4 Essential Home Improvement Tools and Equipment

With the economy improving and disposable income up, home improvement reached new heights of popularity in 2018. Nearly six in 10 homeowners increased their home improvement budgets this year, with almost half of these planning to spend $5,000 or more, and twice as many homeowners planning to spend $35,000 and up, a LightStream annual survey found. Outdoor projects, bathroom remodels, home repairs, kitchen remodels and garage improvement lead the list of most popular projects.

To tackle any type of home improvement project, you first need the right set of tools. Here are four of the most basic tools you’ll want to have handy before you begin.

Ladders

One basic piece of equipment you will need for many home improvement projects is a good ladder. If you plan to do outdoor projects such as repairing your roof or painting, you will definitely need a ladder. They are also essential for indoor projects where you have to reach the ceiling or a place high on a wall, such as putting up drywall, driving a screw in or pounding a nail in. When choosing ladders, selections should be appropriately sized for their intended tasks, with appropriate weight load capacities. It’s extremely important to keep safety in mind, whether you’re on a step ladder or an extension ladder.

In order to safely use a step ladder, you should never stand higher than two steps from the top, meaning that if you have a vertical reach of 1 foot, you will be able to reach a point about 4 feet above the top of the ladder. Most step ladders only have rungs on one side, but twin step ladders have them on both sides. Platform ladders (podium ladders) have a standing surface on top with a rail extension for extra contact, stability and utility.

For reaching taller spots with an extension ladder, where the fourth rung from the top is the tallest safe point and sections must overlap 3 to 5 feet depending on the length of the ladder, get a ladder 7 to 10 feet higher than the point your ladder will rest against. If you want to use an extension ladder to step on your roof, you will need one at least 2 feet higher than your gutter. A step ladder can also be used for locations without a spot for resting an extension ladder, during tasks such as ceiling fan installation.

Tape Measures

Another essential tool in a home improvement toolbox is a tape measure, says This Old House. Tape measures are needed for most common projects, such as measuring wood width and length to finding the area for a paint job.

Tape measures vary by a number of factors. Lengths tend to range from 10 to 26 feet. Some tapes are thicker than others, ranging from three-quarters of an inch to an inch-and-a-quarter, which makes them easier to read, with tapes wider than an inch being easier to read. Tape hooks also vary in size, with larger tangs being easier to keep stable; some are magnetic. Tapes come in steel and fiberglass varieties, with fiberglass often used for longer tape measures.

Screwdrivers

Screwdrivers are another must-have for home improvement projects, and they come in two main varieties. Flat-head screwdrivers come with a single slot on top, while Philips screwdrivers have a cross-section in the middle. You typically will need multiple screwdrivers of each type in different sizes. A set of 10 is a good place to start, or you can use a multi-bit screwdriver to save space in your toolbox. Look for screwdrivers with a sturdy design and comfortable grip.

Hammer

Like screwdrivers, hammers are vital for home improvement projects. You need a hammer and nails when you need to fasten together two parts with more shear strength than a screw can handle. For example, decks that have to withstand strong winds need nails.

Fortunately, you can get most of your work done with a single all-purpose hammer, says Family Handyman. Look for a hammer with a medium weight, a smooth face, a rip claw and a handle made of something other than wood such as steel or fiberglass. A weight of 16 to 20 ounces is good for general purposes.

While they aren’t the only tools you’ll need, a ladder, a tape measure, a screwdriver set and a hammer will lay a foundation for a good working tool set. These items will come in handy on just about any home improvement project.

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What are the Main Benefits of Structural Steel Constructions?

MAD-designed ‘Lucas Museum’ Celebrates the Power of Visual Storytelling Through Art and Photography.

Fresh images of MAD architects‘ design for the Lucas Museum of narrative art happen to be unveiled, as construction work on the project will get underway. Intended for LA‘s exposition playground, neighboring the memorial coliseum sports stadium, the evolution would add between 6-7 acres of green area with galleries housed inside a sinuous structure topped with trees and other plantation. The scheme has been constructed across two city-owned parking lots, taking the form of a four-story building that climbs to a total height of 115 feet (35 meters).

The rooftop provides additional exhibition space, alongside a restaurant and a public garden landscaped by LA-based firm studio-MLA.

‘That is an art museum, but I am also hoping to place it as an anthropological museum, ”’ states George Lucas. ‘it is my feeling that popular art is an insight into a culture and what they expect to; exactly what they want, what they are — it’s all about telling the story of the story, their history, and their belief system. I feel all kinds of artwork have a right to exist. I believe that it’s important to have a museum, that I was able to say, supports all the orphan arts that nobody wants to see, but everybody loves. So that is my fantasy for this.’

Given by George Lucas and Mellody Hobson, the expanding collection includes more than 10,000 paintings, illustrations, and film memorabilia.

Interior manufacturing, the first demonstrating the scheme’s inner workings, shows a cavernous quantity with tube-like elevator shafts that result in the building’s upper levels. The new external visuals portray a simplified construction, which still looks like an intergalactic spaceship. Construction on the project will be scheduled to wrap up in late 2021, with no official date set for when the museum will open its doors to the general public.

h/t designboom

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A House Made of White Cargo Containers In California Desert

Photo-realistic renderings of the suggested home by the London-based designer James Whitaker reveal a bunch of white cargo containers appearing like a starburst from a rocky site. Work is scheduled to start next year on the Joshua Tree Residence at the California desert, which was created to get a movie producer and his wife, who live in Los Angeles. Every container was capped with a glazed panel and methodically put to provide solitude, let in natural light, and catch the best views. A new white exterior allows the forms to stick out in their sandy plot, while also representing the harsh desert sunshine. An open living room sits at the center of the bundle. This space opens directly out to a wooden deck and private courtyard, created by a set of angled volumes. The scheme also comprises a large wooden deck that merges with the rocky hillside.

Website: James Whitaker

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Georgian Grandeur Or Luxurious Victorians? Period Property Restoration

Mpavilion – A Structure Inspired By Ancient Amphitheaters Completed By Rem Koolhaas And David Gianotten