Installing Your Next Interior or Exterior Door Installing a new door can make a big difference to the interior or the exterior of a home. If you think that painting your existing door will not improve the door enough for you, then a new door is a wise investment. Many people also replace their doors when they are drafty, badly insulated, or do not fit properly into the door frame. A high quality new door can lower the costs of heating or cooling your home because it probably has better insulation than your old door. Vintage doors are often made of cheap materials like plywood, while today's doors are better made, although you may end up paying more dearly for them. For instance you can pay five hundred dollars for a new front door, but the door is usually reinforced with metal for safety reasons. The three kinds of doors are interior doors (which more often than not do not have locks on them), entry doors (extremely sturdy doors with safety measures to keep out burglars and other undesirables), and combination doors such as storm or screen doors. Installing doors is a project that you can probably do by yourself, although sometimes it is a two-person job if the door is especially heavy. Usually one person needs to hold the door up while the second person takes it off its hinges. Doors can be purely functional, purely decorative, or a little of both. For instance, many people have front or entry doors with decorative windows cut out of them. Stained or marbled glass is a popular addition to front doors with cutouts. Some people have a front door of solid wood, but then put a decorative storm door outside of that to keep their house well insulated. Then they can leave the solid door open during the day and admire the view through the storm door. You can usually buy doors in standard sizes for your door frame. Only rarely will you have to cut them to the right size. If there is a special kind of wood you would like to use however, or want to save yourself some money, you can order wood from a lumberyard to your specifications. Make sure you take precise measurements of the old door before you order. A new door requires handles - a door set. You can buy a kit at a hardware store to install on your door or get a professional to do it. The most important thing to remember when installing your door kit is to make sure everything measures up properly. You need to set your hinges before you drill a hole in your new door. Once you make sure everything is aligned in high fashion, then you can install your door kit. The door should close all the way when you are done, or you have done something wrong. Sometimes you might just have to adjust the screws in the hinges to fix the problem. Other times, you may need to cut a sliver off the door.

Locks & Bagels

One of my favorite security stories concerns a bagel manufacturer in a southern city that doesn't need to be named (yes, there are bagels made - and eaten - in the south). This was a small-scale manufacturer who began as simply a local baker and gradually began selling his bagels, pies, and other baked goods to specialty grocers.

At first he had a fairly standard industrial refrigerator in which to keep his dough chilled. Later, as his business expanded, he built a new facility for more large-scale production, and included in the design a well insulated cold-room, where he kept not only batches of dough but also fresh fruit that he used for tarts and pies. The cold-room was essential to counter the heat of the baking room bleeding through the building.

A very precise and careful man, Mr. - let's call him Mr. Reed, for want of a Pvc Doors better name - always made sure that doors were kept closed, windows locked, and everything as organized as could be. He also had a morbid fear of being locked in the cold-room unable to get out; I suppose he'd watched The Shining a few times too many. So the door had no lock or automatic closing mechanism, just a stiff, heavy chrome latch with handles inside and out. It was deliberately hung slightly askew, so that when unlatched it would swing open rather than closed.

It came to pass that Mrs. Reed nagged her husband into taking a summer vacation, their first in twenty years or so, and he left his assistant in charge during one of the hottest weeks of the year. The assistant - let's call him Andrew - had a date (hot in a different way than the weather) and rushed out of the bakery as soon as the day's work was done. He turned out the lights and the air conditioners and locked the front door, but not being as mindful of details as his boss, he neglected to latch the cold-room door.

When Andrew and the other employees arrived at three the next morning to start the day's baking, they found that the heat from the baking facility had permeated the cold room. The fruits were spoiled and smelly and the dough ruined. So there were no bagels for Mr. Reed's customers that morning. Andrew didn't lose his job, but there was a lot of "dough" taken out of his paycheck over the next few months.

Despite the awful puns, this story always brings a smile to my face, even as I shake my head in wonder at Andrew's carelessness. But I also think, now, that Mr. Reed was at fault. He could have averted the disaster - and for a small manufacturer the loss of a couple of days' orders is a disaster - by installing a magnetic lock, an automatic closer, and a panic bar.

The point is that even when a building is completely secure from unauthorized access, there are often indoor rooms that need to be locked or securely shut. In business offices, for example, storage closets, record rooms, duplicating and copy rooms, and computer server rooms often have warning signs to "Keep door closed." Whether for climate control, as in the case of a computer server system (or dough storage), for safety (to avoid having open doors blocking a hallway), or for security (keeping people out of storage or record rooms), there are valid reasons for making sure that they are kept closed.

