How To Barbeque Fish
February 19, 2012 | 
Author Once you know how to barbecue fish the correct way you’ll love cooking and eating fish and seafood on the BBQ. Easy to cook when you know how, get out that BBQ and let’s get cooking.
First off, the best type of fish to cook on a barbeque is firm textured fish and seafood such as salmon, cod, monkfish, shrimp or lobster. Hopefully as long as you’ve prepared the barbeque properly it won’t fall apart -
Top Tips for Barbequeing Fish Make sure that the rungs on the grill are clean. There’s nothing worse than old bits of food burnt on the grill bars, not only does it leave a horrible taste but it will make the fish stick.
Get that barbeque really hot. If using a charcoal grill, use plenty of charcoal to build a really good fire that will retain plenty of heat.
Let the flames die down until you can see that the charcoal has become white, it should take at least ½ hour – this is where many people make a critical mistake. You know what they say – Patience is a Virtue – or in this case Patience will help you cook food that you can eat, not the usual burnt offerings!
As long as the fish (or any seafood or meat) is well oiled it won’t stick. Of course, it helps if you don’t prod it and move it around every 30 seconds, if you do you’ll end up with scrambled fish which isn’t much use to anyone except the cat.
Wait until the flesh is seared before turning it over.
Only turn it over once. The best utensil for this is a wide, thin spatula, big enough to lift the whole salmon or fillet in one go. An alternative is to buy a grill cage, the fish sits inside it and makes the whole turning over process child’s play.
Don’t salt anything before grilling. This will dry the fish out.
If you’re using a traditional Chargrill a good idea is to use herbs or flavoured wood chips thrown on the charcoal to impart additional flavour.
Flavour Tip Barbeque rubs or marinades impart a delicious extra flavour when cooking your barbeque fish. I also like to paint some Thai sweet chili sauce over the fish before barbequeing, this is especially good with large prawn and shrimp and can be purchased at any good supermarket. These easy and simple ideas can help anyone learn how to cook fish on a barbeque.
Teak Wood Uses
So you are interested in Teak wood, eh? This wood is derived from tropical hardwood trees. It is native to the southern and easterly locations of Asia. The trees are very large trees. They often grow to be as tall as130 feet (40 meters). This is the size of a 13 story building! These are not evergreen trees, they do lose their leaves in the dry seasons.
Teak wood is often used for things that will need to withstand harsh weather. You will often find teak used for things like boat ramps, outdoor decks, or outdoor furniture. Teak is considered to be extremely durable so it is also used for indoor flooring and veneer for indoor furniture.
Manufacturers of furniture often use this wood because it is easy to work with and also because of the natural oils and protection it has. Due to these natural oils, it can withstand some of the toughest conditions, for example, being outside in the very cold or very warm weather. This durability is mostly from older and larger trees, but if the younger teak wood has went through the proper process of kiln drying, it will improve its durability as well.
Due to the place that this type of wood comes from, you will most often see it in places like India where it is the primary type of wood used for door and window frames. It is also used to make columns and beams for older types of homes. This type of wood is purposely grown in these types of areas so that they can later go back and turn them into lumber for these types of projects.
The problem here is that the older teak is disappearing. Since there is such a huge demand, you will find that it is hard to find the traditional older growth teak wood. Instead, it is kiln dried younger teak. Although as mentioned before, it still serves the purpose of durability and strength, it does drive some environmental concerns.
Kids Games: About Indoor Games
When kids are outdoors, they can do a lot of things for fun yet this can’t be done all the time. Weather conditions change and during a bad one, kids need to stay inside the house. In a case like this where they don’t have anything to do, they most likely get bored. Kids are somewhat different from elders because they need to do something in order to use their energy. This is far different from elders because they can have fun just by reading books and such. In order for kids to stay entertained while inside the house, indoor games can be played. As parents, you can even join them as a way of bonding with the kids. Here are some of the indoor games.
It has been a tradition for families to play board games at times that kids can’t play outside. Examples of indoor games are the following: scrabble, monopoly, snakes and ladders, checkers, chess, and the likes. These games can really be fun given that the kids can easily understand the instructions for playing. You can even set some other rules to make the game more fun. Other than this, you can even choose to play a cornhole game. This will not be difficult to play because there are also all-weather cornhole boards that are readily available.
