Many famous people have become parents in their older years such as Rod Stewart, Mick Jagger and Elton John and now the celebrity Frank Skinner has joined the ranks.

The comedian has revealed that he is to be a father at the grand old age of 55 and that he is expecting a bundle of joy with his long-term partner Cath Mason.

The comic announced the exciting news on air to listeners on his radio show BBC2’s Room 101 on the day his celebrated turning 55 years-old. He has pledged to fans that he will still be working and if anything, he will be up for the show a lot earlier than usual. The funny man hasn’t yet revealed when the baby is due or what sex it will be but he has advised everyone to start knitting.

Skinner has in the past made jokes about aging fathers but whatever the age is of a parent; the most important thing is that the new-born is well-fed, looked after and loved unconditionally. But the well-known star will soon have to reveal what the gender of the child is for close family and friends to know whether to buy blue or pink lining changing bags, clothes and toys.

Many clothes and baby shower gifts can be bought in neutral colours for budding mums and dads who wish to keep the sex of the baby a surprise. Soft yellow is a great unisex colour to decorate the nursery or for baby shower decorations that would be perfect for both boy and a girl.

Building something has a great satisfaction to it and probably no more than building your own bed. If you have never built one before, or even if you have, it can be a tricky job to do. It truly is a job that can not be rushed as it has to be sturdy enough to sleep on in comfort. Listed below are a set of instructions on how to build a bed. They are easy to follow and will allow you to have a hand built bed in a short time from now.

• Get yourself some bed rail hangers, wood and wood screws. If bed rail hangers are a problem then you can use eight long lag bolts instead. Get these from your local hardware store. Also take the plans of your bed as the store owner should be able to give you some advice as well.

• If the wood that you have found is not the size that you want it then either get it cut to size or do it yourself.

• Review your plan as now you should have everything you need to make the bed. Firstly secure the bed rail hangers to the end of the side rail of the bed and the head posts. Repeat this for all four corners.

• Once you have done that then screw the support rail to each side rail. Space you screws so that all areas are supported equally. Space them about 12 inches (30cms) apart is quite acceptable.

• Secure each support and block to the centre of the head and foot rail using the screws.

• These support blocks will need grooves cut into them so they can be fitted together with the support beams. Once this is done they can be connected with the support beams.

• Nearly there. Finish off by placing a piece of ply wood on the support rails and the support beam. Make sure it fits comfortably but that it does not need forcing is too slack in the bed frame. Now simply add the mattress and the bedding and the job is done.

Simple and easy to follow instructions to have your own custom made bed. This is a basic construction of the four sides, legs centre support beam, struts to lay between the sides and the centre support beam and finished off with a snug fitting piece of ply wood.

Woodworking for the home is satisfying to the soul and something to be proud of. As it is my passion I want to share it with you at my site.

Many people are interested in growing their own plants, fruits and veggies. Most don’t have the temperate climate to grow year round so its attractive to come indoors and go for the year-round perpetual growth in their own grow box. Everyone can enjoy the fun hobby of indoor hydroponic growing but its best to ask yourself a few questions before you purchase an indoor growing system.

1. How much space do I have for my grow room or grow box?
Really important because the type of plant, numbers and expected yield are all correlated to the amount of grow space or grow room. Do you have a garage you can put a grow box cabinet system in? Will it reside in your bedroom? Can you bring it down to your basement? Do you want it on display in the kitchen?

2. How many plants do I want to grow?
Linked to space because the more space you have the more plants you can grow and the more varieties you can generate. Also, be aware of crowding issues and plant dominance. Plants can get nasty and will shade other plants from available light causing them great stress. It is recommended to get a grow box that is at least 6′ tall.

3. How much time do I have to spend on this hobby?
If you want to begin your hobby effortlessly with a guarantee, it recommended to purchase a pre-fab grow box. Most of these systems are plug-n-play and require just a few hours of maintenance every week. Some grow rooms or grow boxes can be serviced in under 20 minutes a week. It’s really important to be honest with yourself on your time allotment. If you travel on business, get a completely automated hydro system that you only have to attend to every 7 days. If you have a ton of time of your hand go for a grow room system that you can fiddle for hours on end doing your plant maintenance, cleaning, and water quality control.