One of the easiest ways to do so is with an automatic door closer and/or a magnet lock. Nearly everyone is familiar with the closing mechanisms on the storm doors of private homes, designed for doors to the outside and useful mainly for climate control (and most often at shin height). But interior door closers, generally top-mounted, are equally effective, with models designed for light, intermediate, or heavy doors and in a wide range of styles and prices. Door closers are especially useful in homes with children who, like Andrew, tend to be forgetful of rules.

Magnet locks can be locks or simple latching mechanisms. Miniature versions are familiar on closet doors in hotel rooms, among other places, and equally convenient in homes; larger, heavy-duty magnet locks are a must for many businesses. Carrying a holding force of 600 to 1,650 pounds or more, Emlock single and double door locks and Securitron's sliding door locks are easy to install and highly effective. They can also be an effective means of keeping children out of an off-limits room or garage, while permitting an adult to operate them with ease (by releasing the electromagnet that keeps them closed).

Panic bars are a safety valve; they allow egress from a closed room or building without prior knowledge of how the unlocking mechanism operates (do you turn a handle left or right, push it up or down, is a key needed?). A panic bar makes it very clear what to do: push against it, the lock or latch is immediately released, and the door opens.

A 'How To' Guide to Interior and Exterior House Painting

Painting both the interior and exterior of a house will not only refresh peeling, dirty paintwork, but will also maintain the beauty and life of the wood, render, or wall plaster.

Preparation in house-painting is the key to success. Interior walls should be washed with sugar soap to remove all traces of grease and dirt and then thoroughly rinsed with clean water. Any flaking plaster or cracks will need to be sanded down and re- filled with plaster. It is possible to buy ready made filler suitable for plaster which is really easy to use. Interior wood also needs to be cleaned with sugar soap, rinsed, and then sanded with a fine grade glass paper to give the new paint a surface on which to grip. If you just paint over existing paintwork without preparing the surface, the paint may flake and peel off!

It is personal choice on whether to paint the woodwork first or the walls. Generally, it is best to paint the emulsion on the walls first as emulsion does not always 'take' over gloss paint.

Once all the preparation has been completed on the walls and any filler rubbed smooth with fine glass paper - begin painting! When painting a light color over a dark existing color it is best to use an undercoat of white. Either that or be prepared to give the walls two or three coats of paint to ensure full coverage. Nothing looks worse than pale walls with the dark color showing through; it looks most unprofessional and you will not be happy with the result. Start by painting the wall from the top down, this will enable you make sure there are no paint runs in the finished wall.

After the woodwork has been prepared, begin painting from the top of the room down. Use a good quality primer on new wood, followed by the undercoat. When re-painting over existing paintwork it is best to use a 'one coat' gloss paint which is readily available from DIY shops and most hardware stores.

In painting windows, use masking tape to cover a small strip of the four edges of the glass. Paint from the top down to avoid drips and runs. Be mindful not to put too much paint on the brush as this will produce drips and runs. Also do not try to spread the paint too thinly as this will leave unsightly brush marks. Do not be tempted to pull off the masking tape for at least 24 hours; otherwise it will be a waste of time using it!

When you paint doors it is advisable to also begin painting at the top and work downwards; use a final up and down stroke of the brush to blend the paint in the same direction to help remove brush lines.

Don't forget to paint the baseboards! Use the same approach of preparation then painting.

When painting the exterior of the house, all old and flaking paint or rendering needs to be dealt with first. Once this has been removed begin painting either by hand, which is an arduous task or by using a paint sprayer. Which ever method is chosen it is advisable to cover the ground below and any features on the house with old newspaper or sheeting. Begin at the top and systematically work downwards.

Exterior woodwork should also be rubbed down with glass paper before attempting to paint. Work with a systematic approach from the top down. Try not to chose a windy day for painting outside woodwork otherwise you will end up with dust particles sticking to the wet paint!

Overview of Contemporary Door Styles and Materials

At one time doors were made from oak and little else. In this overview of contemporary door styles and materials, we get to see how materials such as softwoods, hardwoods, plywoods, metal and glass are all competing for popularity and making doors look more varied.

The most popular contemporary wooden doors are those in softwood or solid or veneered hardwood. They may have clear or translucent glass panels to allow light to spill from room to room. Others are made from plywood in a hollow box construction or from a composite-board material, which provides a perfectly smooth base for painted finish and can be cut into unconventional shapes. Metal frames have been a feature of external doors since the 1930s, and a few pioneering manufacturers are still in existence today, producing metal door and window frames in similar patterns to the originals, for those renovating Moderne houses or adopting that style.

