Go ahead ... Renovate like a GIRL!

It's that time of year again

2011-10-16T20:20:00.001-07:00

It's time to turn on the furnace, so what should you do before you turn it on?

I recommend cleaning the air filter or replacing depending on what style you have .. but more importantly if you have a humidifier built in to your furnace, it's time to clean the tray and change your pad.

An easy and inexpensive way to clean the drum and the tray is to combime 1/2 vinegar and water in the tray and let soak, however if you don't have that much vinegar, clr or clr type products work well.

You can buy your replacement pads at Canadian Tire or Home depot for around 9.00, this pad should be changed each year.

Here is a pic and link to what it looks like.
http://www.homedepot.ca/product/wait-90s-2in-replacement-drum-style-humidifier-evaporator-pad/948917

Bold kitchen transformation

2011-09-30T16:02:00.000-07:00

A bold transformation. Which do you like best?

The backsplash is actually a wallpaper that the previous owners installed, in order to save money and give it a fresh new look I spray painted it metallic silver to give it the look of the tin backsplashes (now available in reproduction plastic) cost of each panel I believe is around $22.00. Cost of a roll of wallpaper 10.00 and one can of spray paint 4.97. It can be spray painted copper for the next owner, pewter, gold .. you name it.

Just before Thanksiving ...

2011-09-30T07:12:00.000-07:00

Do a 10 minute kitchen clean. Put your fridge out and clean the top and behind it. Do the same with your stove. If you get real adventurous you can do the inside too.

I am loving this new Lysol cleaning spray with the green apple scent .. I put that s*&t on everything.

I just noticed as I was cleaning my kitchen how much I really do favour Lysol products, I love their foaming bathroom cleaner which I actually use all through the house on tough stains and I don't know what I would do without my Lysol wipes.

Hell I am thinking I need them to sponsor me!

Have a great Thanksgiving.

Truly DYNAMIC

2011-09-29T22:42:00.000-07:00

Another latest love are all the innovating things Dynamic brand paint company comes out with.

My latest loves are countless . but here are some.

Dyna patch light and the strong one

Liquid sandpaper .. so cool

and these handy dandy lids .. OMG so amazing and hassle free.

They keep coming up with items that are so practical, I think that is why I love them so much. They keep amazing me and their prices are very reasonable.

and I highly recommend their recycled rollers, those are my favourite by far.

Here is a link to the lids and their other products.

http://www.getpainting.com/english/product_view.aspx?_sub=22

I also want to try these cool carpet protectors.

http://www.getpainting.com/english/product_view.aspx?_sub=21

You can get some Dynamic products at Home Depot but the more specialty items are carried at paint stores such as Benjamin Moore and Dulux.

Remember ... Use my company name at the store and you are entitled to my discounts.

I love it - More painting items

2011-09-29T22:30:00.000-07:00

So I am in love .. and this time it's with a primer.

I know I know .. I can't believe it either but .. It's from ICI now Dulux.

Its a primer, gripper and stain blocker all in one.

Its called gripper it's awesome

http://www.dulux.ca/en/our-products/paint-products/primers/specialty-primers/gripper.html

I have used it on glossy surfaces and it adheres no problem. It also dries quickly.

Love it Love it Love it ..

This tops my idea ten fold.

2011-02-23T19:01:00.000-08:00

Check this out, this is amazing .. and here I was going to get $$ and sent the troups who are still fighting sweet treats they may be missing .. this tops my idea ten fold .. remember all you need is heart, not experience building

http://www.renosforheroes.org/services/

Can you really get this excited about a broom?

2011-02-16T18:57:00.001-08:00

The answer is yes you can!

You know how I love products that are made in Canada, well not only is this broom made in Canada but it's also made from recycled water bottles, how cool is that?

I went on to the site http://www.vileda.ca/en/ so that I could write in to tell them how happy I was to discover my Canadian made broom and then I realized that I have been using their products for years and didn't even know that I had been supporting Canadian made products as long as I have.

So some of their other great items, the super twist mop ( I originally started out using the bee mop years ago), I have their broom and realized that I had one before, and so did my hubby, and their glass ceramic scrunge is to die for. I am hoping that I can get a pair of their fresh comfort gloves as the issues I have with my hands is really hard to deal with, its really a struggle.

Take a look at the website, it is really full of goodies.

Oh yeah .. another great part of the broom, since I have had it, my hubby and my daughter have used it ... BONUS POINTS!!

Oh So handy

2011-02-13T07:05:00.000-08:00

I went to buy a bed over the weekend and while contemplating how to tie it down to the roof rack, I thought of two possibilities 1) rope and 2) cable ties. I wasn't sure that they would work but decided to give it a try. Well was I ever happy, the cable ties worked like a charm, no fuss, no muss and they were super strong. They held a cast iron bed to the top of our SUV from Brant county all the way to Whitby.

I love em... thanks to however invented cable ties.

Got Confidence?

2011-02-09T09:39:00.000-08:00

I was so delighted today when someone sent me a picture of a her young daughter wearing one of my shirts, she has taken a real liking to wearing it to school. I just love it, I am glad that I could inspire.

I often hear how much everyone loves the shirt but I don't often get a chance to see them wearing it .. Do you have your Got Confidence shirt ? If so send me a picture of you wearing yours and I will post it on the blog and the facebook group.

In the meantime here are some people wearing theirs.

Ahh Velcro

2011-02-04T20:03:00.000-08:00

Gone are the days that I made fun of people who had Velcro shoes. Velcro is really useful and I love it.

So you are scratching your head thinking what the heck can I use Velcro for.

Well a few ideas 1) you want a flat cork board surface either for yourself or to cut into strips and then let the kids post their artwork from school - by the thin sheets of cork from Rona and then attach them to the wall with Velcro.

or get the Velcro on the roll and use small pieces of it to hold electrical cords together - that is my favourite - wrapping the cord around and around itself or the tool can not only be annoying but it can also damage the cord.

however the winner of this weeks Velcro idea goes to my brother in law who put a strip of Velcro on the top of the household green bin .. so no more trying to keep it open and struggling. I love it ...

My latest love ...

2011-02-02T21:02:00.000-08:00

My latest love for this week is an oldy but a goody.

Its simple, easy to use , works fast and little mess.

Can you guess what it is?

Krazy glue.

I cannot tell you how many times in the past few weeks I have needed it and although I have every adhesive known to man I have been finding that using it is so easy.

So I am kicking it old school with some Krazy Glue.

Before and after pics of a Firemans room

2011-01-19T09:04:00.001-08:00

A little boy I know wanted to have a Fireman's room - so here we have it

Next we are doing a Parisian Bakery - some letters on the wall and turning closet doors into a Menu board, can't wait

Here it is! My big debut!

2010-12-19T19:59:00.000-08:00

In case you missed it. Here it is. It is better than last time but so much information was cut .. sniff sniff .. maybe one day I can get all my tips out there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bG9DnqyZoxI

Name in Lights

2010-12-17T08:59:00.001-08:00

Tomorrow is my big debut, I am going to be featured on Downright Domestic which airs on Cityline Saturday at 2:30pm and 8:00am on Sunday.

