Carter Hardware

Carter Hardware is the pre-eminent showroom on the west coast.

Best products and original designs

We have the widest variety of products and services in the western U.S., specializing in the best products and original designs.

Friday, September 1, 2017

Step-By-Step Tips You Can Use For Home Improvement


Home improvement projects can greatly improve your house. They can update your home’s look, increase the utility of certain spaces and make use of more modern construction materials to reduce energy costs. Do not be wary of doing some improvements; you can increase the value of your home. Below, you will find some helpful hints and tips on how to achieve success in your home improvement endeavors.


Do not allow your contractor to start unless a contract is signed. If possible, get a lawyer to look at the contract before work begins. You should put in when the work will be finished, any guarantees on work, and what is going to be done.


It is possible to cover up blemishes and add visual drama by texturing walls with drywall. It is not hard to do. Apply drywall mud with a trowel and use a sponge or a brush to spread it and create your own texture.


Keep your toilet bowl clean by pouring bleach inside it. While the bleach may not smell great, taking the time to clean them this way will leave your toilet looking lovely, and will also disinfect it. If you can’t stand the smell, buy scented bleach.


Take a sample of the nut or bolt that is in each of your storage containers and hot glue it to the top. When seeking one little piece of hardware, it can be problematic even with the best labeling system. Even clear labels can seem like a blur when you are frantically searching multiple containers for a small part.


Ask a professional about the condition of your current flooring before you buy new hardwood floors. In many cases, there is hardwood flooring hidden under existing carpeting or linoleum. Existing hardwood flooring looks beautiful with a new finish. You are going to get nicer floors while spending much less.


These tips will help you to avoid unnecessary setbacks and unexpected expenses. Start your own projects right now!



Step-By-Step Tips You Can Use For Home Improvement

Wednesday, August 9, 2017

Achieving The Best Results In Home Improvement


Know your own capabilities, and know too when you should call a professional. Read on to get some handy advice that may be of use in your home improvement projects, whether or not you are doing the work yourself.


Hardwood is a better investment than laminate. Laminate wood floors may initially have the same look as wood floors but they will not last and long and cannot be refinished. Years from now, whoever owns the house will need a brand new floor.


It’s expensive to refurnish a home. Garage sales and thrift stores can add a new flare to your room! You might find some hidden items that are special, like furniture. Some may need a lot of work, but if you invest enough time, they can greatly improve your home.


Consider adding extra insulation during your next project. Put weather-stripping onto all of your windows and doors. This will reduce the exchange of air from the outside of your home to the inside and vice versa. All of your cooling and heating systems will be more efficient. This will save you money on energy costs.


If you need a new lock, you can just change out the cylinder if you want. The cylinder, which contains the tumblers and accepts keys, is the critical piece of the lock. If you wish to replace a lock for security, you can simply replace the cylinder. If you are replacing a lock for cosmetic purposes, you will need to replace the whole unit.


Before you start staining or painting wood, use sandpaper in order to make the surface smooth; then wipe the item using a damp rag. Using sandpaper will make it so that the object gets a smooth finish. Use a damp cloth to remove dust and be sure of the smoothest finish.


Many major home improvement projects shouldn’t be attempted by a novice. Follow the advice that has been laid out for you and only do projects that you have the abilities to complete. You will save yourself a lot of stress and money doing this.



Achieving The Best Results In Home Improvement

Wednesday, January 27, 2016

You Do Not Need To Hire A Professional Painter To Paint The Interior Of Your Home

sherle-wagner-console


Improve your home and increase its value without ever hiring a contractor. With simple advice and instructions, you can do it yourself! You will save hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars by learning the simple skills to do home improvements on your own time. Moreover, you will enjoy the satisfaction of doing it yourself.


Many tenants who are renting an apartment or home are in a pickle when landlords don’t allow tenants to paint the walls in a different color or take off the wallpaper that doesn’t suit their tastes. A great way to get around this is by purchasing flat bed sheets (the unfitted kind) and tacking them in a pleasing design on the wall. This will not harm the underlying wallpaper or paint and can add a touch of personality that won’t displease the landlord.


Get really good references for contractors you use on your home improvements. It is far too easy for a con artist to take your money and run, leaving you with a wreck of a home and no more money to fix it. Don’t trust just anyone. Make sure you have plenty of excellent references, from people you really trust.


When it comes to home improvement, be aware that you should never pay more than 35% of the project cost up front as a down payment. This is to ensure that you do not lose your money if the contractor backs out. Always pay by some method of payment that can be tracked such as check, instead of cash. Finally, only pay for the complete job when the job is actually completed.


Now that you know how to begin your own home improvement projects, you won’t have to put off those little repairs until a contractor can come by to fix it. You will save time and money, and you will impress your family and friends with your handy skills!