4. What are my expected outcomes for my automated grow room or grow box system?
Many customers have blown-out expectations and become impatient. Patience is godliness in indoor growing. You can’t rush a beautiful thing and doing so only detracts from the finish. If its your first grow, you will not beat the world record for grams of dried plant matter per plant. By just your third turn, you will be closing in on a mid level gardener and feeling good about yourself.

5. Am I comfortable with the expenses for indoor growing such as electricity, water, nutrients, etc.?
There are a number of variable costs associated with indoor gardening. Nutrient companies will try to tell you that you can NOT achieve great results unless you use their expensive products. Nutrients don’t have to be that expensive but they do add up. Electricity for HID lamps can be quite pricey especially if you live in metro areas like San Francisco, New York and Honolulu. If your water supply has a TDS count over 300, is “hard” or possess heavy metals and chlorine you will want to use a water filter system like Reverse Osmosis, UV, or activated carbon. These systems are not cheap but are a necessary evil if you are not blessed with pure water. Being comfortable with the variable costs will help you keep your eye on the prize.

There are no dumb questions in indoor growing, only chances for discovering the balance for what you want versus what is actually grow-able in your growbox.
Happy Growing!!
Erik Elder
erik@supercloset.com
http://www.supercloset.com
http://www.superponics.com

Updating your brick fireplace to a slate-faced fireplace can give new life to the room. Whether you use a multi-colored Brazilian slate or a solid gray Vermont slate, the natural veining and characteristics of the stone can enhance any area.

Since both the bricks and slate tiles are naturally uneven, a minimum of three coats of mortar will be required to complete the job. This will make the fireplace wall thicker, so account for this when adding mantels or additional wooden surrounds.

Instructions

1. Cover the bricks and the mortar lines between the bricks with a skim coat of mortar. Apply a thin layer of Portland cement-based mortar over the fireplace. Use the flat edge of the trowel to scrape the mortar until it fills any pits or indentations and creates a smooth, even surface. Let this mortar dry for at least 24 hours.

2. Lay out your slate tiles in an area near the fireplace. Take the slate from several boxes at once to ensure a pleasing blend of color and pattern. Some slate pieces will be thicker than others, and some pieces will be thin on one half and thick on the other. Arrange the tiles so thick ends meet and thin ends meet to make the installation smoother.

3. Mark any slate tiles to be cut to fit the edges of the installation with a grease pencil and straight edge. Cut the slate on a tile wet saw and double-check the fit with the other tiles. Use any particularly thin or thick tiles as cuts to minimize the surface area to even out.

4. Spread a second layer of mortar over the fireplace, beginning in the area directly above the center of the firebox. Rake this layer of mortar with the teeth of the trowel until it is even in thickness.

5. Apply mortar directly to the back of each tile. Place more mortar in the thinner areas by applying a scoop of mortar the size of a baseball to these sections, and less mortar to the thick areas by applying a scoop the size of a golf ball. Press each slate tile onto the fireplace surround that has had mortar combed over it. Begin directly above the firebox and work out and down evenly.

6. Observe every few tiles to ensure that the slate is even with no pieces sinking in deeper or coming out further than the others. Pry off tiles that sink too deep and add more mortar. Press hard on the tiles that stick out too far to sink them deeper into the mortar until all the tiles are installed and the surface is level. Let the slate dry in place on the fireplace for 48 hours.

7. Seal the slate to ensure the grout will release easily from its surface. Paint sealer on with a craft paintbrush, paying attention to any clefts or ridges in the stone. Wait 10 minutes and buff the slate dry with a lint-free cloth.

8. Direct the grout into the joints between the slate with a stiff grout float, pressing the grout in with the flat edge of the float. Wait 10 minutes for the grout to begin to dry and wash the excess grout off with a damp sponge. Pay attention to the clefts in the slate to ensure no grout is left behind.