Another game that can be fun is pretend play which can be entertaining especially for preschoolers. Even if you are teaching in school or at home, you can play this with kids. As the name says it, this game will let the players pretend to be another person or what they want to be. Say, they can be a doctor or a nurse, or even other person. This is entertaining in a way. Not only is it entertaining; kids can also express what they feel through this.
There are still other games that can be played indoors, at the same time, entertaining. Construction toys such as LEGO is one. You can let your kids use their creativity to come up with a certain design. You can even give a prize to the best design to make it more fun. Building card towers can also be another game which can turn out quite entertaining. This game will let you and other members of the family to have cooperation and strategy so that the cards will not fall. To make it more fun, make it a group competition and the winner will have a certain prize. By doing this, everyone will be more interested in playing the game.
You might think that hide and seek can be played only outdoors but it can also be played indoors. This is given that you have a wide space inside the house. It is a great game outdoors and can also be great indoors. To make the game more fun, rules can be added.
There are a lot of games that can be played indoors to keep your kids entertained. The only thing you need to have is a creative mind to come up with new rules and even provide prizes to make the game more interesting.
Couples Making Love Positions – Positions For Better Love Making
In the Kama Sutra manual, it has recorded different kinds of love making positions that couples can adopt during sex. Some of the love making positions provides higher stimulation than the others and it will be good for you to try them out with your lover.
1. The Clip. This position is very easy to execute and it brings a lot of pleasure to both partners. The man will lie down with his legs outstretched. The woman will sit astride him and lean back, so that the man can play with her clitoris while she controls the thrusting movement. The man can just relaxed and enjoy the intercourse.
2. The 90 Degree. This position is best to be performed on a table, with the woman lying on it and her buttock at the edge of the table. The man will then enter her in a standing position. This position is ideal for the man to caress both her breasts as well as her clitoris. The woman should wrap both her legs onto the man’s waist and pull him to towards her. This will cause the pressure to increase, giving both partners stimulating pleasures.
3. The Doggie. This is a classic making love position and it is highly stimulating for both partners. This position starts off with the woman going down on all fours, using her forearms to support herself. The man will enter her from the rear, controlling the thrusting movement with his hips. This position will give a lot of pleasures to both partners as the deep penetration will not only grind and stimulate against the vaginal wall, but also the G-Spot too.
You should explore more love making positions with your partner to spice things up as there may be some other positions that both of you find highly stimulating.
Do you need more lovemaking tips & ideas to enjoy better love making with your lover? Check out the kama sutra website below for more ideas now:
Bathroom Tile Ideas for Bathroom Floor Tile
Bathroom tile ideas for bathroom floor tile can help you know what options to consider for your bathroom. Bathroom tile comes in a variety of shapes, sizes, patterns and textures and they are the basis for any bathroom design. Bathroom tile ideas can help you have the very best bathroom possible.
Ceramic bathroom floor tile is often used because of its durability, resistance to dampness, its safety to walk on when wet and its ease of cleaning. If you select ceramic tiles for your bathroom, consider using a tile that has a slip-resistant surface for bathroom safety, which is one of the best bathroom tile ideas. If you buy and install unglazed tiles, they will need to be washed frequently because they absorb stains quite easily. Bathroom floor tile shapes can be squares, rectangles, hexagons and octagons while accent pieces can be narrow and small diamond-shaped.
Here are bathroom tile ideas for bathroom floor tile:
1 – If you use solid color ceramic bathroom floor tile in your bathroom, you can add tile borders of a different color to the tile floor, or you can create a border by alternating different colors. This kind of visual treatment can create a more interesting bathroom floor.
2 – When using the same color ceramic tile for the floors and walls, choose a different tile size for the walls or lay the wall tiles diagonally to create a more interesting visual effect.
3 – Another of the bathroom tile ideas is to choose a grout color that contrasts with the ceramic tile color. For example, if you are using white tiles, you could use blue, red or yellow grout for contrast. Be sure and apply sealers to grout lines in areas of heavy wear since sealers will protect and preserve grout colors.
