket and dip a qua l it y 2- to 2 1/2-inch w ide nylon/polyester brush into the pa int. W hen work ing outside, work out of direct sunlight and in temperatures between 50ºF and 90ºF with moderate humidity.

Step 2. With your brush, paint the inside and outside edges of the door.

Step 3. Starting with the top panel of the door, paint into the recessed area of the panel. Begin at a corner of the recess and continue around its perimeter. Work from top of the door to the bottom.

Step 4. Paint the remainder of the panel until the entire panel is complete. Repeat u nt i l a l l panels are complete. Wipe away any excess paint. To eliminate unwanted brushstrokes, smooth out the panel by taking a lighter stroke over the newly painted area.

Step 5. W hen t he pa nels a re complete, paint the stiles of the door in the following order: middle, top, center, bottom, left, right.

How to Paint a Cabinet: The Stiles and Openings

Step 1. Pour thoroughly mixed paint into a bucket and dip a quality 2- to 2 1/2-inch wide nylon/poly-ester brush into the paint. When using more than one gallon of paint, combine the colors for better color uniformity. This intermixing is called boxing.

Step 2. With your brush, paint the inside edges of the cabinet door openings.

Step 3. Paint the middle stile from top to bottom, following the wood grain. Then paint remaining stiles

in the following order: top, bottom, left, right.

The Side Panels

Step 1. Using your brush, paint (cut in) around the perimeter of the cabinet where it meets the ceiling, walls, countertops and floor.

Step 2. Pour paint into a paint tray. Work the roller into the tray until it

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When painting a door, start at the top door frame and begin painting the inside of the frame. Work outward from the edge of the door.

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Illuminate your home theater with easy lighting tweaksThe term “home theater” used to mean a small room designated for the enjoyment of watching movies. Then gigantic f lat screens and HD technology came along, and the video game industry upped the ante with Xbox, PlayStation and Wii products that appealed to every age group. With so many different uses, the home theater has morphed into an auxiliary family room.

How ca n one room be made f lexible enough to suit all of the activities performed there? Easy! According to the American Lighting Association (ALA) all you need to do is make a few tweaks in your lighting to satisfy the sports fan, the electronic game player and the movie buff.

“The affordability and popularity of big-screen TVs, high-quality sound and home entertainment systems has created many opportunities for using specia l i zed l ig ht ing to en ha nc e t he ex per ienc e,” says architect Joe Rey-Barreau, education consultant for the ALA and an associate professor at the University of Kentucky’s School of Interior Design.

W hether your home theater is part of new construct ion or a remodel i ng projec t , t h i n k i n

layers. According to Rey-Barreau, a lighting layer is defined as a specific t y pe of f i x ture t hat is unique from others in that same area. For example, a room that has recessed downlights, a decorative fixture in the center of the room, plus wall sconces on one wall would be defined as having three layers. Each of the three types of fixtures would be controlled by separate switches and dimmers.

“The object ive of using layers is to create lighting options for different tasks and activities in that space,” Rey-Barreau explains. The ideal lighting for the entire family to watch a full-length movie in the evening might be with the recessed lighting turned off and the decorative lighting at the ceiling and the wall sconces dimmed to a low level. If the kids are watching cartoons or playing video games, Rey-Barreau advises turning on the recessed lighting to the maximum out put , a nd t u r n i ng of f t he decorative lighting.

To learn more about how to light your home theater or family movie room properly, v isit your local ALA-member lighting showroom. Go to the ALA’s website at www.americanlightingassoc.com to find a store near you. (NewsUSA)

Low-Costfrom page 14

It ’s been ca l led The Stay-Put Economy. And if you’re still living in a house you’d hoped to sell by now, you probably know why.

Too many potential buyers are waiting to see if home prices have f urt her to fa l l. A nd too many homeowners who may actually have gotten some bites-more like lowball nibbles, really-are locked into mortgages that would require taking so big a loss on a sale that their heads hurt just thinking about it.

“Recessions have a way of freezing things,” The Atlantic magazine recently wrote.

And so, like you, they stay put. And ask themselves, Now what?

Wel l, t he rea l ist ic approach, ex per ts say, is to accept t hat this new reality is likely to last for the foreseeable future, and concent rate on ma k i ng you r current home more comfortable. Attic conversions are big in some circles. But unless you’ve got a relative camping out on the living room sofa till the job market turns, you might want to stick with the one room-the kitchen-that’s the hub of most homes’ activity and needn’t cost a fortune to spruce up.

Read on for some budget-friendly makeover ideas:

• Floor and Backsplash Tiles. Consumer Reports says kitchen remodeling today “is all about what you need, rather than some over-the-top designer’s checklist.” In other words, “out”: imported hand-painted ceramic; “in”: porcelain, glass, metal and glaze. A Handy Tip: For a fresh and unique look, use different-sized tiles laid out in elegant patterns.

• C a b i n e t s . E n t i r e b u d g e t s have been eaten up on ju st t he cost of h ig h-end cabi net replacements alone. Of the other t wo a lter nat ives-refacing a nd ref i n ish i ng-t he lat ter (w h ich also includes repainting) is the most econom ic a l . Accord i ng to DoItYourself.com, a l l wood a n d p l y w o o d c a b i n e t s c a n be repa inted, whereas meta l, laminate or melamine pose more of a challenge. A Handy Tip: Use a spray-on f inish for the most uniform coverage.

• Appliances. If you’ve long coveted a sleek gourmet kitchen but the cost made you wince as much as you did when you heard Meryl Streep’s voice in that Julia Child movie, you’re in luck: The luxury brand Dacor has come out with a new “Distinctive Series” line of appliances, including a range, dishwasher, cooktops and wall ovens that provides an upscale look and quality for less than other high-end models (www.dacor.com). And

since the kitchen is responsible for nearly half of a home’s energy consumption, here’s one place you can (truthfully) tell yourself that upgrading saves money over time, since new appliances tend to be much more energy efficient. A Han dy Tip : T he e xclu sive Pure Convection system on the Distinctive Wall Ovens features a triple-mesh f i lter that allows you to cook multiple items at the

same time without worrying about f lavors transferring from one dish to another-thus making for faster meal preparation.

• One last thing to remember: If and when you do finally sell your home, the return on investment from kitchen remodeling can be as high as 72.1 percent, depending on the work that was completed. Now do you feel better? (NAPSI)


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The return from kitchen remodeling can reach 72.1 percent.

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