Unplanned updates to your home...

The most exciting things in life usually don't go along with the plan.  I'm sure each year everyone sits down and thinks, "I'm going to do X, and then X, and we will do X if the weather stays good."  That all sounds great on paper, but it doesn't always work that way.

     Let's take my recent experience since the beginning of January.  The basement flooded because the sump pump backed up.  This was something I didn't know anything about because the previous owner had put it in.  We took it for granted, and one day looked in the basement to about 6" of standing water.  I remember thinking..."we will have to re-do that someday" a few months before.  Well, someday came rather quickly and on a weekend I wasn't really looking forward to doing that kind of work.  We got it band-aided for now and put off till spring because of the frozen ground.

     Now, on to the next big one.  Last week, we had a chimney fire at the house.  This resulted in a combination of being uneducated about the subject, and lack of upkeep.  That said, this has now resulted in an unexpected fun part.  Doing things you've said you wanted to, but didn't really get around to.  I'm looking at building a hearth and place for a new freestanding wood stove, and fixing some issues with the room underneath in the basement.  While the cost is no fun, the learning experience certainly is.  Now I get to look forward to a room where the problem areas are now fixed, there's a pretty tile area where a wood stove will sit, and we can enjoy years of trouble free heating with the proper cleaning.  (nothing beats being on the couch with a warm fire in front of you!)

All of this leads to home maintenance.  The less you do, the more you spend in the long run.  Replace a mattress/box spring that is failing, get a new recliner that doesn't recline right anymore, new filter for your furnace or AC, and the like.  Clean out the chimney once a year. (it's cheap!) keep an eye on everything so you won't be surprised during a time that you'd not want to have to jump into a project.

Think of your house like a car, as it needs oil changes, air, batteries, belts, hoses, and so many more constant check ups.  Your home is no different except think of it like a car you have to live in and is idling constantly.  At Routzahns, not only do we want to help you have a great time remodeling, or buying for your new home, but we also want you to have the best experience in your home for years to come.

In weather like we are having, the last thing you want to do is have to shut down your primary heat source.  Get it checked, and you won't have to worry later.  When it comes time to replace your old furniture, bedding, cabinets, or paint something, we have the answers and expertise you need!  If the pipes freeze and you need to do new drywall, we can save you money by helping you paint it without having to have someone come do it!  We can help save money on a new floor if that's the case as well!   There are so many options out there to save money, you just need to know who to ask! 

Why quality matters...

Kitchen cabinets are everywhere.  You see them at every big box store, and they are sometimes the most expensive part of fixing up your home.  The problem occurs when the expense doesn't justify the product you get.  Many types of cabinets are built with very cheap materials, which is just fine sometimes if it's assembled correctly.   The majority use very cheap techniques to assemble and produce the whole thing, so the chances of lasting more than a few years under use is very small.  Remember the cabinets at your Grandmother's house?  They were older than your parents were, and still worked just fine!  They were made from high quality hardware, solid materials, and correct woodworking techniques.  Don't let yourself be fooled by a fancy display, look at how it's made.  This article from This Old House shows a few things to look for!

This Old House

(Shared from their article)

Kitchen showrooms are emporiums of grand illusion. The floors always glisten, countertops are uncluttered by coffeemakers and the cabinets — wow! The cabinets are always perfect. No scratches, no dings, none of the 3-year-old's favorite stickers, no dishes cramming shelves. The cabinets are stained in the latest colors endorsed by shelter-magazines, floated under 16-foot ceilings (so you'll never notice how tall they're not) and lit by several thousand watts of halogen. When the doors swing shut with resounding thumps and the drawers slide to a firm stop, you're sold. Too bad. You think you bought furniture that will last a lifetime, but you probably got dressed-up orange crates that will last barely a decade.
Top-quality kitchen cabinets are made like good furniture, but even the most devoted watchers of the Food Channel don't know what to look for. Worse, what to look for is usually hidden. So we ordered up a finely crafted — but unassembled — base cabinet made by a small family-owned company that has only one line of cabinetry — the good stuff. Print out the following pages, and take them along the next time you go kitchen cabinet shopping.

The Well-Built Cabinet
 
Face: All pieces visible from the front of a cabinet. The wood used on the face of a quality cabinet shouldn't have knots, pitch pockets, sanding scars, grain irregularities or color differences.

1. Face-frame stiles and rails are joined with long tenons (protruding wood tongues) and deep mortises (the slots into which tenons fit). Where two pieces of wood meet in a joint, the line between them almost disappears.
2. Drawer fronts are cut from a single piece of solid wood.
3. Flat door panels are made from solid pieces of wood.
 
End Panel:The side of the cabinet exposed to view.

4. Solid wood is chosen for similarity of grain and color.
5. Frame pieces have mortise-and-tenon joinery; assembled panel is attached to the carcass (a plywood box) with screws driven from the inside out.
 
Drawer:All sides are made from hardwood 5/8 inch or thicker.