4 – If your favorite color for a bathroom is pink, for example, add a few pink decorative tiles for the walls or use shapes, textures and borders to give it some visual interest. Select some rows of the walls where you can also use some of the pink tiles placed diagonally.
5 – To give your bathroom a contemporary style and look, consider using bright and bold colors with shapes or graphics against plain backgrounds. Contemporary style accessories and fixtures will further provide a modern-looking bathroom.
6 – If you are trying to have a romantic or Victorian look in your bathroom, use floral tiles in soft colors like pink, light green or light blue plus handpainted ceramic sinks and perhaps a wooden floor.
7 – For a Mediterranean bathroom look, mix terra-cotta tiles with Mexican or other hand-painted tiles for the floors. For the countertop perhaps mix the hand-painted tiles with another plain color tile.
Bathroom tile ideas and tile color are important since color can greatly affect your mood — making you feel calm or energizing you. Warm colors like peach and yellow are fun, they make the bathroom feel cozier and they go well with a more country looking bathroom decor. If you use neutral colors like beiges or whites, they will make the room look larger, they will reflect light and they are always in style. Colors like blue, green and violet are viewed as serene or cool colors. Brighter colors like black or red add drama to the decor, absorb light and will make the room appear smaller. In rooms with plenty of windows and natural lighting, consider using darker tiles to offset the ambient lighting. You can also work in colors you want through the use of accent tiles and accessories.
Have fun as you select the styles, colors, patterns and sizes of bathroom floor tile and related details for your bathroom. You’ll want your bathroom to be a fun, cozy room to spend time in and the bathroom floor tile used can help create that kind of atmosphere. Use bathroom tile ideas to help you have that special bathroom that you can enjoy every day.
Copyright 2006 InfoSearch Publishing
Hawaiian and Polynesian Tiki Masks – History and Meaning
Tiki Masks are carved wooden masks that represent deities or gods from the Hawaiian and Polynesian Culture. They are used as home decor and they also serve various purposes such as warding off evil spirits and increasing the owners fertility! They hold such high significance in the Polynesian culture that they, along with other Tiki sculptures, have become defining symbols of the Tiki culture.
Many of the authentic Masks are designed based on the four main gods. Kane is the god of sunlight, and natural life; Ku is the god of war; Lono is the god of peace, winds, rain, sports and fertility; Kanaloa is the god of the ocean. Each Tiki God holds a different meaning.
Tiki Masks are the perfect conversation pieces to add to any modern home. They are exquisite pieces that have intricate details, making them real works of art. They can also be used to add to the authentic feel of Luaus and other feasts. Tiki Masks are also used as decorative pieces in Hawaiian restaurants and Tiki Bars. They can be used both indoors and outdoors and they can mix beautifully even with modern art pieces.
The Masks come in various sizes from 8 inches to over 5 feet tall. The complexity and sophistication of the designs do not depend on the size of the carving. There are relatively smaller masks that contain magnificent details while there are big masks that feature simple designs. Hand-carved wooden Tiki sculptures are now evaluated and regarded on the same level as other forms of art and sculpture, with the benefit to their owners of being rich with meaning.
There is no questioning the amount of effort put into creating wonderful Tiki statues and Masks. Authentic Masks have well thought designs and are carved by expert Tiki artists who are able to combine meaning, function and aesthetic value. Each element in the sculpture adds meaning and value to the piece of art.
Authentic Masks are carved from hardwoods by expert craftsmen and then finished off with oil, wax or polish. There are also some that feature color, but the most common design is the traditional stained hard wood sculpture. Because of the materials used and process that they undergo during their creation, they can last a lifetime.
If you are planning on organizing a Luau or creating a permanent Tiki lounge in your home then it’s easy to order authentic Tiki sculptures online to match the tiki theme and the atmosphere you are creating for the party or the lounge. There are so many to choose from. When choosing a Tiki Mask, choose one that will beautifully match your space and also consider the meanings of the masks so you can get one that will hold significance in your life.
