Adding a dimmer to a wall light switch is easy and can transform the feel of a room. Today's controlled electronic dimmers are beautiful, energy efficient and easy to use. These thin profile elegant dimmers extend the life of your bulbs, save electricity and provide the elegance of mood lighting.

Electronic dimmers have come along way from the big bulky knobs of old (although you can still buy them). Dimmers today are largely electronic and work with the magic of a TRIAC which I explain in the tutorial How to Install an Electronic Dimmer.

In the tutorial I'll show you in vivid color how to install a dimmer and what you need to do if you want to use Compact Fluorescent Lighting with your dimmer.

We all appreciate the convenience of the garbage disposal although we may take it for granted until the disposal stops working.

And what happens when it stops working? You may think you have a major repair bill coming or be tempted to just go out and buy a new unit. But did you know that in many cases the disposal can be easily fixed? One of my most popular tutorials is how to troubleshoot and repair a garbage disposal which can save you hundreds of dollars!

In the article All About Garbage Disposals, I list a series of tutorials I've written on things I hope you find interesting and useful. There are articles ranging from content on the anatomy or construction of a disposal, to how to repair a disposal to how to select a garbage disposal that meets your needs, including disposals for septic use, how to install a new disposal, and more.

So please take a read. All you need to know is right here.

Decking material can come in natural wood or composite plastic material.

With natural decking you may run into problems with the boards cupping. If you put the wrong side of the deck board facing down, the board may cup.

With composite plastic decking you don't have to worry about cupping boards or even refinishing the deck surface itself. Made from special polymer/wood by-product combinations, today's composite decking can be long lasting and color fast. Composite decking is also easy to install since it goes down similar to wood decking.

A great composite decking company you should check out is Fiberon and they make some beautiful deck materials such as you see in the blog photo. They provide a 20 to 25 year performance, stain and fade warranty as well. The company offers decking, railings and fencing too.

Memorial Day is fast approaching and that means backyard BBQ on the deck. But is that wood deck of yours is looking a little tired? Refinishing a wood deck is a great summer project that will improve your outdoor living space and extend the life of your deck. And your deck is a significant investment in your home.

In this tutorial I'll describe the entire deck refinishing process.

Deck refinishing includes several steps such as:

• inspection,
• basic deck board repair and replacement
  (if needed),
• initial deck board cleaning,
• deep cleaning with a power washer,
• sanding,
• staining / sealing and
• and of course, the celebration holiday BBQ!

There are several tricks and tips I outline for you in How to Refinish a Wood Deck to make short work of this project and get you professional looking results. I'll give you specific product recommendations and lead you through a very detailed and photo packed tutorial of each step in the refinishing process.

So get your deck ready for Memorial Day and then enjoy the rest of the summer!