This article is about Slate Tiles. Know more about Slate Tiles

LOAD REQUIREMENTS

The International building code requires that a guardrail withstands a minimum of 200 lb, applied tangentially to the top rail. This means that a person or a few persons leaning against the rail could eventually apply a tangential force equal to 200 lb and the railing should be able to resist. There are several factors involved on this. However, the only factor that virtually does not count is the type of railing, because, for the most parts railings are build following common practices, and they are usually just OK. The main factor for code compliance is the quality of the installation. If one does not attach the railing properly, even if the railing is made of thick solid steel, it will not pass the 200 lb test. It does not make sense to build an iron railing that will probably need a force equal to 1000 lb just to slightly bend it and then leave it lose against the wall! But this is what happens most of the cases when a railing has failed.

TYPE OF WALLS AND THE PROPER ANCHORS FOR EACH OF THEM

There are several type of “walls” where railings are usually attached to. EXTERIOR BRICK WALL normally this type of wall has regular wood framing behind, and the brick is just attached against it. If you want to be over cautious, you may drill through the brick with a masonry bit, up until you reach the wood behind, and then pre-drilled the wood to drive a long enough 3/8 inch lag bolt into it. However by experience it is possible to use expansion bolts, 3/8 by 1 7/8 and install them into the brick and still have a strong enough grip. If the brick is lose or cracked, you may have problems. Also if you open the hole too much, the expansion might be lose or loosen up with time.Another possibility is to use concrete tap cons, which is a blue screw that is very strong. I would prefer the expansion sleeve anchors over tap cons. However, properly installed, tap cons are just fine on brick. Just be careful not to overdo while driving in the tap con, just go easy. If the brick is not dense enough, tap cons might not work. So just make sure you have a healthy solid brick to work with. If not you will en up going back to plan A. Do not use any type of anchors that would require impact, for it might break the brick, causing a greater problem.

WOOD FRAMING

Outside wood framing always has a 1/2 inch OSB plywood behind the siding. However you do not want to attach your railings to the plywood only, but to the real wood framing behind. You might get away installing the rails to the plywood only, but for sure, if the railings are high traffic, they will fail. If the building inspector catches that, you will fail inspection. But not all the time, sometimes you could leave, in good conciseness, the rail with a weak joint (not lose) on the top, if you there is a post near to the wall and its four floor anchors are well attached. Actually a good post attachment would waive the necessity of an upper anchor, your railing could be left free standing, and still pass the load test. As an installer you have the right to request that the proper wood backing is installed on the walls. Inside framing, on the other hand, is covered with drywall. A drywall anchor will not take the load, even less than the OSB. So, don’t install your railings on drywall. However there is two exceptions to this rule: the first is the one we already mentioned, and the second is that if the railing is a wall mounted railing only, and let say you have 4 brackets, and one is on drywall, it is going to be probably OK if the bracket is not at one of the ends.

CONCRETE WALLS AND FLOORS

The recommended anchor for this cases is always a sleeve anchor, 3/8 x 1 7/8. Some times it may require a 3/8 x 1, or even more it is a long standalone railing. Tap cons are also OK in short runs. When there is greater danger and appearance is secondary, the best way to go is to core drill the concrete and then embed the legs with hydraulic cement. Of course if you could have the railings ready before you cast the concrete and cast them along, that would be the ideal situation. Railings joinery sometimes the railings need to be split and then joined at installation. The best joint is the welded one. You bring your welder, grind the spot, welded up and then touch up paint. However, if you paid for an expensive powder coating finish, you don’t really want to weld on it, unless it is completely necessary.

Bolting is a second option, which requires a nut on the other side. It is good but too conspicuous. Specially if one does not grind off the excess tread and leaves the bolts unpainted. If this is your case make sure the nut is tight enough and then seal it around with clear silicone to avoid moisture penetration. Self tapping screws with a neoprene washer is the best option. Screws are not so visible and provide a very strong joint, which is also waterproof. Way to go!

