Bring Focus To Your Stained Glass

Patinas are used to color or darken solder lines. The most common patina colors are black and copper. Using patinas brings the focus on the glass and the design of your stained glass piece. This makes the glass colors, textures and designs of the stained glass piece the main focus.

Before you apply patinas, be sure all flux residues is removed. This can be done using a commercial flux remover or washing the stained glass piece with dish soap and baking soda.

Steps for Applying Patinas

Use a brush, rag or cotton ball to dab patina on to the zinc frame. Do not use a brushing action, as this can leave streaking or patchy coverage.

Next, apply patina to solder lines. Be sure all edges of solder lines have been covered.

Then, turn project over and repeat the process on that side.

Lastly, thoroughly rinse the patina off the stained glass piece. After it is completely dry, a minimum of 24hours, finishing compound can be applied.

Tips and techniques for Applying Patinas

Safety - Always wear rubber gloves when applying patina.

If patina appears spotty, use super fine steel wool to clean the area, and then re-apply the patina.

To avoid oxidation, clean and apply patina immediately after project is soldered.

While patina will mask some inconsistencies in you solder lines, others will still be noticeable and take away from the professional look of your piece. With patience, practice and the correct tools and supplies, you can have professional solder lines.

Most patinas come in an 8 oz bottle. Avoid contaminating the liquid in the bottle by never re-dipping your applicator back into the bottle. Pour out a lid full and use this as your re-dip point.

You may experience different end results with the use of different brands of patinas. One common brand and easily found on store shelves and on line is Novacan. It is available in different formulas for different metals i.e. lead vs. zinc. As you experiment with different brands, you will notice that the more expensive ones do seem to shine more. Sometimes simple wax and compound can help this situation too.

Usually, if need be, patinas can be removed by using steel wool and some elbow grease. So don't fret if you think the application has made your art work look bad or if you just don't like the shiny lines dark.

I was not a fan of most patinas; however, I now know that by using this product, you do experience brilliant colorful glass. All attention is quickly turned from solder lines to the subject of your glass creation - the glass.

Another note of concern applies to patinas as well as other chemicals used in stained glass production. That is evaporation. Be sure and keep the lids tightly screwed on your bottles of supplies as some do seem to disappear into thin air. This will also avoid waste if tipped over accidentally.

I started out as a stained glass admirer. After a class in stained glass, I became addicted. At first I made stained glass to decorate my homes, which lead to friends asking me to make stained glass for them. Now I am a full time professional making stained glass as well as instructing others on how to make stained glass. My studio is located outside of Chicago, Illinois. For more information on making stained glass go to http://www.creativity-in-glass.com

The "Seven Deadly Sins" Home Buyers Commit

Buying a Home can sometimes seem to be a daunting task, filled with details and pitfalls. It's hard to remember everything as you are going through the process, but if you can avoid the following seven common mistakes you will come out way ahead.

1) Not Getting Pre-Qualified

This is the step you take before you even start looking at homes, and it will make your life so much easier. Start your home search by visiting a lender. They will ask specific questions about your income, bank accounts, debt, etc. and will help you determine how much home you can afford to buy. Stick within the limits they set for you and you will be much happier in future years. Their guidance is an important first step on the path to home ownership.

2) Thinking There is Only One Perfect Home For You

Buying a home is usually a process of elimination. You have a list of "must haves" and "want to haves", and "definitely don't wants". There are a limited number of homes currently for sale in the area you have chosen. Often times you can't get everything you want in one home, so you must trade-off and balance some of these "haves", "wants", and "don't wants".

New properties come on the market every day, so try to be flexible and open to new possibilities. By eliminating the homes that don't work, you get down to picking the best of the "possibles". Don't worry, you often end up finding a house that is just right for you, and you'll know it the minute you walk in.

3) Not Knowing the Total Costs Involved

When you find homes you like, ask your lender for an estimate of closing costs. This should include Title Company fees, Pre-paid expenses like taxes, insurance and pro-rated mortgage interest. Attorney fees and Homeowners Association dues may also need to be taken into account. Examine this Estimate closely and make sure you understand where each cost is coming from and whether it will be an ongoing cost after you own the home, or a one-time fee. Check the actual Closing cost statement at settlement to make sure there are no surprises.