I haven't seen the final cut so with me luck, I don't have time to have a broken leg.

Secrets from my cleaning arsenal!

2010-11-22T20:11:00.000-08:00

As you all know by now since I have moved to Whitby I have been focusing more on painting and on house cleaning. In the last little while I cannot believe when I go to someones home and they are upset telling me that there were two cleaners in their house and they have no idea what they did but apparently they were there for 4 1/2 hrs. I have also been to homes where people have tried to clean certain things and just can't get stuff off. For those of you who want a clean house but cannot afford a cleaner to come in, here are some secrets revealed from my arsenal.

Lysol bathroom cleaner or Sanifoam - must have

Tilex - mildew remover

Zep tile and grout cleaner

my shark steam mop

and last but not least my steamer (on sale right now at Canadian Tire for 24.99)

http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/3/HouseHome/3/CleaningToolsVacuums/FloorAndCarpetCareSupplies/PRD~0436247P/Shark%252BSteam%252BBottle.jsp?locale=en

I love steaming everything, just to remove germs. I steam walls, doors, light switches, doorhandles, toys and walls. It's worth it's weight in gold.

Oh Dynamic!

2010-11-07T19:00:00.000-08:00

Alright so here is the latest skinny on some products I got to try out a little more.

All Dynamic brand (watch the Downright Domestic episode this December).

Dynapatch lite - Love it, it does the job, it's light and easy to sand.

They distribute the Handypail with liners which is great, but they also have their own brand which isn't bad, it does the job, really easy to wash and has pour spouts.

The Flowling Stubby pro - ergonomic design, not bad at all!

Their dropcloth really held up in a spill.

I told you about the rollers with the green stripes right? Made in Canada, made from recycled water bottles, love em!

I got to use their tray with the lid today (genius)

and I have been using their painters poles and sanding pad.

All great. I still haven't gotten the hang of the cutting edge tool though.

Oh yeah and I used their degreaser .. what a charm, beautiful product.

So overall .. Dynamic is truly Dynamic.

So where can you get their stuff you ask? You can find some items at your big box stores but so far my best place to find it all in one spot has been at the Benjamin and Moore store.

You can also check out their website. http://www.getpainting.com/english/index.htm

ps) I want to try the carpet shields, that sounds good. The 5 gallon pour spout really could have come in handy this weekend. Oh check out the super lid. AHH man the brush and roller spinner.. another must have.

Buyer beware - cracking the lid on the paint industry lies

2010-10-31T18:49:00.000-07:00

Ok so if I hear one more person get excited about a product they think to be good when it really isn't, I am going to scream!

I don't know how it is legal for paint companies to label a product as low or no v.o.c. when clearly it is isn't nor will be.

So some of you may be thinking what the heck is she talking about. Well VOC's are volatile organic compounds and it is found is mostly all paints. Some have low voc and some advertise as no voc. The part I have a problem with is that people are buying the no voc paint based on the advertising that the paint is no voc which technically it is BUT as soon as you ad the paint tint, the VOC's have been added back in.

So what do you do you ask ? Well there are two things, you can go ahead and get the premixed recycled paint which is low voc as the tint has already been added or you can ask the paint store if they carry any water based tints, the water based tints I have been told are actually NO VOC.

So there you have it, I cracked the lid on the ugly truth - so please take this knowledge and spread it around. I don't want people thinking that a product is safe to use especially when their kids are in the house when clearly the advertising has loop holes that their product can fall into.

PS) best to my knowledge Benjamin and Moore carries a line which is completely NO VOC and if you explain to them that you are painting a whole house, you can get a discount on your paint.

Best of luck!

ABS cement what a dream

2010-10-21T19:18:00.001-07:00

I had the pleasure of using this product yet again over the weekend. Love it.

I love the little applicator tip which stays mess free and I love the bond you get within seconds.

Now if only they could make glue for everything else, I would be happy.

Amazing contact and bond, the only way that pipe is coming free is with a saw.

It's worth the few extra dollars

2010-10-09T17:47:00.000-07:00

A caulking gun is a caulking gun right? WRONG

I had the regular cheapo one and thought it was ok... but then after using it time and time again and having to always find something to puncture the seal, I decided to invest the few extra $$ and buy one model up. It was worth it. I love that the new caulking gun, not only does it have a built in cutter to cut the tip of your caulk, but it also has a pin attached so no more searching around. Want more? You also get a gradual flow of caulk rather than a huge uncontrollable flow.

Worth the extra few bucks .. Definitely I am less stressed. Now my only wish is that I invested in it sooner.

Dynamic paint products .. too cool

2010-09-30T20:30:00.000-07:00

You know how excited I get when something makes sense right? Well last week I had the honor of meeting with a man from the Dynamic paint products company and man oh man did he really blow my socks off with all the neat items this company has available. Most of which I really didn't know existed.

Although I find their website is not very user friendly, I loved all the products I got to try. You will be able to see some of the products I got to try in December's painting episode of Downright Domestic which airs on Cityline. For now you can see some of my tips in this episode (http://www.downrightdomestic.com/2010/06/episode-7-decorating-donts/ I am on about 10 mins in)

Their trays are amazing, you can get trays with lids, and others with compartments that hold your brush and your small roller. Their brushes are ergonomically correct, they have a new cutting edge tool which eliminates cutting in with a brush, they have a great roller cage, great pole, I even loved their sanding pole. I was very impressed with all the products I got to try out from this company.

The best part is, they also have a line which is made in Canada and from recycled material, they have a line of rollers specifically made from plastic water bottles.

I can go on and on .. But I think it would be best if you check out their products next time you are at a paint store or your local big box store. Look for the big red oval.

new respect for spray paint

2010-06-24T00:16:00.000-07:00

Man Oh Man do I have a new respect for spray paint.

I love it and it is truly amazing what a 5.00 can of spray paint can accomplish.

Yes Yes we know your typical uses of spray painting outdoor furniture or a mailbox but I have come up with what I believe can be a spray paint revolution AH HA .. and the light goes on!

Recently I have used a can of spray paint for the following

* spray painted a bed frame and bed rails
* vent covers - the usually brown are now a nice chrome
* floor stripping (or floor dividers) they were gold and now chrome to match the vent covers
* an old heater, was brown, now white and since it is high heat spray paint i don't have to worry
* gave a chiminea and the bbq a new look

but my greatest feat was spray painting baseboards .. Boy or Boy does it look good. Pictures will soon follow

Watch us tomorrow 8 am on cityline - or check out the link

2010-06-19T22:08:00.000-07:00

Guess what .. we are going to be on t.v again.

Sunday June 20th at 8:00am we are going to be on Cityline's Downright Domestic.

We are teaching the host how to paint stipes on a laundry room wall .. tres chique.