When installing the self tapping screws go slow with the drill, making sure it is NOT in hammer mode. If you go too fast it might kick you back and cause an injury. So be careful. Remember that at slow speed the drill has more torque, so you are not doing much more by speeding up too much. One thing to remember is that it is better if you clamp the two pieces together before drilling, and that this is the last step. Make sure everything is lined up and attached, and then install the joint screws.

INSTALLING ON CERAMIC TILE OR SLATE

Here the problem is that ceramic tile or slate break easily, especially if there is a hollow spot. First of all, make sure you tell the owner of the house or your wife that this might happen, it will keep you out of trouble. Then, always try with a thin 1/4 inch bit and then go with the 3/8 or 1/2 inch one, and make sure you use long enough screws to reach the wood or the concrete underneath.

GLUING DOWN YOUR RAILING

Sometimes there are worries about damaging the waterproofing of the deck, if that is the case and face mounting is not possible, for short spans, when there is a solid attachment of the top railing, it is possible to glue down the intermediate legs and even the posts. Use 1099 glue by 3M, which is much better than regular contact cement.

FACE MOUNTING YOUR RAILINGS

If for any reason you decide to face mount your railings, just remember that there is a lot of momentum on this type of mount, therefore the minimum spacing between bolts vertically should be 3 inches. Both screws need to be strongly attached, with a minimum of 2 1/2 inches of real wood penetration, therefore there should be 2 boards on the mounting face. Therefore use 3/8 by 3 wood lags. If you don’t have 2 boards, you need to have 4 screws per leg. The best way and safer way, would be pass through bolts with washers, if you have access to the back of the face. Use 3/8 of an inch bolts. If you are face mounting on concrete you need a 3 bolts with a separation of 3 inches in between, and you need to use 3/8 x 3 sleeve anchors. If the slab is not thick enough, then don’t face mount, unless you are allowed to have kickers every 6 ft minimum. I think I have covered all the possible scenarios; so, the only thing left is to say:

Happy railings installation!

Now that you know how to install your railings, lets order them online. Check out this website which contains an array of railing designs for a very affordable price http://deciron.com/railings.aspx they also ship them Nationwide.

Pedro L. Sanchez
Decorative Iron of NC Inc.
http://www.deciron.com

Unwanted and nasty weeds can be a nuisance in any garden if they get out of hands. Most of the people use chemicals and other toxic substances to control weeds in their garden. However, there are many other home remedies that can be used for getting rid of unwanted weeds. These home remedies are non-toxic and they are also inexpensive weed killers.

Homemade weed killers are far better than the harmful toxins as they do not contaminate the soil. Excessive usage of chemical based weedicides can harm your plants and turf as well. So, it is advisable to use alternatives for weed control. One of the basic weed control method is to pull them by hand as soon as they appear. But this method is generally not very effective if the weed growth is excessive.

Some of the effective home remedies for weed control that you can try in your home garden are:

Vinegar: Vinegar can be directly sprayed on the weeds. It is advisable not to dilute vinegar as the concentrated liquid will be more effective. The best time to use vinegar is when there is no chance of rainfall as it gives vinegar time to penetrate the roots and kill the weeds. Take care while applying vinegar on the weeds and avoid spraying it on the roots of your plants and seedlings.

Boiling Water: You can pour boiling water directly on the weeds to kill them. This method can potentially harm the turf as well so apply carefully on the weeds. This method is safe for pets, humans and also the environment.

Salt: Salt is another very effective way which can help in getting rid of unwanted weeds. However, excessive use of salt can damage the surrounding soil, as salt can easily seep into the ground. You can apply salt directly over the weeds and diluted salt with water can also be sprayed on the weeds. Make sure to use this method only in places where you do not want any growth.

Lemon Juice: Lemon juice is pretty much like kitchen vinegar, you can apply it directly on the weeds to control them.

Newspapers: If you have a large area that has been affected by weeds then you can effectively control them by covering the area with a thick layer of newspaper. The newspapers will not allow sunlight to reach the weeds and it would eventually kill them.