4) Not Having a Home Inspection

Some buyers try to save a few bucks by not having a whole house inspection or by doing it themselves. Saving money today this way could end up costing you thousands in the future.

Get a qualified Home Inspector to go over the entire house, inside and out, basement and attic. His report will call out all deficiencies and suggest repairs and further action. The findings in the report may also give you leverage you can use in the negotiations with the seller.

5) Not Considering Long Term Needs

It is important to think ahead. Is your family growing? You may need more home 3-5 years from now. That "cute breakfast nook" of today will not be so cute when six people are bumping knees trying to squeeze into it. Will this home suit you in the future, or will you grow out of it.

6) Not Following Through on Due Diligence

Make a list of non-house related issues - Schools, crime rates, neighbors, traffic, power lines, new development in the area, environmental issues, etc. Ask these questions before you make any offer on a home. By getting these answers now, you'll have more confidence in your home purchase.

7) Not Buying a Home Protection Plan

This is an inexpensive short term insurance policy on the home, usually covering appliances and basic repairs for one year. It can be purchased for a small fee and will give you peace of mind about that dishwasher or water heater going bad just three weeks after you move in - every home buyers nightmare. Talk to your Realtor, they can recommend a good plan.

If you can avoid the seven common mistakes above, you'll be miles ahead, and can have peace of mind that you are making a solid, well thought out decision about the purchase of your next home. What's the old saying....."An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure"? Never has it been so true as in the home buying process.

Vicki Walker is a Realtor with Coldwell Banker in Davis, California. Her clients buy and sell Davis CA Real Estate and Homes She has been a Yolo County Realtor for over 12 years and enjoys writing articles about the business of Real Estate.

Flip That House With Cheap Fixes

Perhaps you have been watching those shows that tell you how to flip that house, but you don't have the tens of thousands of dollars they seem to inevitably spend. What can you do that is fast and cheap to increase the appeal and selling price of a home? Here are six cheap fixes to give you some ideas.

1. Mailbox

While you can't get a great price with major problems, buyers will excuse minor ones if they have already fallen in love with the house. That means you better make a good first impression. The first thing they'll likely see is the mailbox. Install a new one with a few flowers around it. This will cost you less than fifty dollars.

2. Front Yard Landscaping

Another fast and cheap way to a great first impression is to clean the front yard, mow the lawn, trim the trees, throw some grass seed on any bare spots if you have time, and plant a few flowers. Neat, clean and green is the idea. Do this part yourself and you'll be surprised how far a hundred dollars can go.

3. Clean The House Outside

It is amazing how often the front of a house is dirty - even when the home is for sale. If you want to flip that house fast, make it look good! Power-wash it if necessary, and make sure there are no stains on the the front wall nor leaves hanging from the gutters. Shine up any doorknobs or other metal fixtures. This step might cost you nothing but your time, but less than $100 in any case.

4. Stage The House

A house that is empty never feels or looks quite right. Now, it's true that some people can easily imagine what their furniture will look like in those rooms, but not all of us are so good at such visualization. Make it easy on those buyers by having some tables, couches, chairs, and even a few paintings on the walls. If you really want to keep this part cheap and you have nice things at home, borrow them!

5. Use A House Inspection Checklist

It is not only embarrassing to be standing their with a buyer explaining why the toilet doesn't flush, but it is little things like that which can lose a sale. Have a list of things you would check if you were buying a home, and go through your house with it, testing everything, and looking at every room as objectively as possible. Better yet, have a good friend do this for you as though he was interested in the home.

6. Make High-Return Improvements

Repairs have to be done, but many changes are debatable. Should you replace the perfectly good but somewhat ugly carpeting? Maybe. Paint the rooms? Think of the over-all look of the house if you make a set of changes, and do your best to estimate how much they will add to the sale's price. They should add double or more what they cost.

There are often opportunities for improvements with much higher returns. A friend of mine once spent about $1,500 and increased the home's value by about $8,000. How? The basement had big windows, so he added two walls in a corner, along with a cheap paint job and a piece of carpeting to create a bedroom. If you want to flip that house for big profits with little investment in time and money, get creative and look hard for opportunities like this.