Have I mentioned that we are moving?

We are moving to Whitby! We are also pushing ahead further with out home staging, cleaning and decluttering side of the business. We have always done this but until recently it's becoming more and more in demand. I look forward to sharing some before and after pictures. Its really great not only being able to do the renovations but now being able to see a project through from designing it, to implementing it to completing it.

Talk soon ..

Oh yeah almost forgot, if you missed the show check out www.downrightdomestic.com - look under season two, episode 7.

use mine

2010-06-17T21:52:00.000-07:00

I know I have mentioned it in the past but my discount came in handy today.

So if you are painting etc and want a discount ... use my account name Total Confidence at any ICI / Color your world paint store and get my discount.

Have fun!

PS) I wallpapered for the first time today .. frustrating but the end results were amazing.

Guess what is new in our world?

2010-04-04T20:32:00.000-07:00

For years now I have been asked to do Kid's birthday parties and I him med and hawed but decided to give it a try .. What a hoot!

So we have now officially introduced Kid's Building Parties!

The kids get to wear a hard hat, tool belt and get to build and decorate their own project of their choice, the kids are loving it.

They feel the sense of accomplishment and love having their own personalized keepsake.

I cannot tell you enough how good it feels for me to watch their little faces light up.

For more info, feel free to drop me an email yvonne@ihavetotalconfidence.ca or give me a call 905 869 2875

Why is a licence so important?

2010-03-11T18:34:00.000-08:00

So when I originally opened up my business I called the city to see all of what I needed and made sure that I got it .. funny thing is .. 3 years later they are now calling me to tell me that I need a licence to do any building repair, installation etc.

So after investigating further I was really interested to find out what it is all about and why they do it.

I knew that to be a plumber and electrician you have to be licenced which I understood was just the level of knowledge you have received but I have come to learn that it is much more than that. They would carry a master's licence (for a trade).

I have come to learn that when you are applying for a contractors licence you need to provide proof of business incorporation, insurance and a police check to make sure that you are safe to be in people's homes. The second part of this is making sure that you are actually qualified to do work in people's homes. There is a 2hr test of your knowledge that you have to take (pretty intense, you should see some of the stuff).. so I asked as I do not do any major repairs or structure why I would still need this and part of it is to verify that you actually own and know about the Ontario code, and know how to find the info when you are looking for it.

So all in all it's been a real eye opening experience. I am in the process now of getting my licence, lots of studying is going to be taking place over the next month and I can definitely tell I am going to learn things I don't know now, the man confidently said to me " Yvonne, I bet after this . you will want to build an addition, that and a bunch of encouraging words based on the fact that I am a woman in a man's world."

So when you are seeking out a renovator, contractor etc. Do not only ask for their licence #, but actually check with the city to make sure that it is valid, and how long it's valid for. Make sure too that they have had their police check, you never know who you are letting into your home and I really don't want to start telling you the stories I have heard. Make sure they are insured, yeah you can save a few bucks here and there if you get joe blow to do the job, but did you know if he hurts himself in your home that he can sue you, put a lean on your home and much more .. So ask yourself is the $ 10.00 labour really worth it. If they have not taken the time to invest in getting their licence and making sure they really know what they need to know, do you really want them working on your home? After all your home is the largest purchase a person usually makes in their lifetime.

Food for thought.

We made the paper again!

2010-03-09T16:10:00.001-08:00

As mentioned we attended and spoke at the When Sistah's get together conference in Hamilton over the last weekend ... well we got a mention in the spec .. check it out
http://thespec.com/article/733824

Learn a lot and support a good cause

2010-03-04T21:56:00.000-08:00

Then clear your calendar for this coming Saturday and join me at the "When Sistahs get together" 2nd annual Women's conference.

Check out http://www.wix.com/wsgtgirls/When-Sistahs-Get-Together- For more info and to register.

If you know of any people that would like to attend but cannot afford to do so, please contact me immediately as we can arrange funding.

See you there.

PS) ... I will be doing a whole session on what tools you should have, what they are used for, what to look for when buying etc etc.

Vote for us for the Wnetwork Expert Search

2010-02-16T12:26:00.001-08:00

Hi All

Check out our video and vote us in ..

http://experts.wnetwork.com/Entries/Details.aspx?ID=319&Search=LC0xLCwx

Finally ... the reveal

2010-02-15T18:51:00.000-08:00

Sooo .. Has it been long enough? Has your anticipation grown enough .. LOL.

I had to wait for the living room to be relatively clean before I could post after reno pictures. Seeing as I just filmed my demo for the Wnetwork expert search, the living room was marginally clean.

Drumroll please ... as promised .. The reveal .. Before, during and after pictures of my livingroom reno.

Knowledge is a tool

2010-02-04T19:04:00.000-08:00

I am going to make this short and sweet.

Knowledge is the best tool anyone can have. With that in mind, please join me March 6th, 2010 for the WSGT women's social conference. I will be discussing the importance of women knowing how to use tools, what tools you should have one hand and there will be hands on trials with a bunch of tools.

Check out http://www.wix.com/wsgtgirls/When-Sistahs-Get-Together- for more info.

See you there!

Calling all plumbers .. we need help !

2009-12-28T12:39:00.001-08:00

I love going to my mother in laws but the part I hate the most is taking a shower in the guest bathroom. Now I don't know how your day starts but mine usually starts off by taking a long hot shower to wake me up. The shower is my sanctum where I put my day together, think things through and even come up with ideas.

So imagine how your day can be thrown off by a shower head that sprays all over damn place, it gets in your eyes and doesn't rinse you off properly. Man by the time I get out of there I am stressed out!

Now I have the shower head, I have the plumbers tape the hardest part till now has been removing the damn head. I have tried and I have had my hubby try to get the damn head off to change it but it won't budge! So I am stuck .. What do I do? The only other idea I have is to next time take the torch and head up the joint in order to see if we can then pry it off with the wrench, aside from that all I can think of is hack sawing the thing off but that is more than I want to do to get a decent shower.

So I am calling all plumbers to the rescue. Please submit your comments or send me an email with a solution (include your email and company contact info). I will then take you all up on your suggestions and see who wins.

May the best plumber win!

Tignanello used to be a friend of mine.

2009-12-26T18:46:00.000-08:00

Tignanello used to be a friend of mine, however not anymore. I know this isn't the the average tool I would be talking about but I realized how important a purse really is.

I am not one for big purses and to be honest if there was a way that I could carry a wallet and a phone without having a purse I would do it, but long story short, I had finally found a purse I love the Tignanello cross body purse. It was small, could carry a few things and in the front of the bag was a spot that you can hold all your credit cards which meant you did not need a wallet. It was awesome! whenever I would go somewhere people would compliment the purse, I would brag about it and tell them where they could get it.

Now I am not the person to complain but I spent 100.00 on a this tiny bag with the assumption that it would last a long time since it was all leather .. NOT THE CASE, I used it for a few months and it broke. I have since contacted Tignanello's so called customer service department and I get no where, I contacted them again, and nothing to the point where I am overly frustrated and disappointed.