Apart from all these easy homemade remedies you can also try Citrus Oil, Soap Water and Liquid dish detergent to get rid of weeds from your home garden.

For more information on best quality plants please visit http://www.dntnursery.com/

DNT Nursery is a certified wholesale grower located in Tennessee that provides all kinds of native plants, perennials, shrubs, ferns and ornamental trees. It specializes in native plants, wildflowers and wild plants. It is one of the largest wholesale nurseries in the country that ships to the entire US and Canada. Please visit the website for more information on different varieties of plants and trees.

Whether deciding on a color scheme for a brand new home or redecorating for a fresh look, your choices can shape your mood and must be chosen with care. Consider how each room will be used, and how you want to feel when you step inside. Then select the shades that will best encourage your senses in that direction.

1. Powerful & Wealthy

For invincibility, nothing beats the combination of black, silver, and gold. The colors of the precious metals bring affluence to mind, and black implies strength, decisiveness, and authority. As it is always in fashion, there is no chance that this choice will ever go out of style. Want a softer look? Dark green is also associated with money, and can add to the prosperous feel of a room with more subtlety.

2. Bright & Clean

White has always been a symbol of purity, as dirt shows up so easily. It is no coincidence that it is the uniform color of choice for doctors and nurses, as symbolic confirmation of their sterility. Because it reflects light, rooms brighten when the interior is primarily white. As a bonus, this neutral shade matches every other color, leading to endless possibility.

3. Dramatic & Bold

It is no mystery why red is the color of love – a few moments of exposure makes the heart beat faster and the body breathe harder. Red stimulates the appetite and increases tension, so be sure to use it cautiously. For a nice balance, red accents throughout a calmer room can bring all of the benefits without overpowering.

4. Feminine & Sweet

Tranquil pink lends an atmosphere of more gentle moods, inspiring relaxation, tenderness, innocence, and romance. Soft shades reflect light well, giving the sense of cheerful well-being.

5. Peaceful & Tranquil

Known for its effect on the body’s production of natural calming chemicals, blue is a frequent choice for bedrooms to soothe the weary to sleep. High stress settings select blue décor to reduce anxiety and promote serenity. Blue has been shown to increase productivity, as it cuts down on racing thoughts and stimulates focus. It is interesting to note that the same sedative effect also reduces appetite.

6. Cheerful & Inviting

For a smile, pick yellow – it grabs attention and gives a perky, upbeat lift to a room. It is known to speed metabolism and increase concentration, making it a good choice for areas with lots of activity. Promote optimism and joy with this sunny shade, though keep moderation in mind. Yellow is the hardest on the eyes, and too much can have the opposite effect.

7. Balanced & Composed

Yellow mixed with blue makes green, a color that encourages the best of both. Easiest on the eye, green is calm and refreshing – a mid-point between high-energy and complete sedation.

Thoughtful color choices are key to ensuring that rooms will be comfortable, lived in, and enjoyed. Reflect on the tone of the environment you want to create, and opt for color selections that will reinforce your intentions.

Paula Morris-Dungan attended Art Institute of Pittsburg for Residential Space Planning and Interior Design. She spends her spare time remodeling and designing the interior of her 80+ year old house. She is a full-time freelance writer who writes for blogs and a discount fabric store about various topics including paint, and interior design in general.

A father from Cardiff in Wales was struggling to get his new-born twins to sleep at night and was therefore lacking in vital sleep himself. The IT expert, who currently lives in America, found that getting his tots to doze off was an impossible task, just like how many other parents feel around the world.

Despite wrapping them up in soft, cuddly baby bedding, the little ones were refusing to sleep but Matthew Nifield has designed an iPhone application to solve the situation. The new app is aimed at encouraging babies to sleep and it has been so successful that he has made on average £5,000 per month.

The latest technology features relaxing sounds such as a cat purring, waves crashing and rain on a car to help send girls and boys off to the land of nod within minutes. The creation has proved so popular in the United States and the UK that the dad-of-two has made thousands of pounds worth of revenue.