Creative Fireplace Mantel – Arranging and Wall Decorating Tips
Do you ever wish you didn’t have a fireplace in your home, simply because it’s such a decorating mystery? A new mantel shelf could change your mind. It may not be the mantelpiece, but how to dress it up with inspiring wall decorating and accessories that is so confounding. The following tips will help you arrive at that perfect arrangement around your fireplace..
Furniture Arrangement
Furniture should acknowledge the presence of the fireplace, and never bar access to it. An easy furniture arrangement is a U shape, with the fireplace at the top of the U. Though the fireplace is the focal point, you don’t have to point every piece of furniture toward it. For instance, you can place wing back chairs on either side of a fireplace, facing into the room at a diagonal. Place an occasional table in between for cozy fireside reading and board games. Position a small couch and loveseat opposite each other and perpendicular to the fireplace. In a small room, place a flat screen television over the fireplace mantel.
Wall Decor
A peek inside an interior decorating book at wall décor around fireplaces will affirm the many ways pictures or art can be displayed on a wall. But not every arrangement and wall decorating idea is pleasing to the eye. For those of us who are not designers, here are a few suggestions:
The simplest solution is a single, large framed work of art, a print, or photo. Center it slightly toward the mantel.
Position equally sized framed pictures close together to form a larger shape.
Hang a decorative wall mirror in a frame that complements the motif.
Install decorative wall sconces on either side of the mantel to set off framed art.
Line the fireplace mantel shelf with framed black and white photos of different sizes, with the unifying factor of a single color frame.
Fireplace Mantel
Before you bedeck your fireplace mantel, consider what you want to show off, and the impression you want to give. Since the fireplace is your focal point, what do you want visitors to see? What do you want to enjoy looking at day after day?
Your fireplace mantel should also reflect the general feel of the room. Is it:
Formal? Consider candlesticks, vases, a mantel clock, and brass wall sconces.
Lived-in-casual? Use natural, eclectic elements like fresh flowers, a silk topiary, or drift wood. Incorporate glass in a less formal vein with lanterns, a clock under a glass dome, or a collection of antique bottles. Wrought iron wall sconces add a valuable grounding color for neutral palettes and highlight any wall decorating display above the mantel.
Victorian? The Victorians were fond of their collections. Feel free to busy up your mantel with a doily runner, figurines, decorative plates, and perhaps a vase with peacock feathers.
Minimalist? Place a single sculpture, either centered on the mantel or on a side of the mantel that faces a corner while the other is open.
Cottage-by-the-beach? Arrange a collection of similar colored but varying sized shells across the mantel. Or select items you treasure, like a jar of sea glass or a cast iron anchor.
Follow the 3 plus 1 rule for easy mantel displays: Place 3 similar items close to one end, and one larger item on the other (as large as the collective 3, but no taller than the center of the picture or mirror over the mantel). Another easy arrangement is to place one item in the center of the mantel, and flank it with pairs of items on either side. One of the pairs can be similar, but not identical.
Don’t feel bound by rules when arranging your fireplace mantel. Experiment with some wall decorating ideas and arrangements and layer items so they overlap. The analytical mind will prefer symmetry, and the creative eye will prefer asymmetry. Both types need some sort of balance, so play with the items until you are satisfied. If you are ever in doubt, it is better to err on the side of simplicity. Begin with an interesting mantel wall art piece, and build around it.
A fireplace is an enviable architectural detail in any home. Properly adorned with a suitable mantelpiece, wall décor, and other accouterments around it, your fireplace will become a magnificent focal point and a favorite gathering spot in your home for family and friends.
Posted in Wood Tables Articles | 
Tags: Arranging, Creative, Decorating, Fireplace, Mantel | 
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Using the Five Senses to Enhance Your Writing
Sight
This is the one sense that provides most of the detail for our stories. Our words become our readers’ eyes, giving us a blank canvas upon which to paint a picture to tell our story. From the sight of a common fear, such as a spider creeping silently along the floor to the glimpse of a shadow on the stairway… sight is our greatest source of horror inspiration and description. When describing the sight of something terrifying there’s a huge resource at the writer’s disposal, because we can use our other senses to add glorious, gory detail to our descriptions. Here’s an example of how all five of our senses can be used to describe a simple scene:
The apple was bright green, its skin polished and shining as it nestled in the fruit bowl (sight). The scent was fresh, as though the fruit had just been plucked from the tree (smell). She took it from the bowl, her fingers closing around the firm smooth skin (touch) as she lifted it to her lips. The apple crunched loudly (sound) as her teeth cut through the skin into the tart, juicy flesh (taste). As the fresh juice ran down her throat she noticed a small black speck moving slowly in the creamy flesh. Closer inspection revealed that she hadn’t just taken a bite from the apple – she’d bitten through a fat, juicy worm.