6. All sides are routed with a groove that supports drawer base.
7. Joints are dovetailed at all corners.
 
Carcass: The plywood box that forms the cabinet's interior, seen here lying on side panel.

8. Side and floor panels are 1/2 inch minimum thickness.
9. Plywood shelves are at least 3/4 inch thick.
10. Cabinet floor and back fit into a routed side panel.

Details Make the Difference

Tunable Hinges: Whether visible or hidden, a hinge should be not only strong but also adjustable so that doors can align with the surrounding face-frame.

Floating Panels:The frames around panels on the cabinet doors and on the exposed side of the cabinet have deep grooves. Panels aren't glued or fastened into the grooves, which allows them to expand and contract with changes in temperature and humidity without cracking or pushing the frame apart. Tiny pads keep the panels centered.

Drawer Slides: A drawer supported by two side-mounted slides is much stronger than one that runs over a single slide centered underneath. The quietest slides run on nylon bearings. A good slide can carry loads of at least 75 pounds and will allow a drawer to open fully.

Frame-to-Carcass Joints: A strong connection between the carcass and the face frame (the five narrow pieces of wood that surround the drawer and the doors) is a mark of good craftsmanship. At the bottom corner of the back of the face frame, the vertical piece (the stile) has a wide groove, which locks onto the side panel of the carcass. The narrow groove across the horizontal piece (the rail) lines up with an identical groove in the floor of the cabinet. Biscuits glued into these grooves join the rail to the cabinet floor.

Shelf Locks:Shelves should be adjustable and supported by metal brackets, not plastic ones. To keep the shelf from wandering, a locking device such as a plastic retainer plugs into an adjustment hole above. 

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All of these items mark well made cabinetry of any type. Kitchen, bath, or anything else when you want craftsmanship in the construction.  Check out our Wellborn cabinet selection in store or stop by  their website at Wellborn.com  for more information!  They operate out of Alabama, and have a great reputation for building with quality!  Always do your research, and buy something that is well built, and will last for your grandchildren to use it!

New paint, new room! Tips from the DIY network on interior painting!

A few points from the DIY Network!  If you are considering painting a room in your home, check us out at www.routzahnsway.com, stop by in Frederick, at 100 Routzahns way, or call 301-698-2450.  We carry interior and exterior paints, stains, and primers, and over 1900 color choices to find the perfect tone for your project!  No project is too large, or too small for us, we even have commercial solutions!

 Different paint finishes have their advantages.

Before you begin to paint, consider wall imperfections and other factors. High-gloss paint offers greater durability and is very easy to clean. If your wall is less than perfect, however, high-gloss paint can enhance the imperfections. Flat paint will do a much better job of hiding imperfections, but it's much easier to damage than high-gloss. Eggshell is a great middle-of-the-road option. 

 

Don't let fear of color turn your room white.

Colors can add depth and texture to your room. Using the right colors can turn an otherwise dull room into a beautiful, warm space. If you get a color you don't like, just paint over it!

 

Small samples prevent big surprises.

It's very difficult to tell what a color is going to look like on your wall using a small paint swatch. Investing in a "test gallon" can get expensive, especially if you can't make up your mind. Many paint manufacturers are now offering small sample cans of their colors. They cost only a few dollars and will prevent you from wasting money on a color that just isn't right. 

Square footage is only half of the equation.

When you go to buy your paint, you have to know the square footage of your room. There are many other factors that contribute to the amount of paint you will need, however. Always consider the surface you're painting, whether you're priming walls and the number of coats you are going to need. All of these things will affect the amount of paint you need to purchase. 

Get ready to spend some time preparing.

About 80 percent of your time should be spent doing prep work. Contrary to popular belief, paint will not hide all imperfections. Take the proper steps to make your walls as flat as possible, and make sure you clean them before you start to paint. Any dust or debris left on the wall could cause your new paint to peel.

There is a reason it's called primer.

Primer is essential in any good-quality paint job. It seals the surface of your walls and provides a great base for the paint to grab. If you've spackled your walls, priming is a must to prevent flashing. Unprimed spackle holds gloss better than drywall, causing a "shiny" spot on your wall.

Don't cut in a line.

Always do brushwork in the corners before you begin rolling. Rolling after brushwork will flatten any brushstrokes left in the wall, giving you an evenly painted surface.

 

 

Rollers can put more than paint on the wall.

Use simple masking tape to remove any extra fibers before you paint. If you don't, those fibers will become a permanent fixture on your wall.

 

Avoid overextending yourself.

Extension poles are a great way to cut time and effort out of a paint job. They will prevent you from climbing up and down a ladder and give you more leverage when you're painting a wall that's right in front of you. The benefit of an extension pole far outweighs the price.

If you "box" your paint, you will never fight blotches.

It may be connected to a computer and look high-tech, but the color mixer can create slight variations from can to can. The last thing you want is to have two shades of a color on the same wall. This can be remedied by mixing all of the paint cans together before you start painting. Boxing your paint ensures you will have consistent color throughout the room.