SOOOOO .. I would highly recommend if you want a long lasting bag and good customer service should you have an issue with the bag, Surely do not buy TIGNANELLO.

This weeks hit and miss products

2009-12-14T21:37:00.000-08:00

My first hits for this week is my favorite measuring tape, I have bought many a measuring tape and as mentioned I seem to leave one on every job and there goes my money on the fancy ones (my old favorite was a tape that had measurements on both sides of the tape and had a magnetic tip).

However for a great price of 9.99 or on sale for 7.99 I love the Rona brand measuring tape, it has a convenient retract button, it measures in 1/8 increments and it's a great price!
I suggest picking one up to have handy.

Another hit, the Wooster 2 1/2 inch angle paint brush , it's amazing! It can get a little heavy with prolonged use but the accuracy of cutting in is outstanding. It's worth the money and makes your job a lot easier.

Another hit, Lifemaster brand paint found at ICI,

** if you need to paint for the holidays or anytime for that matter, Go into any ICI paint store in Ontario, Give them the name Total Confidence and you will be entitled to my paint and accessory discount ** The staff there is very knowledgeable and friendly which is always a bonus and if you missed my CHCH T.V spot where I taught people how to paint, ask the staff for some refresher pointers, with their pointers you will never have to tape again.

Last hits are the Kilz brand oil base primer, I used this after using B.I.N spray on primer for knotty pine, combined together it covered all the knots.

My biggest miss comes from a company that I never thought would disappoint me with a product .. I love the Richard's brand products but this week I found that the trim guide was a big waste of my money, unless you have perfectly straight and even walls then this product I don't think could ever work. I thought if I used it I could come up with a quick solution to cut in, but found myself falling back to the old lengthy method, Sorry Richard's.

If you have a product you would like me to review, feel free to drop me an email.

Roof Pics Before and during

2009-12-14T21:19:00.000-08:00

Do you ever notice I am really good and the before and during but I severely lack at the afters .. ARGH ..

Here are the before and during .. I will go and get some afters in the next few days.

Before

During - this just has the ice and water shield down, normally you just do the outside edges of the roof with ice and water and then follow with tar paper, however I feel that the ice and water over the complete roof is a better bet.

I am the stucco ceiling removal queen

2009-12-14T20:28:00.000-08:00

Have you ever tried to remove a stucco ceiling?

Hard isn't it?

Messy too ..

BUT I am the new reigning champion. We had a 12x14 room and hallway finished, cleaned and the truck unloaded and loaded within 5 hours.

The customer is happy, I am happy.

My N95 masks sure came in handy, and I found these awesome goggles that have a wide view and a different pair that had vents. I also fell in love with two other tools that day.

1) a floor scraper
2) an Ice breaker

And this time around I wasn't cursing at my Dollarstore spray bottle as it actually worked.

I was however disappointed by the Shark Steam cleaner that I thought would steam the stucco right off.

Anyway .. Hand me my crown .. after all every lady has to be the queen of something!

Before and during .. still working on the after!

2009-12-08T21:33:00.000-08:00

As promised, pics of before and during. Notice I am still waiting on the afters? This has taken a little longer than expected. I applied the first coat of primer today so if all goes well everything will be put back together for this coming weekend. (Now if only I get rid of all my old furniture, the reveal would be even better!) Although do you think that means I can rest? NO! I have another job booked followed by more projects do to in this house!! So giving up on the business ? ... Not yet ... I have too much work to do. Next week check back for my tips on how to remove a popcorn ceiling!

Before

During -

More tools and products I love

2009-12-08T21:07:00.001-08:00

OK so there are several tools I love. I used to get excited when I went into a shoe store (still do) but it's much more exciting to take a walk into Home Depot or Canadian tire.

This project has allowed me to use a vast range of tools from my collection, here are a few of my fav's I got to use just today.

Woosters Sherlock extension pole for painting, what a world of difference this makes to any other pole, it's nice and sturdy and I love that it extends to three different positions

I also love the Wooster brand brushes the angled 2 1/2 inch brush made the painting incredible.

Gerson brand N95 masks are comfy and very effective in keeping the dust out of your nose and lungs

Dap - is amazing for corners and seams when perfecting drywall is needed, it's also a great small divot filler.

Richard's brand products never dissapoint, I love the 6inch putty knife amongst other things of theirs.

and last but not least I love these little sanding blocks even though I have every sanding tool and every grit, I loved using these as they are handy and I find they sand better. But my second preference was the sanding pole.

I will also post a bunch of my favorite tools I got to use during the reno, from my impact drill right over to my handy dandy drywall poles. I can't stop bragging about my Ryobi collection of tools that have really come in handy as well as a few of my favourite Stanley products .. LOVE EM, WANT EM, GOT TO HAVE EM.

One thing that does bother me though? Every job I seem to loose a measuring tape, so if anyone has any extra's or one that they want me to try out .. Send it over!

AND just an update to all of those who have asked about my eye injury. I was wearing safety glasses as I always do, BUT I feel Goggles are safer, So I am going to pick myself up another pair.

F#@king ceiling tiles!

2009-11-19T18:54:00.000-08:00

Have I ever mentioned how much I hate ceiling tiles? If I haven't let it be well known .. I hate ceiling tiles and think they should all perish!

For some strange reason the previous owners or the ones before them were in love with ceiling tiles, so much so that I have ceiling tiles in my bedroom, in the office, in the hallway and in the living room. SO every night as I lay me down to sleep I look up and see ugly ceiling tiles.

Now I have been in this house 5 years and always said that I was going to get rid of them however time, money and lack of know how left me at a stand still. Now I atleast have the know how as for the money .. CHARGE IT !!!

So I decided after we did the roof I was going to rip up all the ceiling tiles starting in the living room and hallway, replace the insulation and install drywall .. only problem is, that the wood panelling through out those sections of the home only reach up to the drop ceiling which in turn leaves a 1 ft gap all around the room. Lovely right? I don't want to patch it with another piece of wood soooooooo not only do I have to rip out all the ceiling tiles and insulation now I am going to have to take out all the wood panelling. Lovely it's turned from a big job to an even bigger job.

Pictures to follow.

Time to do the roof

2009-10-25T21:55:00.000-07:00

As I have mentioned in past blogs, I have many projects I have to tackle in this old home of mine, some are necessity, others are wants.

This certain project is definitely a necessity. So here we are part 1 - demolition of the old existing roof.

I have come across two new tools that I love. And I want to thank Kijiji and Freecycle as without them I would have had to buy these tools. In trying to keep costs down (I was quoted 2500.00 to do my simple 21x17 foot area), I placed an add on both sites asking to borrow these tools and to my surprise I had two offers! Does anyone ever remember how people in a community came together to help each other? I would like to get back to that time. How nice of these two people to offer and trust me with their tools. They aren't even from my immediate neighbourhood either. I wish all of my neighbours and I could pool together to help each other with projects .. now wouldn't that be nice? I have started such a group for women .. http://homeremodel.meetup.com/50/

Anyway here are my two new loves ..