Sound
Remember when you were a small child, and your parents put you to bed? Perhaps there was no nightlight, and the TV room was at the other end of the house…
You’re lying in your bed. All alone. Desperately waiting for your eyes to accustom to the dark you hear it – a soft, scratching noise – and it seems to be coming from under the bed. It lasts only a moment before it stops. You wonder if you were hearing things, and you’re so desperate for the darkness to lighten you forget to blink. The blackness seems to swirl around you, cloaking you in a thick, black fog through which no light can penetrate. Suddenly it’s there again, only this time the scratching seems closer. And louder. It seems to last a bit longer this time. So you hold your breath, because that darkness doesn’t seem to be lifting. You’ve lost the sense of sight, so by not breathing you hope to hear the sound more clearly, and identify its location…
The description above relies on the complete absence of the sense of sight. This is where fear comes in and can play a major descriptive role – in this case blind fear. To compensate for loss of sight the sense of hearing becomes more acute, so the writer can introduce other horror-inducing thoughts and impressions. Where is the sound coming from? How close is it? Will I be able to feel it if it decides to climb on the bed? When will my eyes get used to the darkness? Should I start panicking now? If I get out of bed will it jump on top of me?
Touch
This sense conjures up description of things most us will probably try to never touch, like slime, frogs and warty skin. All these items are perfect for the horror/scary genre, but writers can also take the more ordinary touch phobias and use those items to horrific effect. Some people cannot bear to touch velvet, while others are terrified of touching paper. Still others find their skin crawls when they encounter cotton wool…
Opening the wooden box in the hotel bathroom, she recoiled in horror. Nestling quietly in the bottom of the box, white and shining, was a cluster of cotton wall balls. She stepped back, collapsing on the side of the bath. The mere thought of feeling those soft fibres squeaking as the ball pressed against her skin was enough to induce goosebumps. She wrapped her arms around herself in a subconscious effort to protect her body from the fear she’d had her entire life. Just thinking about cotton balls made her skin crawl. She moaned quietly, remembering the silent noise they emitted when squeezed; a noise that seemed to pass right through her skin. Through her panic she wondered if she’d remember to pack her facial sponges…
Descriptions of this particular sense can been embellished with the use of physical reactions to feeling certain items; goosebumps, stepping away from the source of horror, collapsing with fear, subconscious act of defence (hugging the body) and a noise of fear (moaning). All these reactions add to the reader’s imagination, while adding to the picture your words are “painting”.
Smell
Bad smells in the horror/scary genre usually mean something bad is about to happen or has already happened. The smell of rotting or burning flesh is probably the most common description applicable to this genre, and the description of the smell can also be used to indicate how the death occurred. Bad household smells range from two week old pizza languishing in the refrigerator to potatoes burning in a pot on the stove. Adjectives include: smelly, reeking, fetid, malodorous, rank, putrid and noxious.
As she applied the finishing touches to the client’s hair, a sharp smell suddenly assaulted her nostrils. It was a smell she hated and dreaded, because it was an odour so terrible the memory remained burned into the subconscious forever. She froze as the acrid stench filled the air, assaulting her nostrils and her throat with its foul flavour. An instant later her salon filled with gasps and shrieks of horror. She turned towards the three ladies seated underneath the dryers. Mrs Hamilton and Mrs Edgar had managed to wriggle out from underneath their dryers, but poor Mrs Smith was unable to move. One of the pins from her rollers had obviously caught in the dryer, and ignited her hair. Smoke was seeping out of the top of the machine, which had started to spark. Placing her hand over her mouth and nose in a attempt to banish the malodorous scent she started to move towards Mrs Smith, who screamed as flames began flickering out of the dryer…”
Taste
Most, if not all of us, have an aversion to a certain food. We don’t like to eat it and the taste of it makes us feel sick. Perhaps the mere thought of tasting it is enough to induce some horrible thoughts and feelings.
