Houzz is a leading destination site for home design enthusiasts-- professionals and homeowners. The Houzz site and mobile apps feature over 250,000 high quality interior and exterior photos, thousands of highly-engaging articles written by design experts, product recommendations and social tools to manage the remodeling and decorating process. 

On the Houzz platform: 


Design professionals showcase their portfolios, sharing their work with a community dedicated to home and landscape design. 25,000+ professionals have uploaded more than 250,000 inspiring photographs, making Houzz the Internet's largest database of design and decorating ideas.

Homeowners collect their favorite photos, find design professionals in their areas, upload photos of their homes and gardens, and swap tips and questions with other members. 800,000+ ideabooks have been created by Houzz members, and new ones are added every minute.  

This post is borrowed from State Farm Insurance which uses a variety of writers to create articles for the Learning Center. These articles provide useful information about auto insurance, driving, and other related subjects. State Farm is headquartered in Bloomington, IL and has more than 17,000 Agents and 68,000 employees serving 81 million policies and accounts. 

Both naturally occurring and a by-product of man-made combustion, carbon monoxide (CO), a clear and odorless gas, is poisonous to humans and animals.

Defective furnaces, fireplaces, flues, and oil heaters are most frequently responsible for accidental CO poisonings. When improperly vented, malfunctioning home appliances like furnaces and air-conditioners can slowly fill your home with CO.

In the United States, CO leaks are responsible for an estimated 500 deaths a year and more than 15,000 trips to the emergency room. However, as CO poisoning often goes unreported, the number of instances is most likely much higher.

What Can You Look For?
CO is dangerous because there tend to be no noticeable symptoms if an individual’s CO levels are at less than 10 percent in the bloodstream.

Above 10 percent, CO poisoning symptoms may mimic the flu or a cold. At that level, symptoms may include:

• Headache
• Fatigue
• Mild confusion
• Irregular breathing and heartbeat
• Nausea
• Coughing

Take note especially if everyone in the home is experiencing at least some of the symptoms, and pay particular attention if pets exhibit symptoms, since animals cannot get the flu. 

When CO levels exceed 20 percent, the poisoning can be fatal.

What Should You Do? 
If you suspect that you or members of your family are suffering from CO poisoning: 

• Evacuate your home; get everyone outdoors immediately.
• Call 9-1-1 from another location.
• Report it to the fire department, even if everyone is feeling better.

How Can You Prevent CO Poisoning? 
Taking a small amount of time to manage your home’s risks will greatly protect you and your family.

Have your furnace and gas appliances inspected and maintained by a qualified contractor once a year. This should be done before the start of the heating months.

And keep in mind that space heaters, ovens, and any gasoline-powered engines can cause a buildup of carbon monoxide. If you suspect the appliance or tool you’re using might be causing a buildup of CO, play it safe and open a window. If you’re working in the garage, open the door. Ventilation is a sure way to disperse a buildup of the gas.

Detection
Install a CO detector on each level of your home, and in or near each sleeping area. While you shouldn’t rely solely on CO detectors, having them properly placed throughout your home can serve as a good fail-safe.

Try to keep the detectors at least 20 feet from any fuel-burning appliances and at least 10 feet from high humidity locations like bathrooms and kitchens, as moisture can sometimes trigger faulty readings. Test the batteries of your detector regularly, and if an alarm sounds, call a professional to check your gas-burning appliances.

Visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website for more information about carbon monoxide poisoning.

Western Window Systems was recently selected as a "Manufacturing Marvel" by Fox Business Channel in a segment that aired on their cable news network in December. The editorial group wanted to tell a story of a manufacturer that has been able to grow in spite of a down economy. Western's growth at nearly 40% over last year coupled with our improvement in our products and our cutting-edge manufacturing capabilities made us an "obvious choice." Please watch this brief video to learn how Western is redefining the window and door industry and providing our customers a life without boundaries. 

_I'm now recommending this product for use on all hardwood decking. I should have this on the shelf here at McCabe Lumber within the next couple of weeks and it will retail for about $19.99.

NEW!! Smart-Bit® Pre-drilling & Countersinking Tool with Replaceable Powerbolic™ Drill Bits. Now available in 5 sizes.

• Pre-drill and countersink in one fast step with the new Smart- Bit®
• Smart-Bit® removes the guesswork from pre-drilling and countersinking
• NEW!! Now with replaceable Powerbolic™ drill bits
• Smart-Bit Quickly drills the perfectly countersunk hole in deck boards
• Drills a 1-1/8" deep hole (including countersink)
• Sufficient drill depth for decking up to 5/4" nominal thickness
• Excellent for use in hardwoods and composite lumber
• Eliminate "mushrooming" around screw heads in composites with Smart-Bit
• Smart-Bit is now available in five sizes for use with:
  # 7 trim head screws
  # 8 trim head screws
  #10 flat and bugle head screws
  NEW !!  #12 flat and bugle head screws
  NEW !!  #14 flat and bugle head screws
  
• Package includes one Smart-Bit tool, two replacement drill bits and hex allen wrench
• #14 Smart-Bit Package includes one Smart-Bit tool with 40mm bit, one each replacement drill bits, 40mm & 75mm and hex allen wrench
• Technical Data, Applications & Performance Tips (pdf file)

This order of Stallion Door slabs are waiting to be assembled at McCabe Lumber. I will be posting a few updates as we go through the process.