Large metal-framed exterior doors containing a single pane of glass often form part of contemporary houses and extensions, allowing daylight to pour in and enhancing the feeling of space by visually merging the interior and exterior. Internal glass doors usually have a wood or metal frame and solid glazing bars to indicate their presence.

Most doors are still hung on hinges and open in, but this arrangement can be reversed to give more usable space inside the room, provided there is enough space outside for the door to open safely. Doors that divide rooms are traditionally hinged in pairs, but again, if space is limited, bi-fold or sliding doors may be a more practical option. Sliding doors come into their own as room dividers; when they are closed, they offer privacy and bring the intimacy of individual rooms; opened up, they create expandable, sociable spaces for larger gatherings.

Total Home Renovation For People With a Handicap and/or Disability

A person with a physical handicap or disability has many options to make his/her home more accessible, livable and enjoyable.

The first step is to find a general contractor with China injection molding,laptop batteries experience and skills in renovating a home for someone who is
physically handicapped or disabled.

Finding a general contractor familiar with accessibility construction and design can be a real challenge.

However, there is one general contractor in Atlanta, Georgia that provides disability access services
in Atlanta, the Atlanta Metro Area, and throughout the Southeast.

This general contractor is Mike Rogers, founder of Distinctive Renovations by Design

Distinctive Renovations by Design uses adaptive equipment and accessibility products and
specialize in wheelchair access renovations projects, roll-in showers, door enlargement,
computer aided designs (CAD) and products information.

Mike Rogers is the founder of Distinctive Renovations by Design, and has experience and solutions
to the obstacles that seniors and the physically challenged face.

"We can renovate a home specifically for the needs of a handicapped or disabled client," says Rogers. "In fact, a
handicapped or disabled person has many options to make his/her home more accessible. From a
total home renovation or home remodeling to just a few adjustments to entrances and exits, there are many options."

According to Distinctive Renovations by Design's Rogers, there are 9 areas to consider when renovating a home for
handicap access and disability access.

In this article, we will take a look at the first 4 of the 9 areas.

The first area is Audio/Visual. For someone in a wheel chair or bed, Audio/Video monitors and controls need to
be more easily accessible
than in most homes. Distinctive Renovations by Design provides installation and service for TV monitors,
home entertainment systems, interior and exterior sound systems, surveillance CCTV systems, and
intercom call systems. All of the Wood doors Audio/Visual components are installed for handicap accessibility as well as disability
accessibility.

A second area is bathrooms. Home bathroom renovation and redesign centers around
the installation of wheel chair accessible showers, walk in showers, roll-under vanities,
specially-designed and custom bathtubs, Jacuzzis, and flooring using non-porous
(to protect flooring from water damage) material such as non-slip tile or vinyl.

Next is doorways. Distinctive Renovations by Design can expand and remodel doorways to provide for
a greater ease of movement from one area to another. In addition, they install automated doors which
can be controlled from any remote location. For example, an exterior door can be set to automatically
open as a handicapped or disabled client's vehicle approaches, as well as automatically close
once the vehicle starts to leave. An interior door can be automated as well so that access through
doorways inside the house is made easier. Automated doors are low-voltage, require
very little maintenance, and can be custom designed to suit the needs and living patterns of any client.

Electrical outlets that drive electrical appliances are also something to consider when renovating or remodeling
a home for handicap and disability access. Rogers of Distinctive Renovations by Design mentions, "We routinely
adjust the location and height of electrical outlets in order to suit our clients with reach and/or
movement limitations."

In conclusion, Rogers points out that "Before you start on a total home renovation or home remodeling job that is
focused on a person with a handicap or disability, make sure the general contractor you use can offer a
total consultation which includes designs created by CAD, or Computer Aided Design."

"We use Computer Aided Design (CAD) to complete a 3-dimensional drawing of the existing home
layout and incorporate all of the required items into a new design. Included is a summary of
changes and a cost breakdown so the client can closely examine the investment required to
renovate his/her home. This cost breakdown is also invaluable information when it comes
to working with insurance companies."

We hope this article helps you with your total home renovation or home remodeling for your handicap access and/or
disability access needs.

Please stay tuned for our next article that will cover elevators and lifts, flooring, kitchens, ramps and
walkways, and walls...all of which are focused on giving handicapped or disabled person
options to make his/her home more accessible, livable and enjoyable.