Any parent can feel exhausted from lack of sleep but a great night rest is essential for the body to function properly. A top tip to get your young child to sleep appropriately is to run them a nice warm bath before bedtime to give them down-time to calm down. Try reading them a story before they go to sleep and make their bed as cosy and comfortable as possible with twinkly fairy lights, teddy bears for security and gentle cot bedding to keep them warm. A bottle of milk will also help them to drift off quicker.

Easy Steps to Construct a Pebble Fountain Using Simple Materials

Know all about building a pebble fountain with the use of simple materials

There is nothing like the nice tranquil sound of a water feature in your garden that you can enjoy and sit outside in peace and quiet. Water features are loved by many and many people dream of having one in their yard.

The main thing that deters a person from having a water feature in his or her garden is the thought that it might require too much maintenance or the cost might be too prohibitive.

But you can have a nice professional looking water feature in your yard without having to pay an expensive contractor or landscaper to build the fountain for you.

In fact, most of the materials you need for a pebble fountain can be found at your local hardware store. Furthermore, a pebble fountain or a “garbage can fountain” can be build for under $300 if you know where to get the right materials for the right price.

Basic materials needed for building a pebble fountain

Building a pebble fountain requires some basic materials that can be found at the local hardware store, however, as far as the pump is concerned, you might want to think about going to a specialized home & garden store that has a professional pond department and you can get professional grade pumps and fountain heads. The materials for the basic structure of the pebble fountain are listed below.

1. A 55 gallon garbage can or bigger should be bought to hold the water. When buying the garbage can, you should make sure that it is a heavy-duty plastic not metal and does not have any drain holes. Avoid using galvanized metal garbage cans because they can rust over time and start to leak, causing water loss.

2. Galvanized piping, metal fencing, and chicken wire to build the top of the pebble fountain. This is what actually holds the pebbles over the garbage can that contains the water and pump.

3. Decorative stone and pebbles to cover the core anatomy of the fountain and make it beautiful.

4. A pond or fountain pump, piping, and valve to build and run the fountain. The average pebble fountain pump should be at least 700 gallons per hour or GPh. You can get a pump that is 1000 or 1500 GPh to allow for more flow. This is why the valve comes into play.

If you choose to get a more powerful pump, you can use the valve to control the water flow. If you let a 1500 GPh pump run its water to the maximum water flow, you can loose a lot of water. As far as the piping is concerned, you can use either PVC or copper. PVC should be black, it looks a lot nicer, however, copper piping also looks nice and as it tarnishes, it will take on a nice green color over time.

5. A fountain head to add the splash to your fountain. There are all kinds of fountain heads that you can use to create great water features with. Some of these fountain heads include:

a. The bell head, which is a type of fountain head that has a funnel at the top which is covered with a flat top having a tapered stopper that goes into the funnel and forces the water out into the shape of a bell or umbrella.

This makes for a wonderful water feature and you can give it some extra zing at night with colored lights, making your front yard the talk of the neighborhood.

The only drawback of a bell head is that wind can cause the water to blow away from the top of the garbage can and can cause you to lose water. For windy days, you should add water to the garbage can so the pump does not run dry.

b. The throther head is another common fountain head used for pebble fountains. The throther head causes the water to throth out, making a loud splashing sound. This type of fountain head is great for those who do not want a super high geyser, but like the sound of loud splashing water.

c. The two or three-tier head is your classic fountain head and works much like the shower head in your bathroom or the flower watering hose head. It has the same concept with many holes that force the water to come out in a specific pattern.

Furthermore, these fountain heads often come in two or three tiers and allow the water to come up in several tiers with the top tier shooting the water out the highest.

d. The geyser head is the most basic type of fountain head. Geyser heads can be special attachments which have wings inside to cause the water to shoot up in a specific pattern or a geyser head can simply be the top of the fountain pipe shooting the water straight up like a natural geyser.