The candlelight caught the designs on the wineglass, casting a dark crimson glow on the table. He lifted the glass to his lips, the rich musky flavour of the cabernet sauvignon still drifting over his taste buds. At the first sip of the wine he almost choked. There was obviously something wrong with this new bottle of wine, for the liquid in his mouth had a bitter, sour taste. Although the consistency was the same as the previous glass, there was an acidic flavour he could not identify… although it seemed vaguely familiar. He swirled the liquid around in his mouth before swallowing it. It seemed to sting his tongue and burn the roof of his mouth, and when he swallowed the acrid liquid his throat tingled. Suppressing the urge to cough he reached for the glass of water next to his plate and took a sip. As the cool water cleansed the tart taste from his palate his hostess lifted the bottle he’d used to fill his wineglass… and poured balsamic vinegar over her plate of salad.
Writers have a magnitude of adjectives at their disposal when describing the horror of tasting unappetising food. These include: pungent, sour, acrid, bitter, fetid, stinking, putrid, decaying, rancid, reek, stale and bad.
Real life can be far more fascinating than fiction, and using our senses in our writing proves this truth. So the next time you sit down in front of your keyboard tap in to those five senses, and see just how they can colour your words!
Antiques – Wood Basics
Oak, mahogany, walnut, pine, rosewood, maple, elm; you may have some or all of these woods in your home. But, do you know how to tell the difference among them? In this month’s column, we’ll talk about the different kinds of wood that are regularly seen in antique furniture and some common decorative treatments.
The Basics
Wood is hard or soft. When I say hard, I mean that the wood is dense, whereas, a soft wood is supple. A good trick to tell the difference between hard and soft wood is that if you press your fingernail into a soft wood such as pine, it leaves an indentation. But, this does not happen with a hard wood such as oak.
Wood is coarse-grain or close-grain. In coarse-grain wood, the age rings in the wood are far a part, giving it an uneven appearance. In close-grain woods, the age rings in the wood are very close together, giving it a smooth, delicate appearance.
Sometimes, wood is stained. Lighter woods such as oak, elm and maple can be stained to resemble a darker mahogany or rosewood.
Some woods (mahogany, rosewood, burl walnut) are perceived to be more valuable than other woods (elm, maple, spruce). The reason for this is availability. Woods that need to be imported are more expensive than home-grown woods. Woods that are abundant are not as expensive as woods that are scarce.
Oak
Oak is a coarse-grain hard wood found in Europe and North America. Starting in 17th century Europe, oak was used to make furniture found throughout the home. There are several varieties including red oak and white oak. Young oak is pale in color. But, over time and with polishing, oak darkens into a rich brown color.
Mahogany
Mahogany is a close-grain hard wood native to northern and central South America and the West Indies. Mahogany was a popular choice in England during the mid-18th century for fine furniture making. It is a dark red color sometimes, however, it is dark brown. Red mahogany is found in the West Indies and brown mahogany is native to South America. Mahogany furniture continues to be desirable today.
Rosewood
Rosewood is a close-grain hard wood indigenous to India, South America and the West Indies. Rosewood is named for the rose scent that releases when it is cut. Occasionally, I find that people confuse rosewood and mahogany. Both woods can be red in color. However, when you look closely at rosewood, you’ll see fine black (and sometimes white) rings that are not present in mahogany. Another trick to tell if an item is rosewood is to pick it up. Rosewood is a very heavy wood, heavier than mahogany. In the 17th century China, rosewood was a popular choice for fine furniture makers. As well, in 19th century Europe, it was used to construct better-quality furniture for fine homes.
