News

Setting up your own contracting business is a perfect way to enjoy the freedom of self-employment and the pride of small business ownership. In fact, there never really is a bad time to do it. That’s because when it comes to the housing industry, whether it is booming or not, contractors keep busy. When the market is up and there are a lot of new homeowners, they generally like to make improvements as soon as they move in. Conversely, when the market is down, homeowners invest their money in either upgrading or enlarging their living space instead of moving. Either...

If you have a wood stove or a fireplace in your home, then you more than likely have dealt with the issue of storing your firewood. While the bulk of your wood naturally would be kept outdoors, there needs to be a way of keeping a ready supply indoors near the stove or fireplace. Though a sturdy basket or even a cardboard box will suffice, there’s no reason why your firewood box cannot be an attractive part of your home’s decor. Plywood is an inexpensive and rugged choice, but you really could use any type of wood that you like....

The biggest factor in determining the type and quality of wood that you’ll use for your next project is the project itself. That’s because certain varieties of wood are best suited for certain projects. For example, a hardwood with a closed grain such as maple would be an excellent choice for a butcher block, rather than soft porous wood such as pine. Most lumber can be described as either being either softwood or a hardwood. Generally, softwoods are much less expensive, so determining your needs can help you to decide which type of wood to buy. This, in turn can...