Construction of the pebble fountain

Now that you have all the materials needed to build the pebble fountain, you need to go about building it. If you do not have any experience in water features, don’t worry.

You do not need much experience to build a pebble fountain. All you need to do is take a shovel, dig a hole for the garbage can and fill the sides outside of the garbage can with the dirt that you dug out of the hole.

You can also mound the rest of the dirt around the top of the pebble fountain to plant low growing flowers around your pebble fountain for that extra color and beauty. If you follow the simple steps below, you can have a stunning pebble fountain that can be the envy of the block.

1. Dig the hole that is a bit larger than the garbage can that you bought. You should have at least two-thirds of a foot to a foot of the garbage can above the ground.

2. Place the garbage can in the hole and using a level, make sure the garbage can is level so that water will not overflow out of one side.

3. Fill the gaps around the sides of the garbage can with some of the dirt that you extracted when you dug the hole for the garbage can, once you are satisfied with the position of the garbage can.

You can use some of the left over dirt to mound around the part of the garbage can that is above ground. You should keep in mind that the lip or the rim of the garbage can should be left above the dirt, so dirt will not get inside the garbage can when the water gets into it.

4. Place the pump on a cinder block in the garbage can so when you drain the fountain in the winter the pump will be out of the water and freezing will not break the functioning components of the pump.

5. Install the pipe for the fountain head to the outtake of the pump and using a level, make sure that the pipe is plum and the pump is level. When the fountain pipe is plum, you can be guaranteed that water loss would be at a minimum.

6. Build the structure for the pebbles, using the galvanized piping, fencing and chicken wire. This is probably the most complicated step in building your pebble fountain. Building the lid requires several steps and they are as follows:

a. Using elbows and galvanized piping make a square large enough to cover the top of the garbage can. You may want to position some cinder blocks at the corners of the lid to make the lid level over the top of the garbage can.

b. Take the fencing wire and heavy-duty wire and tie it to the galvanized piping frame. Pebbles, like all stones, are heavy, so the lid must be strong enough to support the weight of the pebbles.

Some people will even use rebars in the middle of the frame to support the fencing to give extra support. When adding the fencing, you want to make sure that in the center of the lid is a hole big enough to allow for the fountain pipe to come through.

c. Add the chicken wire over the fencing. There are different sizes and grades of chicken wire. You want to get the smallest square possible without it being mosquito netting. This will prevent the pebbles from falling into the garbage can and allow for the water to go back into the garbage can, not disrupting the water circulation.

7. Use four-inch cinder blocks or concrete slabs that are found at any home improvement store to evenly support the lid and make sure that the fountain pipe fits snugly into the hole in the middle of the lid and place larger stones or small boulders around the sides and the rim of the garbage can.

You can also place the bigger stones around the edge of the garbage can to form a circle and then place dirt around it to give it the circular look and allow you to plant flowers around the stones.

8. Carefully place the pebbles on the lid until none of the chicken wire shows anymore. Once you have placed the pebbles around the lid, you can place some slightly larger pebbles around the fountain pipe to give the illusion of a real natural feature. Be sure that the valve is on the part of the pipe just above the pebbles so you can control the flow of the water feature.

9. Run the power cord of the pump under the ground and plug into a GFCI outlet. If you need to use extension cords, you should use a waterproof tape to seal the connection to keep the moisture out. Better yet, position your fountain in an area where you can place a fake boulder to keep the connections above ground. Fill the garbage can with water.

10. Attach the fountain head of your choice to the top of the fountain pipe and then plug in the pump. Watch how strong the water flow is from the pump. If water is coming out too fast and is overshooting the garbage can’s circumference, use the valve to control the water flow.

These are the steps to build the pebble fountain and now you can enjoy the water feature without much maintenance for the summer and part of the fall.

Winterizing your pebble fountain

If you live in colder climates, you need to take freezing into consideration. Freezing can wreak havoc to any water feature, causing pipes to break, etc. Winterizing a pebble fountain is rather simple. First unscrew the fountain head from the top of the fountain pipe and screw on a hose. You may need an adapter for the hose.