1) the red ripper

But even more so .. this roofing shovel

So we started removing the asphalt coating only to discover that there are also two layers of shingles underneath, and the first layer of shingles never even had any tar paper under it.

It's really important to make sure that you clean the surface of your wood, also make sure it is free of nails. I recommend patching all the seams and nail holes just as an added precaution. You can do that either with roofing caulk (comes in a tube and you apply like caulking) it's much cleaner but you pay the price or you can buy a gallon of roof coating and apply with a putty knife or hard bristle brush. Clean up can be done with mineral spirits or paint thinner.

So now that we have all the shingles off, I have realized that I now have to replace two sections of OSB, this should be fun to get it up on the roof, especially as I no longer have one of my other favourite tools the Gorilla Gripper - (check them out online, their commercial is hilarious) www.gorillagripper.com

After the OSB is on, then we are going to replace the starter strips, ice and water shield the whole roof (instead of tar paper, it's a better product and provides better coverage) and then as it's a flat roof we are going to use 90lb roll shingles. There are several methods you can use on a flat roof like mine, but it turns out after much research that based on the sun hitting it constantly no matter what material I use, it will most likely only last 10 years.

So away we go tomorrow, a lot of work ahead. I will discuss more in detail as I go.

A few things to remember always wear safety boots, a nail through the foot just isn't fun, wear your safety glasses so that no shingle material gets in your eye and don't give up even though it's hard work, you can do it.

and PS. Total Cost so far for the roof is $630.00

Ahh who said cement was hard?

2009-10-19T17:45:00.000-07:00

OK so it's Sunday and last minute my hubby decides it's a good idea to close up the hole in the crawl space (it's been there for 5 years).. So off I go to Rona, grab the cement blocks and mortar - load, unload then move it all to the back of the house. It's cold but who cares right?

Long story short, I use my favorite drill (Rigid spade drill)
tighten in my attachment (bought at Princess auto on sale for $2.99 reg 4.99 compared to 19.99 at Home depot)
and away I go. It brings back good old memories of the first tile job I did using that drill. Now the first question most people ask is do I have to mix the whole bag? and the answer in my opinion is NO. I suggest following the directions but half everything so instead of 4 litres of water for a 30kg bag, use a little less than 2 litres to start and mix a little bit more water in as you go IF NEEDED. Remember always start with the water in the bucket first and then add your cement powder. When mixing make sure to move your spindle up and down and all around in order to burst any potential air pockets and to mix all the cement properly. Your end consistency should be like peanut butter.

Now I am not a cement expert so I asked the guy at Rona if I should wet the blocks before I apply the mortar - he said NO .. However the instructions said to wet them. I am going to believe the directions on the package, although I did try both wet and dry application and it didn't appear to make a difference, I believe that the weather conditions were also playing a part in the whole equation. So away I went, you lie a "bed" of mortar (just a fancy term for layer), install the block, tap into place and presto! Continue this method until you are done.

After you had laid all the bricks, clean up the area underneath where you were working. To give your cement a nice finished look take the same brush you used to wet the bricks, dip in water and rub down bricks and lightly dust over the seams, that will give the cement a nice finished look rather that it being all clumpy.

Clean up is easy, discard any extra mortar into the garbage and rinse your tools and brush with water * you can use some dish soap if you like. Make sure to dry your trowels with a towel so that they do not rust.

A few things to take into consideration 1) pay attention to the weather conditions, cement can only be done in certain temperatures, since it was cold out yesterday I had to block the draft from getting to the cement so that it could cure properly 2) If you are doing a whole wall or large area, make sure to stagger the bricks as it provides more strength. 3) Wear gloves 4) as always make sure to use the right tools for the job here are some of the tools I used yesterday (again they can be picked up at Princess Auto for around $9.00) and I just used a cheap dusting brush from the dollarstore to wet the bricks and finish off my cement.

Here is the edger *makes a nice edge

The general trowel * used to remove mortar from the bucket, apply and push down into the cracks (also used a small wood shim)

and the flat trowel * to use on the finished surface before finishing it off with the wet brush

I was once scared of tools too!

2009-08-26T21:36:00.000-07:00

So finally back from the "vacation", man wish I had taken the ear plugs with me.

Now most of you are already aware of the women's renovation group I took over " Wenches with Wrenches" http://homeremodel.meetup.com/50/. Lately we have had a lot of new members join which is great but I can't help but notice how many women continue to fill out their questionnaire by posting how scared of tools they are.

So now more than ever I am making it my mission to make sure I cure every woman I encounter of this fear.

I was once scared of tools too (doesn't help that my mom told me I would chop my fingers off before I used the recip saw for the first time LOL .. very loving mom) --actually I taught her to use that same saw .. Check it out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R16jkkNFU6s.

It was only by learning and using the tools repeatedly that it became natural. Once I had the knowledge of what the tool was about, how it worked, what it should sound like but most importantly where not to put my fingers that I became more comfortable.

Some people will say .. ahh accidents still happen .. which they do but statistically more people injure themselves with a nail gun than any type of saw out there, and based on Canadian statistics out of 333 of injuries only 6 were finger amputations, more people had debris fly in their eye than they did cutting off a finger.

I cannot stress how important it is to have knowledge of the tools before you use them, however there aren't any classes out there (except mine) that teach consumers about the tools and make sure that they have purchased the right tool for the right job. Most people know that saws cut wood and off to Home Depot they go and buy a saw .. however they don't get the knowledge, safety info or find out if it's the right saw for the job and they certainly don't receive any instruction on how to use it, what to look for etc ..

All this leads me to the conclusion that everyone should seize the opportunity to have a tool party with your friends so that you gain the knowledge and don't end up a statistic .. I want to make sure the only thing that could accidentally fly in your eye is your hair because your pony fell out!

Most accidents are due to poor knowledge, poor safety and an act of doing something you most likely knew you shouldn't have (check out other blogs on safety for more tips)

Check us out at www.ihavetotalconfidence.ca for more info on tool parties, testimonials .. under the photos link you can see a few tool party pics.

When you just don't have the right tool

2009-08-16T20:58:00.001-07:00

So here we are, a Sunday afternoon we have already packed, drove 3 1/2 hrs to our destination, fought to get the trailer into the camp site, set up and we are exhausted! However we still aren't done yet, we still need to get wood, groceries and water simple right?

Well we are inexperienced campers who have rented a trailer for the first time LOL what an experience this has been that is for sure, not to mention my husband was not overly jazzed about the whole camping idea after last years camping fiasco! I keep telling him it's going to be fun, then something else goes wrong.

