Chip Wade - Expert Craftsman

It’s almost Thanksgiving and that means the fall weather will soon be transitioning to winter weather. As the temperature drops, make sure your home is keeping the warm air in and the cool air out. This process, known as winterization, can be accomplished in your home with some simple but important steps. Let’s go over my quick refresher course when it comes to successful winterization:

1. Fill All Obvious Cracks: Check your home’s exterior walls, around the tops of exterior door frames, outlets and switches on perimeter walls for cracks. Use an elastomeric caulk to seal any holes under 1/4″ and use expanding foam sealer for larger holes. Use outlet gaskets and new weather stripping for your outlets and doors.
2. Check Attic Insulation: Check the areas touching heated space like your ceiling joists and walls adjacent to finished spaces. If you can see the framing members you are probably losing too much energy. Check what the R-value is on your current insulation and add strategically where it may be lacking.
3. Spray For Bugs: Don’t underestimate the damage that pests can do not just in your home, but around your home as well when left unattended for seasons at a time. Keep the rodents, termites, ants and other insects at bay by calling in your pest control expert for their seasonal service.
4. Replace Old Windows: If replacement is not in your budget, try a cost effective window winter insulation kit. Just remember- completely cover the entire window including the trim for maximum effectiveness.
5. Check Your Heater: Buy a large pack of air filters and change monthly during the heating months. Call a professional if you have not had your heating system looked at in the last two years. Install an updated thermostat that allows you to program your heating to fit your schedule.

I’m very excited- I recently found a new product that has been evading me for as long as I have been doing remodeling projects!

Imagine the age-old hassle of protecting finished areas, stairs, and walk paths of locations where you are remodeling. Its always been tedious to not only put down runners, but to SECURE them so they don’t bunch up causing a tripping hazard. This doesn’t even include exposing finished floor to potential damage. Can you relate with me the frustration this has caused us all?!

Luckily I found a new product from 3M, its called the Flex & Form Conformable Runner. This product is the first I have ever seen to actually hold itself to stairs and railing with no tape at all! I have even used it to protect bathtubs and odd-shaped pieces of furniture when demo and paint are the project of the day.

If you are looking to protect your project correctly, as I always am, pick up the Flex and Form Conformable Runner from 3M. Stay tuned as 3M has come out with some more amazing stuff I’ll let you know about!

Check out this video I filmed in Rockefeller Plaza while visiting the 2010 House Beautiful Kitchen of the Year in Manhattan, NY. Jeff Lewis did an incredible job designing this fully-functioning kitchen and incorporating Mohawk reclaimed Hardwood flooring into the layout. It truly looks amazing- see for yourself:

Hey everyone, I write you today from Manhattan, NY- more specifically, Rockefeller Plaza!

In addition to it being a cool location to update my blog, I’m here taking in the scene at the 2010 House Beautiful Kitchen of the Year. I’m here beginning at 10:00AM today, so please stop by if you are in the area!

This design is truly masterful. It was designed by Jeff Lewis of Bravo TV’s “Flipping Out” and Jeff even used Mohawk Hardwood flooring in his design to provide his kitchen with a functional yet attractive foundation. The Mohawk Hardwood you see in the photo below is an antique natural elm that has a light finish to contrast the darker cherrywood cabinets that Jeff picked out.

In addition to my blog, make sure to follow my Twitter timeline @chipwade for even more happenings and tips. I’ll be tweeting about this event while I’m here as well!

I want to tell you about a versatile product that I love to use for non-structural paint grade applications, including exterior millwork, door and window parts, signage, garage doors and other architectural components. CMI Extira panels are treated wood composite panels that perform better than wood or MDF. The product is unique in three ways:

·         Extira panels resist moisture, rot and termites and offer excellent performance in exterior environments.

·         Extira panels can be used in any non-structural paint-grade exterior application. They also work well for high-moisture interior environments.

·         Extira panels have a 5-year warranty, unprecedented in the product category.

In addition to being user-friendly and durable, Extira panels are made with sustainable materials that provide amazing green building benefits! Check out the product for yourself on the CMI website. And, if any of you have used Extira panels for your projects, let me know what you think about the product.