Stay tuned, I will be touching base next week when they are being assembled.

If your garage is running out of space, try building this overhead storage system. The construction is simple and fast, and the whole system is made with standard materials.

Read more By the DIY experts of The Family Handyman Magazine:September 2005

Here is a cool little job shared by Greg Matullionis of  Sawdust Therapy. They used Abaco decking and Certainteed cement board for the upper sections of the columns. The stone came from Fireside Hearth & Stone in Tri-County.  StoneCraft is the supplier - Ledgewood is the style and Tennessee is the color.

I had the opportunity to attend a seminar last night by the Western Red Cedar Lumber Association. I thought I knew about everything there is to know about cedar but was pleasantly surprised to walk out with some information I have never heard before. Who is the Western Red Cedar Lumber Association?

The Western Red Cedar Lumber Association is a Vancouver based non-profit association representing 18 quality producers of Western Red Cedar lumber products in Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia (Canada).Founded in 1954 and known as "the voice of the cedar industry"-the WRCLA operates customer service programs throughout the United States and Canada to support its members' cedar products with information, education and quality standards.

In addition to its Vancouver headquarters, the WRCLA has field offices in Washington, New York and Minnesota where cedar specialists offer a Super Cedar Advisory Service for specifiers, builders and other cedar consumers. When customers have a question about cedar, the answer is just a phone call away.

They have a great website. I suggest anyone considering specifying or using cedar on an upcoming project visit their informative website.

Source: Fypon Blog
MAUMEE, OHIO – Builders, remodelers and homeowners looking for a unique way to accent a single or double garage door now have a decorative low-maintenance option with the Fypon® PVC Trellis Systems. Available in two sizes to accommodate either single- or double-car garages, each trellis system kit can also be fabricated to use in alternative settings, such as over home entryways, garden sheds and free-standing garages.

A Fypon PVC Trellis System comes as a complete kit including outlookers reinforced with PVC for durability, attractive beams, lattice and hardware. The PVC pieces come in smooth white that are easy to put together in just a few hours to create an accent trellis for over a garage or home entryway. The trellis system adds architectural distinction to any home while resisting rotting, decaying, warping, splintering, mildew growth and insect infestation. The low-maintenance PVC pieces may remain white or can be painted or stained to complement the overall style of the home.

Additional uses for the Fypon PVC Trellis System (which can easily be fabricated on site) include the creation of a welcoming entry to the home over a side or back door, to add character to a detached garage, workshop or garden shed. The easy-to-install trellis system can also be modified for installation over a patio door system to offer decorative appeal and light shading to an alternative entry area to the home.

In addition to the trellis system, the company also offers PVC boards (with both smooth and woodgrain textured finishes), sheets, bead board, corners and profiles that are long-lasting and do not require paint. These products can be used on both the interior and exterior of residential and commercial products. All Fypon PVC pieces may be placed against masonry, resist water absorption and moisture, and do not require pre-drilling when edge nailing.

Fypon LLC offers thousands of decorative millwork elements in a variety of architectural styles to enhance the interior and exterior of America’s homes. Each piece is crafted from tough, weather-proof, high-performance materials that are impervious to decay, insect infestation and water damage for long-lasting beauty and low maintenance. Part of consumer products company Fortune Brands Home & Security (NYSE: FBHS), Fypon LLC is owned by Therma-Tru Corp. For additional information, call 1-800-446-3040 or visit www.fypon.com.

1)  Wood cabinetry is what we do - and we do it well. Miami Woodworking is your best choice for kitchen and bath cabinetry. Most will agree that a firm that specializes in kitchen and bath cabinetry will do a better job than a jack-of-all-trades supplier who sells cabinets, lumber, vinyl siding, plumbing...you get the picture. We take pride in providing you with the best kitchen design and cabinet product ... all at a price you can afford.  

2) Miami Woodworking’s designers are thoroughly trained in the field of kitchen and bath design. They take pride in designs that offer a great look while providing superior functionality. The key to getting the best kitchen, while avoiding cost overruns, is to get the design correct in the beginning. Stop by our showroom and talk to one of our designers. Our experienced and well-trained designers will get it right! 

3) Miami Woodworking maintains a state-of-the-art custom cabinet shop to provide our customers with many additional design choices plus the opportunity to save on their total kitchen / bath project. Significant cost savings can be realized by supplementing pre-manufactured cabinets with custom trims and accessories. In addition, we also can produce that one-of-a-kind, high-end custom dream kitchen you always wanted. Visit our "Custom" section above to get more information on our custom shop capabilities. 

4) Our showroom and design center is conveniently located at the I-71 / Kings Island exit. Click on "Showroom" above to get a map and driving directions. Stop by and look through our showroom to get new ideas on kitchen / bath layouts, materials, countertops, hardware and door options. Someone will always be available to answer questions you may have.

5) Miami Woodworking’s pledge is to provide you with a better kitchen for less money. We can fulfill this pledge by offering the best design, a complete showroom displaying many different kitchen / bath options, a custom cabinet shop to supply custom components if desired and by offering the best available in pre-manufactured cabinetry.