Copyright Steve Gillman. For more on how to Flip A House, go now and subscribe to the free 'Fix and Flip' course at: http://www.TipsForFlippingAHouse.com

Hire a Local Qualified Home Inspector to Do Your Home Inspections

Did you know that a newly constructed house needs aresidential inspection performed on behalf of the home buyer? Even buyers of older homes often forget to have a home inspection or even know they can require a home inspector as a part of the pre-purchase process. Failing to have the inspection performed can relieve the seller from liability with any needed repairs, and leave you holding the money pit.

Did you know that a house inspection from a professional will usually consist of over 2500 different items being looked at. It is our job to completely evaluated almost all systems of the house from the roof all the way to the basement or crawlspace. Certified home inspectors have demonstrated their ability to locate structural issues, HVAC problems, plumbing and electrical issues, and even issues outside of the home that may have been missed even by the local building inspector. The cost of a home inspection is very low compared to the cost of almost any missed repair issues.

In areas like the humid Atlanta region there are issues such as water leaks, black mold, HVAC condensation, and leaching that may not be applicable in other areas. In fact each area of Georgia is different so if buying a home in North Georgia it is important to work with a reliable residential inspection specialist who has experience in the North Georgia area. After all, would an inspector from South ofAtlanta know how to look for roof damage caused by snow on a home in Ball Ground? Not likely. Keep it local and find a home inspector to provide a home inspection on your nexthouse or investment property. Every area has it's own set of issues related to the climate alone.

David Lelak is the owner/home inspector for IHI Home Inspections in Atlanta, GA. He is a Certified Atlanta home inspector, a member of Nachi and has been in the residential construction industry for over 20 years. My job is to protect one of the biggest investments you might ever make. So when I do a home inspection I inspect the property as if I were purchasing it for me and my family. Your families safety is my biggest concern and I want customers for life. Visit my website today at http://www.ihihomeinspections.com to schedule your inspection online.

Editorial services provided by my friend Ken Cook http://www.icobb.com

Stairlifts - Take the Struggle Out of Climbing the Stairs

Buying a stairlift can have huge benefits for your quality of life, giving you back some freedom and independence. Stairlifts can be adapted to your individual needs, so no matter what your requirements are, therell be one to suit you. The stairlift company representative who visits your home can assess what type of design would be best for you. There are two main sorts. Straight stairlifts are suitable for staircases that dont have any bends. They glide in a straight line up and down the stairs. If your staircase has corners or curves, a curved stairlift will be necessary to negotiate the turns.

Your mobility needs will be taken into account. As it is safer to sit down when using a stair chair lift, seated stairlifts are the most common design. It is possible to install a stand-on stairlift if you have difficulty bending your legs, but this type of stair lift can usually only be installed on a straight staircase and may have a weight limit. A perching stairlift is an option for people who cant bend their knees to a sitting position and are unable to straighten their legs out. Some public buildings have stairlifts with wheelchair platforms, but these need a lot of space and are often too wide to be fitted to a residential stairway.

Your new stairlift can also be adapted to make it easier for you to use. Its essential to be safe and comfortable when using a stairlift. Special features can be added to give you more confidence to operate the lift on your own. For example, if you suffer from arthritis in your fingers, you can have a joystick instead of button controls. By choosing a reputable company you can expect to get expert advice to help you choose the best sort of stairlift for your particular needs, which should make life easier and take the fear out of struggling with the stairs on a daily basis.

A reputable stairlifts company can assist you in getting the most out of your new stairlift, so theres no need to struggle with the stairs any longer.

Caroline Smith is a successful freelance writer who has written many articles for http://www.1-stair-lift.com the leading information resource on stairlifts, including curved and straight stairlifts from a vast selection of quality manufacturers.

House Stair Handrails and Guardrails Safety

With guardrails and handrails on our stairs, it is the same concept as with many other safety requirements guiding our daily commute - we often believe these rules are created for others only, until we suddenly realize that there's nothing to hold on to when gravity's force pulls our body down the stairs with an increasing speed.

That's why somebody came up with a list of rules:

1. The stairs' handrail must be graspable, and the best shape / size to put your grip on must have a 1" - 2" circular shape cross section (preferably circle, but square, or a section of the square with rounded edges and a groove for your fingers, is also acceptable). Flat boards, 2"x4", or anything else that you can't close the palm of your hand on, is not acceptable by the building code.