Place the other end of the hose away from the water feature and turn the pump of to drain the garbage can. This is why above, it was mentioned to have the pump sit on a cinder block. What happens is when water freezes, it expands, causing cracking. This is why in colder climates, you want to drain the garbage can. Furthermore, keeping the pump on a cinder block will insure that no water will remain in the pump during the winter months.

As an added precaution, you should rent an air compressor and blow it through the fountain pipe to get whatever residual water is in the pump out. Keep the fountain head off the pipe in the winter and place a cap on the pipe to prevent rain, ice, or snow from accumulating in the pipe during the winter.

In the spring, when you want to start up the pebble fountain again, simply move some of the pebbles until you see enough of the garbage can and refill it with water and add the fountain head and you’re set to go.

A pebble fountain is a great water feature for those of you who want to have the sound of water, look at a fountain; but do not want to have to deal with the maintenance of a pond and deal with messy filters.

Did you find this article informative? If yes, you can subscribe to Shivraj Ghorpade’s blog http://www.problemsolvingarticles.com/category/home-improvment/ through RSS feed or through Email by just typing your email address. You will receive many such informative articles in your email box.

Travertine tiles come in a variety of patterns and colors. These porous, natural stone tiles–part of the limestone family–are not as difficult to work with as the more dense stones, such as granite, and are easy to cut and sand. If you take your time and have patience with yourself when installing travertine wall tiles, you will impress yourself with the outcome, whether you are using them in the bathroom, as a kitchen backsplash or anywhere else. Tackling this project yourself also will save you money on professional labor costs.

Instructions

1. Prep the wall. If the wall is concrete, clean it and set the tile straight onto it. If the wall is drywall or wood, secure sheets of cement board to it using cement board screws and a drill with a screwdriver attachment. This creates a better surface for the thin-set mortar to bond to.

2. Decide the layout of the travertine tiles to help you determine where you should start laying the tiles. If you want the tiles on the top row to be smaller than the bottom row, you will be able to set full tiles on the bottom, so you can start setting on the very first row. If you want even tiles on the top and bottom, start setting tiles halfway up the wall.

3. Mark the center line of the wall (measured top to bottom), using a tape measure and level. Screw a 1-by-2 board below that line to support the rows of tiles you will set. From this point, you will set the top half of the wall.

4. Use the notch trowel to spread thin-set mortar onto the wall and the backside of a tile. Use a white thin-set, as travertine is very porous and could discolor as it absorbs darker products.

5. Put the tile in its desired location and push it firmly against the wall so that the thin-set on the wall will bond to the thin-set on the back of the travertine tile.

6. Use the level to ensure that the tile is set levelly and that the front of it is plumb.

7. Repeat this process for every tile being set. Use tile spacers between each tile so that all the tiles are evenly spaced. You may need to adjust the spacing to account for natural variances in the sizes of the travertine tiles.

8. Cut tiles that do not fit as whole tiles. Measure the appropriate size, mark the size on the tiles and cut them with a wet tile saw. Cut along your marked line slowly and exactly.

9. Remove the 1-by-2 board from the wall after the thin-set on the top half of the wall has had time to set. Using a measuring tape, determine how many full tiles will fit below the existing tiles. Mark the line for the bottom of the lowest full tile using a level and pencil.

10. Set the lower half of the wall, repeating Steps 4 through 8. Measure, cut and set the top and bottom rows of tile. Allow the thin-set mortar to cure, following the product directions.

11. Mix the grout powder with water in a bucket to form a thick paste.

12. Scoop grout from the bucket with a grout float and spread it evenly into the spaces between the tiles, filling them fully. While the grout is still wet, wipe the surface of the wall with a sponge, rinsing it regularly to remove excess grout.

13. Allow the grout to dry to the point at which it forms a haze over the surface of the wall. Polish the haze off with a towel or cheesecloth. Let the grout fully cure.

14. Apply sealer evenly to the entire wall, using a towel or rag.

Know more about Wall Tiles