So we get the groceries done, my son is already overly tired, get back to the camper and realize we forgot to get the water (meaning we can't wash any pots to get his nighttime milk warmed up) ARGH! That is when my husband realizes that we need a set of pliers to get the cap off the water tank .. hahaha .. luckily I have a back up tool case in the truck but most people don't (I recommend you get a few things and carry in the car as well as have in your house), because you just never know when you are going to need them.

Check out my list of must haves, as for what to carry in the car, I picked up a nice little job mate tool kit that contains screw driver with multiple bits, a ratchet set, exact knife and a few other handy little things for roughly $12.00. I went online to search for it and to my amazement I found this http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/6/Tools/HandTools/ToolKits/PRD~0589208P/Jobmate%2B132-piece%2BTool%2BKit.jsp , what a deal. Now normally I would not recommend Jobmate (I find it's cheap quality) however for a car kit that will be used in pinch go for it .. I also don't mind their clamps.

For home, here is my list of must haves

Measuring Tape
Utility knife
Marking device
Level
Square
Hammer
Screw drivers
Wrench
Pliers
Personal Protective Equipment
Hand saw
Alan keys

As for what brand, if you are brand conscious Stanley is a really good brand, I love my Stanley antivibe 20 oz hammer, and my fubar, my toolbag, my level .. well I could go on and on.

Now I have seen some interesting substitutes for tools and must admit done it myself (prior to becoming a carpenter) things such as shoe as a hammer, scissors as pliers, butter knife as screwdriver but it's a lot easier and safer if we just pick up the real thing.

Have a great week, I am on vacation so can't guarantee a Wednesday post.

Simple changes can make a big spla$h! - Join our $50.00 change challenge

2009-08-11T21:15:00.001-07:00

Stuck in a rut with your current design? or perhaps you are merely content with some of the design or functional pieces in your home. For under $ 50.00 you can make a big splash and lift your spirits and even increase the resale value of your home.

When I redid the bathroom three years ago I searched long and hard to find all the perfect elements from artwork right down to the matching toothbrush holder and tumbler set. Man did I ever love that set (hammered metal), it was costly but really fit in with the decor. As time went on my beloved soap pump broke and that was the beginning of the end. Somehow after the pump went the whole flow of everything was off, it turned into settling and accepting what ever seemed to be put down became ok (using a plastic kids cup as a rinse cup). Everyday I would look at it and think "geese I hate this!" yet not wanting to spend the money I would just go on with my day. I did not realize how big of an impact it was having on my spirit.

Something magical happened tonight! On a trip to Zellers to find an inexpensive bathing suit, our family ended up in every department along the way to the cash. We past the bathroom section and for some reason I decided to stop (perhaps it's because for the first time in years I bought an actual bar of hand soap instead of liquid - more on that in a later blog, it's an all natural soap I bought from a fair). Now that I have this bar of soap I needed a soap dish. Well didn't I find something! I normally would have gone to 4 different stores to make sure that it was exactly what I wanted and that the price was right but I decided to take a chance and it's an amazing transformation, not only does it look neater and sleeker but it really makes me feel better (I think it's even going to get me to finally change the sink).

A few things you can do to spruce up your space for under $50.00

Paint
Change faucet
Change light fixtures
Add a ceiling fan
Buy a throw or small area rug
Buy shadow boxes from the dollarstore and add artwork
Add a backsplash
Add boarder or trim to a plain mirror
Add crown moulding
Add new baseboards
Change accessories
Buy organizational baskets and place loose items in them
Store non frequently used items
Change or paint handles on cupboards
Update drapery
add colorful pillows to coach, bed
buy a new duvet cover
buy some candles
add plants (they are great for the air as well)

Places to check for deals Kijiji, Craiglist, freecycle, go to local tile dealers and buy end of lots, goodwill, jsyk, reuse it centres and my favourite is Boomerang paints it's low voc, recycled, made in Canada provides great coverage is only $15.00 a gallon at Rona and you can collect air miles when you purchase. If you cannot find your color in Boomerang paints, then I suggest going to any local ICI paints - (use my account just give the name of Total Confidence and you will be entitled to the deals I get).

So join our $50.00 challenge, Share your finds with us! We would love to hear and see what you come up with.

The accessory change cost me 22.00, watch for further details, I am going to see what I can do with the other 28.00.

When it rains, it pours, there is a pool in my basement .. Tips on keeping your basement dry

2009-08-09T20:10:00.001-07:00

So right now if I wanted to I could take a swim in my basement .. anyone else in this predicament?

So you ask, how do I keep the basement dry? Well there are a few easy things you can do and a few complicated ones.

First off if your basement isn't finished then you are better off then those of us who have finished basements.. Why you ask? Well those of us with finished basements now have a mould issue to deal with. These mould issues must be dealt with asap in order to prevent the mould from spreading throughout your home via the use of the furnace (which will be used in a few months), I will discuss more in detail.

The next time we have a large rainfall, go into the basement to see where the water is leaking in from, once you have pinpointed that if you have an unfinished basement you will be clearly able to see if there is a crack in the foundation, if so that can usually be repaired by a concrete specialist with an epoxy they inject right into the concrete, however it depends on the crack etc. If you have an finished basement mark the floor where the water is located for later reference (you are most likely going to have to open the wall). After you have located the leaks inside go outside and survey the area to see where and why the water is coming in (survey the whole area at the side of the house, water travels so it may not be directly above where you find the leak).

Here are a few steps you can try to stop the leaking from reoccurring (keep in mind that it could be a combination of outside and inside issues causing the leak)

* clean your eaves
* add an extra downspout ( make sure downspouts are long enough to stretch far from
the house)
* make sure all downspouts are clean and free of cracks, same with the eaves.. this
means on a rainy day, I suggest you go outside to inspect what is going on
* make sure that any areas close to your home that slope towards your home are
corrected either with concrete, loose gravel, dirt etc

If those solutions do not work, I suspect you have a weeping tile issue which can lead to digging and redoing the exterior of your home with water barrier etc, there are so many different solutions that various companies offer, it would be best to call around and get some free estimates to determine which product best suits your needs.

Now that you have corrected the outside, we can move into the inside.

Unfinished basement people you are done! If you have corrected the outside and corrected the inside .. You are out of here! Call me and we will finish your basement correctly.

For finished basement people, stick with me, it's going to be a bumpy ride!

First off I will tell you that even though your basement looks great, what lays behind the walls can be very ugly. Most likely your basement is framed in wood, the wood was placed directly on the floor, and most likely they have used the pink batt insulation * all in my opinion a no no, hopefully your flooring has been left as concrete but most likely they have laid down plywood and then been covered it with another type of flooring (allowing no drainage). All of this right will now be laced with mould spores which can and will slowly over time creep up through your venting while your furnace is on.

So what do you do? That depends on how concerned you are and what you are prepared do to about it. In my honest opinion, I would tear it all out, have it all fixed and then redo it the right way! I would have the outside and inside done and wait awhile before redoing everything ( 6 months - 1 year before redoing the basement) and when you redo it the right way even if there is a leak later on, because it's all been done the right way then you won't have to worry about mould. With the right training you can redo the basement yourself, and by doing it yourself you can save you a bundle which will allow you to splurge on the best products (steel studs).