2. The stairs' handrail attached to the wall should not project further than 3" into the stairway (some jurisdictions accept 4" max distance). The distance between the handrail and the wall should not be less than 1". This is to keep your fingers from getting trapped between the wall and the handrail, and give enough clearance for your hand.

3. Any stairs with 4 risers or more require handrails. Risers are the boards between the steps (treads); of course you may just have an empty space between each tread.

4. The required stairs' handrail height is between the 34" and 38".

5. When you attach the handrail / handrail brackets to the wall, make sure that they are secured with proper screws to the wall framing, not to the drywall sheet. This is because they have to support a 200 lb load applied at any point of the stairs' handrail in any direction. Brackets may often be supplied with small, plastic anchors which provide no support whatsoever when used in drywall, and even a small child can pull it off the wall.

6. The ends of the stairs' handrail attached to the wall should return to that wall. When you're carrying a shoulder bag, or even wearing a jacket, it might get caught up on that section of the handrail and you'll either ruin your wardrobe or loose balance and fall down the stairs. If you have a navel post at the end of the handrail, the handrail should return to this post or volute. Also, the stairs handrail should extend to area above the top and bottom nosing of stairs.

Handrail / Guardrail

7. This one is extremely important if you or your visitors have small children. If you have a 4" diameter ball handy, it should not pass through any of the openings along the stairs' handrail and guardrail (guardrail pickets for example). The only exception is that triangular space between the riser, tread, and base of the guardrail - a 6" max diameter is permissible in this area. If you don't have risers and there is an open space underneath treads, the 4" max applies there as well. If your ball fit through any of the openings, a small child's head may as well.

8. The guardrails are required on any walking surface elevated 30" or higher above the floor / grade.

9. Guardrails in single family properties must be a minimum of 36" high from the walking surface (balconies, decks, galleries) and no climbable / horizontal bars - kids love climbing.

So how does it look in your house ?

For more valuable information from Dariusz Rudnicki, on how to maintain your real estate property, correct most common problems and learn extremely important house selling tips (including step by step self-performed home inspection), please visit http://www.checkthishouse.com .

Dariusz is a licensed Illinois home inspector who has been in this business for over ten years, crawling through the areas you'd newer expect that even exist in your house ... just to let you now that everything is working properly... or not. If you need a house maintenance advice, you can always ask him for help.

Stair Lifts and Residential Elevators

Stair lifts and residential elevators ensure safe and reliable floor-to-floor transportation in a residential environment. Though considered luxury items earlier, these accessibility devices have now become essential items with the increasing number of multistory buildings.

Make Your Entire Home Accessible through Stair Lifts

Stair lifts allow easy access to all parts of your residence, and are especially useful for physically challenged and aged individuals. Stair lifts move smoothly along the rails of the staircases. They can be conveniently folded when not in use, which allows the stairs to be used by other family members. Both AC and DC operated stair lifts can be bought. Lifts that function with batteries can operate even during power outages. The obstruction sensors in stair lifts are safety features that stop the equipment on sensing any impediment on its path. At present, stair lifts are available in different models fitting any kind of stairway -- curved or straight.

Residential Elevators - An Ideal Option in Multistoried Buildings

Residential elevators are designed focusing on the safety and comfort of the users, and most of these devices are provided with advanced features. Most of them are available with in-car phones and safety interlocks. Residential elevators can be installed in your homes causing minimum disturbance to your living space. Available in different models and types, residential elevators have good weight carrying capacity too. Elevators meant for residential use can be utilized for long term purposes and are budget-friendly.

Choose the Right Provider

Bruno, ThyssenKrupp, Savaria Concord and Federal are the popular manufacturers supplying some of the well known models such as Electra-Ride Elite, Stair Glide, Citia stair lifts and Volant Gearless, Prolift SCL, Renaissance elevators. Whether you have a straight staircase or a curved one with steep angles, you can choose an appropriate one from the variety of stairlifts that are available in the industry. Decide on a product that is ensured warranty as well as excellent installation and maintenance services.

DAY Elevator and Lift is a leading supplier of stairlifts and residential elevators in the Tri State area. We also provide wheelchair lifts in addition to these residential accessibility products.