You Do Not Need To Hire A Professional Painter To Paint The Interior Of Your Home

Sunday, January 24, 2016

Quality Tips For Home Improvement Projects

Dornbracht


From that deck in the back yard to the window seat in the living room, there are many types of home improvement jobs homeowners attempt to take on every day. While most of these jobs end up successful, some people inevitably bite off more than they can chew. Read these tips so that you don’t become “some people.”


In order to save money on air conditioning costs during the summer, try installing ceiling fans. Ceiling fans recirculate air within a room, cooling it down without the need for turning on a central air system. They are relatively easy to install and can be installed in place of your lighting fixture.


Glue your wallboard in place before nailing it! A caulking gun and the right adhesive makes quick work of the job. The advantages of quicker installation are obvious. Another advantage is fewer nails. Furthermore, the glue holds the wall board tightly in place and the nails you do use are less likely to pop out in the future.


A very simple home improvement tip is to declutter. Start with this easy task: If you have kids, you may be guilty of cluttering your fridge with their work and little design magnets. Keep your appliances clear by attaching just some of your children’s artwork and only a few magnets at a time. You can switch these items out every week.


Write down all the items that you need prior to shopping from a home improvement project. When you know exactly what you need, you’ll never forget anything.


The best part about learning how to do something correctly is that you will always know how to do it correctly. Acting on a whim and attempting to fix up your home without the proper knowledge could end very badly for you. You have just learned some home improvement tips in the above article, and you should definitely use them.



Quality Tips For Home Improvement Projects

Thursday, January 21, 2016

Don"t Get Stuck With A Bad Home Improvement Job - Use This Advice For Success


 


Home improvement projects are a great way to increase both the value and comfort of your home. There are many home improvement options out there. Here are a few ideas that you can work on that can allow you to make your home a place for you to feel satisfied.


Paint your floor in sections corresponding with the direction of the planking. When you paint the floor of a large room it is easy to paint yourself into a corner or to unintentionally block access to the rest of the house until the paint dries. If you paint in sections you can leave paths that run along specific boards. When you paint the adjoining section everything will match perfectly.


Devote some time into weather-stripping your home. Even though your house might be insulated, there are probably small crevices around windows and doors through which air will leak. That means your house will lose cool air during the summer and warm air during the winter, leading to a higher energy bill when you run heating and cooling appliances. Weather-stripping your doors and windows will keep that from happening.


Consider hiring a professional to do the electrical work for your home improvement project. It may seem easy to change out an outlet from two prongs to three, but if you are unfamiliar with electrical work, the safest thing to do is to have an electrician take care of the rewiring for you.


To make the roof on your real estate last as long as possible you should make sure there are power vents installed to draw hot air out of the attic space. This will keep the underside of the roof cooled down so that it does not cook your shingles the way a frying pan cooks and egg.


Now that you are armed with a few solid tips to guide you, making a sound decision regarding home improvement should seem less daunting. Remember, quality home improvements to your home will not only allow you to have a more desirable space but will also improve the overall value of your home.



Don"t Get Stuck With A Bad Home Improvement Job - Use This Advice For Success

Tuesday, January 5, 2016

Learn About Interior Design With These Tips


Every room in your home needs to be welcoming and comfortable to live in. If you are unhappy with the appearance and the feel of your home, start working to change it. You can use these interior design tips to begin turning your home into the place that you feel most comfortable and happy.


One of the easiest steps in interior design involves painting a room. Paint gives a room a fresh look, and it can completely change the feeling in the space. Paint allows you to put a dash of your individual style in the space, and it is an inexpensive way to begin redesigning your home.


When you are decorating your children’s room, try to look at things from their perspective. Decor in their room should be practical and age-appropriate. If you have young children, get down and look at things at their eye level. This will help you decide how to make the most of the space in their room.


When designing for contemporary and modern spaces, integrate textures into the materials in the room. If the furniture and fixtures are heavy on smooth materials, such as glass, smooth plastics, metal and polished wood, add some textured materials to bring out details that will catch the eyes and create a more interesting space.


Keep art at eye level to maximize the effect of your investment. Placing art at the wrong height can destroy the effect you were trying to create.


If you have small windows and would like to make them look bigger, hang drapery near the top of the ceiling to elongate your windows. By hanging the rods near the ceiling and having the drapes hang to the floor; it gives the window the effect that it is actually bigger than what it is.


Now that you have some inspiration, you should be able to get working on making your home into what you want it to be. Use each of these ideas throughout your home and when the work is complete, you will be happy. Enjoy the work as well as living in your home.



Learn About Interior Design With These Tips

Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Happy New Year!