If redoing it all is not something you are prepared to do then I suggest you start by taking a few pieces of the wall out to see if you can locate the leak on the inside. If you are lucky and can located it without taking out the whole wall then I suggest you have the concrete specialists take a look at it to determine if they can repair it with the epoxy. After that you can run fans, dehumidifier and spray with mould control or call a professional company that cleans up mould. (I must stress depending on how much water you have, it may not be the best solution).

So what am I going to do after I take my swim you ask? Well I plan to tear out the whole basement and redo it all from scratch so stay tuned for pics, however I do have to redo the roof on the extension first!

Think you know what you want?

2009-08-05T20:14:00.000-07:00

Do you really know what you want?

This is what you definitely need to establish before commencing any renovation you are about to take on.

I always suggest clipping pictures out of magazines or flyer's, get paint samples, fabric samples and put it all together on one big board and see if it's your true vision. As for floor space, take some green painters tape or masking tape and section off the parts you are going to change, use a pencil and mark out where you want things to go and always measure your proposed furniture in comparison to the space you are building prior to buying it.

I have worked for a renovators/contractors and when they arrive they expect you to tell them exactly what to do and what you want to be done. Last minute changes you think may be simple can actually be very complex, time consuming and frustrating due to the fact that new materials may be needed. Most people watch HGTV and assume everything can be done in 1/2 hr, but it's not overly fun to have to tear down and rebuild a wall because you may have changed your mind at the last minute, and keep in mind that is now extra labour that you will be charged for.

Most contractors book a lot of jobs ahead of time, overlap jobs and never take into account extra time needed for the what if's that always happen (not Total Confidence we book only one job at a time and allot for time between jobs). The other contractors do this to maximize profits even though it ends up being a detriment to the client as they are left waiting for a job to be done. This places the client at the contractors mercy, now ad a client who keeps changing their minds .. well I can almost guarantee that the client is going to either be kept waiting for a long time or never see the job finished.

So how can you avoid this?

Drawings: I suggest you have them done be it by the contractor/renovator, a design specialist or yourself. Clearly outline everything and as you have already measured include those measurements (keep in mind things may change depending on materials and if your plan is actually feasible)

Vision: Clearly and precisely state your vision and make sure that it will work, get more than one opinion and if the work involves an electrician or plumber, have them come and look at the job too to make sure they think it's feasible. A contractor is simply that, he is someone who organizes all the people to do the work, he may not have the knowledge that a plumber or electrician has, although you may get lucky and get a contractor who is licenced in several fields.

Materials: Go to the store, research and ask questions about materials, take measurements of the materials so that you can figure out what goes with what. Ask your renovator what materials they plan to use, if you find a particular product that you like ask him to use it or better yet if he can provide you with a materials list, then you order everything and have it delivered this will also cut down on the mark up on materials (some contractors will not do this). If your contractor will not give you the list and you still want to use them, while at the store mark down the prices and get a general idea on the cost of items, then you will know roughly what mark up you are being charged. Also ask about lead times on materials how long it will take for the order to be filled and how long it will take if you need extra materials later on.

Permits (depending on job): Instead of leaving this up to the contractor I suggest you take this on as your responsibility, then you have complete ownership of it and you know it has been done. Always keep your contractor in the loop, especially as they will have to know when the inspector is coming in and what they plan to inspect. Not all jobs require a permit (depending on your city regulations) however I would highly suggest you have a permit, think of it like an insurance policy. The inspector is there to double check that nothing has been missed and everything is up to code (you ever have a bad day and forget to do something on the job? - these people are dealing with your house, I wouldn't want to take the chance that they have had a bad day and forgotten to fasten the bottom plate into the floor). Working on jobs that have permits take longer (because you have to wait for the inspector) but they are worth it. Make sure you are home for the home inspection.

Be home: If you can, be home during the renovation time. It doesn't mean that you have to be lurking around every corner, it just means that you are there in case the renovator needs you for something and you are there to make sure how things are going smoothly. Take daily pictures all during the renovation so that you have reference points later on if ever you need.

Lastly if for any reason you have some hesitation on what you want done, contractor or materials you want to go with then simply hold off on having the work done until you have come to your final decision.

Battery out?

2009-08-03T20:56:00.000-07:00

So you have your drill/saw/sander and you are ready to get going .. but have you checked to make sure you are really safe before you start?

First off flip flops and open toed sandals are definitely a no-no to wear while operating any tools, even if its a sander what happens if something goes wrong and that falls on your foot?

So lets get ready.. got your pens? There is going to be a test after

tie your hair back
no loose fitting clothing (can catch on spinning parts)
no jewellery (yes even the one you can't get off, would you rather the saw remove it for you ?)
safety glasses
safety boots
ear protection (only if experienced with tools - see ear protection blog)
gloves (only to be used while moving wood, not while using tools or use gloves while working with chemicals
never use tools, or deal with chemicals while tired, heavily medicated or under the influence of alcohol or drugs

As for tool safety there are a few things to consider

are you working with a new blade? dull blades will make you apply pressure which can cause injury later
unplug or detach battery of tools while changing a blade
always double check blade depth before using the saw
has the battery been fully charged - again if a power tool is running out of battery people have a tendency to place more pressure on the tool to get it to work
always remove the battery or unplug the tool when not in use (you never know when someone will come around and use the tool and harm themselves)
never yell at someone while they are using the tools (it will distract them and can cause injury)
always place tools on the ground (never on ladders, or high surfaces)
use clamps when necessary
keep your workstation clean
wrap up excess cords
put lids back on chemicals right away (avoid spills and inhaling the chemical)

Lastly if you are in doubt of anything what so ever, be it the stability of the tool or you simply don't feel right .. hold off, listen to your gut. There is always another day.

So did you get all that ?

It only takes a few seconds in most case to do any/all of the things I have suggested above. Those seconds can save a limb or a live

To boot or not to boot, that is the question

2009-07-29T19:40:00.001-07:00

July 29th, 2009

To boot or not to boot that is the question.

Back when I went to school we were all given a pair of boots to wear, I found the boots that we were given weren't structured correctly to my feet and made them hurt, so out I went on my quest to find the perfect boot. I went to Zellers and Walmart and found nothing but my search ended at Mark's Work Warehouse. At Mark's I came across a pair of safety shoes that looked like sneakers and felt like them too, just a little heavier. I wore those things up and down and all around ..they were the cats meow, that is of course until I turned around really quick and hit my ankles into a huge stack of wood.. YIKES!!!!!!!!!! Man did that hurt.

So back to Mark's I went (they have the best return policy, if you are unsatisfied for any reason with their product they will gladly exchange it). With the pain still lingering I was determined there had to be a pair of boots for me. At first I had a pair that looked really neat and had an additional steel plate, they were welding boots but unfortunately they pinched my toes.

