Backsplashes For Kitchen Improvement
Back splashing your kitchen could be a simple decorating solution to an area that needs a little tlc. There are many different choices for backsplashes, from the acceptable materials such as tile to any unusual products that meets your wants and needs. A simple backsplash addition can make any kitchen look new. There are several different choices when it comes to backsplashes.CERAMIC TILE
Ceramic tiles offer a huge variety of design possibilities. They come in a vast array of colors, textures and finishes. They give someone on a budget the opportunity to create a custom look and save on installation. The grout, however, must be cleaned and resealed regularly. But, even with that, it makes a beautiful backsplash.Other Tile
You are not limit to ceramic tile for a backsplash anymore. There are many different types of tile such as vinyl tile, metal tile, mosaic tile, and glass tile. You can purchase a how to install tile books from any home improvement store or any large book store. The tools needed are not many, something to cut the tile with, a square, a trowel, something to measure with, a tile snip tool for small cuts, grout, tile, cement, a grout float, sponge.GRANITE
The most durable natural stone for backsplashes is granite. However, it should be resealed twice a year to maintain protection from moisture. Granite is versatile just as tile since it comes in many different colors. Unfortunately granite is not a good do itself project. It takes skill and special saws to cut granite. If you still want granite and also want to do it yourself you can purchase granite tile.
On any tiling project you need to give yourself enough time to do it right, and hopefully find someone to help you that has done it before.STAINLESS STEEL
Stainless steel is also another choice that many are using now. It gives any kitchen a professional look and easy to clean. Stainless steel comes in panels which you premeasured and have made. There are also stainless steel tiles which you can do yourself basically the same way you do ceramic tiles.
No matter which type of backsplash you choose , it should be something that you can take care of and compliments your kitchen décor.Sherry Street writes on different kitchen improvement projects. You can learn more by visiting my blog, Kitchen Improvements.
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Durak: How to Play this Russian Card Game
Durak is the name of the most popular card game in Russia. Durak means fool and it refers to the person who loses the game. There are two variations of Durak: Podkidnoy Durak and Perevodnoy Durak. In this article, you can find the basics for playing Podkidnoy Durak.With How Many Cards Do I Play With?Reduced poker deck with 36 cards from 6 to Ace.What is the object of the game?To get rid of all your cards.How Should I Deal?Each player is dealt 6 cards face down. The top card of the remaining deck is placed face-up. This card defines the trump suit for the game. The rest of the deck is placed above the face-up trump card. The first time it does not matter who deals. The following times the dealer will be the person who lost the previous game.How Should I Play Durak?Like in many other card games such as poker and rummy, the first person to play is the one who holds the lowest trump suit in his hand. The game proceeds in a clockwise direction. The player who started to play acts an attacker and the player sitting next to him in a clockwise direction acts as a defender. The attacker throws any card he wishes from his hand and the defender must beat this card.A card can be beaten by a higher card of the same suit or any card of the trump suit, unless the card is itself from the trump suit. In the latter case it can only be beaten by a higher trump. If the defender cannot or does not want to beat the card of the attacker he must collect it and add it to his hand. If the defender beats the card the attacker can add another card of the same rank of one of the cards on the table. The defender must beat this card too.Apart from this, other players at the table can attack the defender if they had cards from the same rank of one of those on the table. The defender cannot be attacked by a number of cards that exceeds the number of cards in his hand. Besides, in the most common variation of Durak this number cannot exceed 6, even if the defender has more cards.If the defender cannot beat one or more cards he has been attacked with he must collect all the cards at the table and add them to his hand. If the defender succeeds to beat all the cards, these cards are discarded and placed in a separate heap called otboy. In the next turn, the defender will attack.After the turn is over, no matter whether the defender succeeds to beat all the cards or has to take them, the players who have less than 6 six in their hands compensate their hands from the remaining deck, so everyone at the table will have at least 6 cards.The cards are taken by the attackers of the previous turn in the clockwise direction starting with the person who has attacked first. The defender is the last person to take cards. If there are no cards left in the remaining deck the face-up trump card is taken by the person whose turn is to take cards. After this no more cards are taken and the game continues until all people one by one get rid of their hands. The person who remains with the cards is called Durak.
Better Home Safety – Low Cost Home Security Tips
Whether you’re a homeowner or you rent your home, your personal safety and the security of your home and your property is important to you. If you’re on a budget, though, you might feel that there aren’t a lot of options available to you to improve your home’s security. Aside from the monthly home security monitoring services and expensive home alarm systems, however, there are low-cost home security options available to you that won’t cost you an arm and a leg.Here are a few home security options that will not only help to protect your home, but they’ll give you the peace of mind that you’re taking proactive measures to protect your person, your family, and your property.Locking down your windowsWhile newer windows tend to offer much better protection than older windows, they are still a weak point for your home’s security. There are two steps that you can take, however, to better-protect this all-too-common home entry point.
Cheap locking mechanisms – most windows have locks, but not all window locks are strong or secure. Using a simple 1″x1″ piece of wood to place in your window when it’s closed, to prevent sliding, will prevent somebody from breaking your window’s locks and simply sliding the window open. You just need a spare 1×1 piece of wood and a saw of some kind to cut it to the right length.
Window alarms – Window alarms can work with the wooden stick window-locking method to alert you if somebody is trying to gain entry to your home through your window. You can pick up window alarm sensors on sites like Amazon.com for as low as a few dollars, and they’re a great investment if you’re looking to improve your home’s security.Light up your home at nightOne of the best crime deterrents is light — thieves like to lurk around in the darkness, and they predominantly like to strike when you’re not at home. Even if you’re not at home, however, you can make it seem like you are.Motion-sensor floodlight systems are very inexpensive — you can pick up an outdoors motion-detection lighting system for under $20 in many locations, and floodlights cost less than the motion-sensor kits. Motion sensor units are preferred for a couple of reasons: they do not run continuously, which on-all-the-time outdoor lighting will increase your monthly electrical costs, and they switch on when motion is detected — this gives the allusion that somebody is home switching on the lights.If you plan to be away from home for the evening, or even a day or two, security timer switches can help you create the allusion that somebody is home. Timer switches plug into your home’s electrical outlets and will switch on the plugged-in appliances at intervals that you select. For instance, you can have your TV switch on at 9pm at night and shut off at 11pm, or you can schedule a lamp or two to turn on and off throughout the evening. If you wanted, you could even set your home’s music system to kick on for a couple of hours. With security timers being as cheap as they are, you could pick up several of them so that you could replicate a night’s activities, even if you’re out of town.Keep a watchful eye on your propertyAnother great way to improve home security is by using security cameras. Now, security cameras are more expensive than the other security options listed here, but they an effective addition to the measures already listed. If your home security budget is exceedingly small, you can opt for fake, or ‘dummy’, security cameras — imitation security cameras can cost as little as $10 each. If you want to have a real security camera or cameras setup in your home, the prices for those start at around $50 per camera, but can cost much more if you want better options.Along with powerful outdoor lighting, security cameras — whether they are real or fake — add a lot in terms of the perception of your home’s security measures. Just like using security timer switches can create the allusion that you’re home even if you’re not, security cameras create the allusion that would-be thieves will be filmed if they venture too far onto your property. Security cameras can be a great crime deterrent if used correctly.Improving your home’s security doesn’t need to be difficult or expensive. In fact, even with a budget of only $100, and a few hours of your time, you can increase your home’s safety exponentially. Not only will these home security options improve your home’s actual security — they’ll improve your own sense of security, and that’s something that you cannot put a price tag on.