Walnut
Walnut is close-grain hard wood found in Europe and North America. The color varies from light to a very rich golden brown color and it is not uncommon to find walnut stained to look like mahogany. Sometimes, disease leads to the unexpected. Burl walnut, the most prized form of walnut, results from a disease that attacks the tree causing a beautiful scrolled, close-grain. These days you see the look of burl walnut replicated in the plastic interiors of some higher end cars.
Pine
Pine is a pale, knotted soft wood with a wide, straight grain. It grows in Europe and North America. Pine was often used in furniture intended to be painted. Everyday furniture – kitchen tables and chairs -were often made from pine.
Maple & Elm
Maple and elm are coarse-grain hard woods found in North America and Europe. They were frequently used in utilitarian furniture. Often a veneer of a finer wood was applied to these woods.
Veneers
Veneering is a technique where a very thin sheet of a more expensive wood is glued to a less expensive wood. Using less expensive woods such as elm and maple and adding a more expensive mahogany or walnut veneer allowed furniture makers to provide furniture that was affordable for a larger clientele. You may hear an antique dealer say; “This table is walnut on maple.” The dealer means that the item has a walnut veneer and underneath the actual item is maple. A walnut on maple table is less valuable than a solid walnut table.
How do you tell if your furniture is veneered? Look at the edges of the piece. If you see what appears to be a seam, it is veneered. On the other hand, if the edges of the piece are seamless, it is solid.
Early veneers from the 17th century were hand-cut, so they could be uneven. But, in the 19th century veneers started to be cut by machine. This allowed the veneers to be cut very thin and even. Depending on the way the wood is cut, veneering produces different effects. Butterfly veneering occurs when two opposing end grain veneers are diagonally cut from a branch. They are applied to mirror each other.
Marquetry/Parquetry/Inlay
Marquetry is a technique where various kinds of wood are applied to a surface to produce a picture. Flowers and birds were often the subjects. Exotic woods such as ebony, satinwood and tulipwood were frequently employed.
The difference between marquetry and parquetry is the subject matter. Parquetry is a veneer that uses geometric patterns. Nowadays, you see it in parquet hardwood floors and ornate chess and backgammon boards.
Inlay is a decorative treatment where materials other than wood are cut into a design. Inlays were often made of bone, ivory, mother of pearl, brass, tortoise shell. Marquetry, parquetry and inlay first appeared during the Italian Renaissance.
Gilding
Gilding is a technique wherein gold leaf is applied with gesso (a plaster-like substance) to wood. It is highly decorative and was popular during the Italian Renaissance and the Louis period in France.
Dual Pane Window Glass Repair
For the past few weeks, I have been explaining how to repair a broken window pane in your home. But, what if you have dual pane windows? Is the process the same? Well, pretty much, except for a couple of variations. So, let’s review the single pane repair process, and I will point out the differences regarding dual pane windows.
When we start talking about dual pane windows, one of the first things that comes to mind is vinyl window frames instead of aluminum. When dealing with dual pane windows, you can have either aluminum or vinyl frames, depending on the year the house was built. Dual pane glass got popular in the 1980′s, but vinyl frames didn’t really catch on until the 1990′s. So, if your house is less than 10 years old, chances are you have vinyl framed windows. In either case, I will discuss the differences. Let’s say you have a sliding aluminum frame window with dual pane glass. The procedure for removing the frame from the opening and the glass from the sash is the same as with the single pane windows.
The differences are, first, the glass goes into the frame about twice as far as the single pane window. The single pane window glass went 1/4″ into the surrounding rubber. The dual pane usually goes 1/2″ into the rubber. So, if both pieces of glass have been broken, you are going to have to order a new IGU (Insulated Glass Unit) from the local glass shop. They are going to want to know the width, height, overall thickness, and possibly the individual glass thickness. The best way to get the dimensions is to measure the width and height from rubber to rubber, write those numbers down. Then, remove the panel from the opening and place it on a table like we did with the single pane window. Remove the screws from opposite corners and pull of the frame. You will be able to see how far the glass goes into the surrounding rubber. If it’s 1/2″, then you want to add 1″ to the width and height that you measured previously (1/2″ times two sides= 1″). Then, measure the overall thickness of the unit by removing the rubber from the glass edge.