Upon returning those and wandering through the isles again feeling disappointed and hopeless I felt the seas part ways and the lights shone down from up above and I found my beloved pair of boots. They were perfect! They were black, comfy and completely waterproof. My prayers had been answered.

Its been 3 years now and I still love the boots, still comfy, still black and still look new. They were a great investment.

In my experience I loved the shoe, that is until I got injured, now I rely on the boot that way I know I will never feel that pain again.

I would suggest if you are looking for a safety boot then try Mark's *make sure they still have the same great return policy). Go at the end of the day when your feet a nice and swollen in order to correctly check the fit of the boot/shoe that you plan on buying. Next ,walk around in them for a couple of days inside your house, see how they feel, if all is good then take the labels off and off to work you go.

Hi ho, Hi ho, Its off to Mark's you'll go. I should be getting paid for this type of advertising.

C.C.D - how does it affect you ? and how can you help?

2009-07-26T19:28:00.000-07:00

July 26, 2009

Hi All

This is a blog off my regular anticipated topics .. but it's important and we must do something!

I knew the declining bee population was an issue, I just wasn't aware of how bad it is and how urgently we need to do something about it.

Check out these links

Info on what is happening

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/silence-of-the-bees/introduction/38/

Info on what we can do to help.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/silence-of-the-bees/how-can-you-help-the-bees/36/

In the next few weeks I am going to be putting together more information, contacting local government representatives but more importantly fundraising for this worthy cause to see what we can do to help out .. (my idea is to have a few people learn the trade of beekeeping and fund them to do this)

without bees, there will be no trees, no fruit or veggies .. keep that in mind ..

Let me know if you are interested in taking part in this worthy cause in anyway.

Thank you

Safety glasses , do I really need them?

2009-07-19T21:57:00.000-07:00

July 26th, 2009

If you love your site, imagine what life would be like without it.

Are safety glasses a must? I will leave that up to you. Me personally I like having the ability to see and hear, but I must admit safety glasses can at times be a pain.

Safety glasses a pain? How could that be? Well they will fog up on you depending on what you are doing, and if there is anyone out there that knows of a brand that doesn't fog up, please send me the info, I need a pair of those!

So you get to the isle where the safety glasses are sold and you get this completely lost feeling .. which ones to pick? There are tinted ones, ones with retractable arms, ones that go over eye glasses and good old goggles .. you name it. But did you know they now have a special brand designed for women's faces?

Usually a more extensive collection are available at your local safety store and they are usually less expensive then at your big box stores. Your local safety store will also have several pairs there for you to try on. Goggles are of course going to give you the most protection and to be honest I have a pair of these along side all my other pairs.

For inside work, I recommend getting a non tinted either goggle or regular safety pair. When you are going to be working outside and then inside that is when I would consider getting a tinted glass, it just helps ease the transition on your eyes. (so for instance if you are tiling, cut the tiles outside and then bring them inside)

Now you will ask, what is the difference from the $ 2.00 to the $30.00 usually not a whole lot besides style. I have the $2.00 pairs that I wear all the time and they are no different from my tinted $30.00 pair except that if I wanted to, I could double the tinted pair as sunglasses.

But lets face it, when we are doing reno's we can be stylish in other ways, let's not compromise safety for style.

So what is boils down to again is your personal preference. I found what I thought to be the perfect glasses they had the retractable arm and for the first few hours I loved them but unfortunately my face didn't, so it took me a bit to find out what style best suited my facial structure.

Go try them on and find out what the return policy is just in case they do not work out for you.

Ear protection, why wear it?

2009-07-19T21:25:00.000-07:00

July 22.09

Ear protection what is it and why use it?

Seems pretty straight forward but is it? Well you will notice the first thing that you will always hear (no pun intended) come out of my mouth is safety, be it clothing, jewellery removal, safety glasses but more importantly ear protection.

There are several models and discovering which one is the right one for you might take a few tries.

There are
the disposal types the around the head

and
the ear muff type .

I have tried all. I find the disposables a little tough, you have to squeeze them and then hope that they take the shape of your ear drum in order to block out sound, and then there is the nasty removal part and putting back in ... personally a YUCK for me.

I like the idea of the around the neck because they are nice and compact to wear however we then fall back to the same issues with the disposables.

My personal favourite are the ear muff type, I find they are most comfortable to wear no muss, no fuss simple and effective.

You can buy several decibels of protection, I would always say that the higher the protection the better but consult with your safety store representative to get their feedback and knowledge of the latest and greatest out in the market.

When you go to buy them try them on (if possible depending on where you are shopping) that will give you an idea of what you are comfortable with.

Now when to use them? Well if you are already familiar with power tools, all the sound they make, all the possibilities of things that can happen (i.e. kickback, hitting knots) then I would say use them right away and use them for whatever you are doing (including weedwacking the garden).

If you are not yet comfortable and familiar with all your power tools then wait until you have used them several times and experienced hitting knots, kickback etc before using them. Feeling and hearing what you are doing especially when you are are working with wood is very important and until you get a feel for how the power tools work with the wood, then hold off on using your ear protection .. although if you have kids .. you can get practise using them before hitting the tools LOL.

Impact Driver/Drill

2009-07-18T19:41:00.000-07:00

July 18.09

My very first blog, I just discovered it was easy to set up an account .. So why did I put it off for so long?

So here we are .. first blog although I have an idea for thousands more, wish I could write them all tonight but then there would be nothing left LOL.

Each time I blog I will be bringing tips to the average D.I.Y'er, giving info on tools, praising some of my well loved tools, giving appreciation for newly discovered tools and of course giving you some info from the contractors side of things ..

I welcome feedback and questions.

The first tool I am going to start off with one of my favorite tools. The impact driver. I went to help out T.O Star's Vicky Sanderson this week, there I taught her how to frame and drywall. See her blog http://thestar.blogs.com/onthehouse/, I can't wait to see the end product. While framing I introduced her to the impact drill. I have introduced many to the impact drill and everyone loves it, especially Vicky. It was nice to hear her feedback on the tool (which is normally what I teach).

The impact driver/drill is smaller than the conventional drill and depending on name brand lighter however the best benefit is how fast the drill works, I find it drives a screw in half the time of the standard drill. With the combination of it's lightweight and amazing torque it leaves less strain on your wrists at the end of the day.

Something you will have to get used to is the sound the drill makes, I suggest that you use it several times to get used to the sound, you will find that it makes more of a chugging sound as the battery is dying. After you have gotten used to the sound then use your ear protection.

Now you might be saying well I have the conventional drill, why get rid of it? I suggest that you keep that drill on hand as it still has some good use, standard drills are great because they have variable speed. I have both on hand, I mostly use the impact but for things such as mixing up paint and drywall mudd, I would always use the standard drill with the variable speed as to not mix to fast and cause air bubbles.

So that is my tip for the week.. if you don't have an impact and you have some home projects coming up, head out and pick one up.