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Everyone, both human and canine, deserves to be safe and comfortable at home. The inside of a home must be cozy and safe for everyone who lives there, but it’s just as important that the deck and yard are safe and welcoming. Any dog owner should take careful stock of their outdoor space and plan how to make sure their dog will be safe and comfortable while outside. Get a Fence Homes with yards and dogs should have a fence. What type of fence the homeowner chooses to put up depends on the character of the neighborhood and the size and personality of the dog. Wood, brick, iron, vinyl, and chain-link are all options. Larger dogs need higher fences to…

Wood-turning is the art of using a lathe to shape blocks of wood, and it’s a hobby enjoyed by people of all ages. The most important thing when learning wood-turning is to focus on mastering the basics of the craft. Wood-turning is a very safe hobby for people who learn good techniques and follow basic safety guidelines. Sharp Tools Are Safe Tools Dull tools are far more dangerous than tools that are carefully sharpened and well-maintained. Lathe tools, chisels, gouges, scrapers, and other tools cut much cleaner and don’t tend to gouge the wood (or your hands) when they’re sharp. Anyone interested in learning wood-turning needs to know how to sharpen their tools. A bench grinder or wet sharpener should…

Simple woodworking projects are always satisfying because they generally don’t take long and you end up with a useful product. Building simple projects with your kids is even better because you can introduce them to the safe use of tools, woodworking concepts, and how things are made. Kids who start woodworking early can get an appreciation for what it takes to make things by hand, and they’ll have a start on lifelong skills that will serve them well. Kids who know how to use saws, drills, paint, and wood glue will be able to tackle DIY projects later in life with confidence. Best of all, woodworking projects can help kids feel like they accomplished something with their weekend or summer…

The importance of trees to our ecosystem cannot be overstated. As prodigious producers of oxygen, trees contribute to our environment’s ability to sustain animal life. Over the years, people have found many other uses for trees, including shade, recreation, and ornamentation. And of course, we also use their wood to build homes and furniture. One way to start becoming proficient at spotting different types of trees is to use dichotomous keys, or features that split the population in two. A common dichotomous key for trees is deciduous vs. coniferous. Deciduous trees produce leaves in the spring, which they lose in autumn and winter. Coniferous (cone-bearing) trees, on the other hand, maintain their needles year-round. You can narrow down your search…

Weather plays a big role in people’s lives. It affects everything from if they will be able to play sports outside that day to how well the food they eat grows and even if they will be safe in their homes. Many different elements make up the weather, from the amount of moisture in the air to the pressure of the air pushing down on where you live. Weather is different from climate: The weather is what happens on a certain day, while climate describes the conditions in one place over a long period of time. There are also lots of other words that people use to talk about how weather works and how it affects people’s lives.

Woodturning is a type of woodworking. Woodturning is different than other types of woodworking, where the wood being altered remains stationary. In woodturning, the wood turns around the stationary tool. There are two main types of woodturning, known as faceplate turning and spindle. The difference? Mainly it comes down to the direction of the grain of the wood in relation to the axis of the lathe. The lathe is the main tool used in woodturning. Many beautiful things can be made with the craft, including bowls, bracelets, pens, goblets, and flowerpots. Getting Started Beginners can start woodturning after acquiring only three things: 1) a lathe (small or large), 2) some wood shaping tools, and 3) something to sharpen the tools…

Your backyard deck is an extension of your home, so you should give it the attention it deserves when it comes to decorating. There are many ways to make your deck so comfortable and inviting that you’ll want to spend all of your spare time outdoors. Get creative with your decorating techniques to make an area where you can gather with friends and family to dine and relax. Check out these resources for ideas to spice up your backyard deck space. 30 Ideas to Dress Up Your Deck: Choose furniture that’s designed for outdoor conditions yet is comfortable and in harmony with the outdoor space. 50 Inspiring Decor Tips to Make Your Patio the Outdoor Area You’ve Always Wanted: Add…

There is only one Earth for humans and animals to live on, so we have to take care of it responsibly. Earth has an abundance of natural resources, but many of these resources are nonrenewable. Without careful management of natural resources, future generations may not have access to materials such as wood from trees. Environmental conservation in general is the process of protecting the environment to prevent human activities from harming natural ecosystems. Anything we can do to preserve and protect the Earth and conserve natural resources falls under the umbrella of environmental conservation. Tree conservation is the process of protecting and conserving trees to ensure that they continue to thrive. Deforestation is one issue that threatens the environment due…

It’s always fun to be a good helper, whether you’re helping out your family at home or helping your teacher or classmates at school. It also makes you feel good when you finish something that you’ve worked hard on. It’s nice to see your effort turn into something, and even if the results weren’t perfect, you can feel good that you stuck with it and finished it. One way that you can make things and be helpful to others is by taking up woodworking. Woodworking is the hobby of making things out of wood. When you make things out of wood, you can be creative, and when you’re done, you can give someone the thing you’ve made as a gift.…

Wood Stain Guide for Beginners Wood stains are coatings that can be applied to any type of wood, whether it be furniture, a deck, floors, moldings, or any other sort of project. These stains can change the look of the wood’s natural grain while also keeping the surface of the wood safe. Stain can be easy to work with, but it’s important to follow the instructions to ensure that you get the best possible result and stay safe while working with this potentially hazardous substance. Step One: Choose a Stain Choosing a wood stain is an important first step. You’ll want to think about the type of wood you’ll be staining: There are multiple different types of wood with different…

No matter where you go, you’re always surrounded by weather. Sunny days, snow, rain, and even the temperature are all part of the weather around you. The scientists who study what the weather is and what the weather might be in the future are called meteorologists. But if you’re curious about the weather and want to know more, you don’t have to become a scientist to start! You can learn with games, activities, and worksheets that can teach you more about how weather works and what to expect from the weather and climate. Facts About Weather for Kids This page from DK Find Out goes over what causes weather and the different types of weather, and you can even quiz…

During 2020, fire departments responded to a fire every 23 seconds in the United States. Around 3,500 people (not counting firefighters) died because of fire-related injuries, while 15,200 injuries relating to fires were reported. The total property damage was estimated at almost $22 billion in that one year alone. Understanding how to prevent a fire and how to prepare in case a fire does break out is important in order to reduce the number of deaths and injuries, as well as to prevent property loss and other financial damages. Very young children, the elderly, and people who are impaired by alcohol are at the greatest risk of injury or death during a fire. Pets often come to harm during a fire, too.…