Typically, this dimension is 1/2″, but not always. There is a metal spacer that divides the two panes of glass. Make a note of the color so you can request the same color in the new IGU. It’s either going to be silver or bronze. If you want to get the same size spacer you need to give the glass shop the thickness of each piece of glass in the IGU. If the old unit has 1/8″ glass on both sides, and the overall thickness of the unit is 1/2″, then they will use a 1/4″ spacer. If the glass is 3/32″ on both sides, they will use a 5/16″ spacer. If you don’t care about matching the spacer thickness, you can request the thicker 1/8″ glass, and they will automatically use a 1/4″ spacer.
When you get the new IGU home, the installation is the same as the single pane window. Now, what if only one side of the IGU has been broken? Many times the outer pane will break, but the inside pane is fine. You can order a whole new IGU Like we just did, or, if you’re the adventurous type, you can order only the single pane of glass that was broken and replace it. I’m going to explain how to do it, then i’m going to tell you the things that can go wrong. After you have the window pane on the table with the surrounding frame removed, you will see a black rubber type substance around the edge where the spacer is applied. This is a butyl sealant, and you have to separate the broken glass from this butyl. The best way to do it is to take a utility knife with a new blade and break through the butyl where it meets the broken glass. Then, take a new hacksaw blade, and push it into the area where you sparated the butyl from the glass. You don’t want the hacksaw blade to be attached to a hacksaw. Using your hand, saw back and forth as you work your way around the edge of the glass. This should allow you to remove the glass.
Once that’s done, lay rags on top of the good piece of glass to catch any debris, and scrape the surface of the spacer that will be contacting the new glass. Use a putty knife. Then, remove the rags and debris. When you are ready to put the new glass on, clean the inside of the good piece of glass that you didn’t remove. Remember, once you install the new glass, any debris or finger marks on the inside will be permanently sealed. So, clean it real good and check it from all angles. Do the same to the side of the new glass that will be going to the inside of the IGU. Then, run a thin bead of clear silicone around the entire perimeter of the spacer. Set your new glass on the spacer and use finger pressure to adhere the glass to the silicone all the way around.Then, come in from the side, and run silicone around the side where the glass and spacer meet. Cover the window opening with something for 24 hours. You do not want to touch the IGU for 24 hours. The silicone needs to cure. After 24 hours, you can assemble the unit and install it back into the opening.
There are a couple of things that can go wrong. The first one is leaving marks on the inside portion of the glass. Once you seal the glass, you cannot clean what’s between the panes. The other thing involves condensation between the panes. If you have even the slightest break in the silicone seal around the glass, chances are you will beging to see moisture form as soon as the nights get cold and the days get warm. You are going to have to decide if you are confident enough in your ability to do the job right, or if it’s better to pay the extra money to have it done for you. Just because you pay someone to do it, doesn’t mean you still won’t encounter the same problems. The difference is, they have to guarantee their IGU for a minimum of 1 year. I have received many units over the years that had marks in between the glass. The beauty of it is the manufacturer can’t dispute it, because there’s no way anyone else could have done it except them.
OK, what if the window frames are vinyl instead of aluminum? Well, the main difference is the glass in a vinyl window no longer has the rubber gasket around the edge. You dont remove the opposite corner screws and separate the frame from the glass. What they do is put either silicone or a two sided tape on the lip of the frame where the glass rests. That’s what holds the glass in the frame, then they apply a snap in stop on all four sides of the glass. So, you have to remove the stops first, then turn over the panel and break the seal holding the glass to the frame using a utility knife. Wear gloves during this procedure. If only one side of the IGU is broken, don’t even think about repairing just the one side. You will never get that IGU out of the frame without breaking the other piece of glass in the process. But, on the positive side, you can remove the stops without taking the panel out if it’s a slider. You can then measure the dimensions of the glass, and order the new IGU. That way you eliminate any need to temporarily cover up your window. The same is true for the stationary portion of a slider, or a picture window. Before you install the new IGU, be sure and clean the lip that had the tape or silicone, and apply either silicone or tape. Either will work.
You will discover that replacing an IGU in an aluminum frame window is a whole lot easier than a vinyl window. But, in either case, you can do it yourself and save a few bucks.