When Bigger Isn't Better

  

Hey Appliance Fans,

28 cubic feet of capacity. 29 cubic feet of capacity. 30 cubic feet of capacity. 31 cubic feet of capacity. Do you know where I’m going with this? Yup. I’m talking about refrigerators; specifically large capacity refrigerators. The reason I’m bringing this up is because consumers don’t realize just how big these units are until they get them in their home. Today’s topic is going to be about these behemoth appliances. I certainly don’t want to talk you out of purchasing a refrigerator this size, but I want to make you fully aware of what you’re getting yourself into.

(Large integrated refrigerator - concealed look)

 Bigger Is Better

As Americans, we assume this to be true on a daily basis. If bigger wasn’t better, Costco, BJ’s, and Sam’s Club wouldn’t exist. I absolutely want a fifty pound jar of beef jerky and a five gallon vat of relish!  Of course bigger isn’t always better when we’re talking about refrigerators and let’s list some reasons why:

1. It doesn’t fit in your cabinetry giving you the look you want

2. It blocks a pathway or work flow in the kitchen

3. It won’t fit into your home

There’s no question that 28-31 cubic feet of capacity is enormous and will store lots of food. Do you really need that much room? Most likely not if you’re a family of two or three. If you have a few teenage boys that eat their weight every two hours, then maybe you do need something with a larger capacity. I want you to think about what’s in the back of your refrigerator right now. Go ahead. You probably don’t know what’s back there, do you? Whatever is back there is probably more like a science experiment than a late-night snack. My point is don’t be seduced by a bigger size refrigerator. Try and figure out how much capacity your current refrigerator has now and determine if that capacity works for you or not. If it does, why would you get a bigger unit?

It Won’t Fit Into Your Cabinetry

This isn’t entirely true. As long as you have enough width and enough height in the cabinet cutout, then the unit will fit. What people don’t realize is how deep these units actually are. Adding depth is how manufacturers achieve super-large capacities. If you want a particular look of an almost flush install with your cabinetry, these models are NOT for you. I repeat: these models are not for you. If you want a flusher look, get a counter-depth unit. In fact, we just put a 29 cubic foot GE Profile into cabinetry on our showroom floor to give customers a visual of what to expect:

It Blocks a Pathway or Work Flow In Your Kitchen

I’m piggybacking off of the whole won’t-fit-into-your-cabinetry idea. Before you purchase one of these babies, take note of where its final resting place is. For example, do you have an island right in front of the refrigerator that might impede traffic flow with the added depth of the unit? Because these refrigerators stick out more, ask yourself:

“Will it get in the way of an entrance into/out of the kitchen?”

“Will this unit disrupt traffic flow if more than one person is cooking or interrupt the general traffic flow inside the kitchen?”

The added depth may or may not affect your kitchen or cooking habits, but certainly double check.

It Won’t Fit Into Your Home

Because of their depth, I can almost guarantee that our drivers will have to remove the refrigerator doors just to be able to fit these units through your front door; however, there’s only so much we can do on our end. It’s important to measure not just the final destination of the appliance, but also the pathway our drivers need to use to get the refrigerator in place. If you live in an older house, this could be even more important as doorways and hallways were narrower than they are now. You might be dreaming of a refrigerator that can fit an elk, but we might not even be able to get the unit into your house let alone the kitchen. *

*Legal is requiring me to mention that I have not tested to see if an elk will fit in a large refrigerator. I’ve used a literary device called hyperbole and I wasn't so extreme as to reference a moose; so back off.

We’re coming to a close for this week’s post, but remember these things before you purchase a large capacity refrigerator:

1. Measure. Will it fit in the desired area? Will it fit through hallways and doors that lead to the desired install location?

2. Will the depth of the unit affect any traffic/work flow in your kitchen?

3. Will the refrigerator even fit through the front (or back) door?

Tip: Having problems visualizing how much one of these refrigerators will stick out of your cabinetry? Place a yardstick against the wall where the unit will rest and take note of where the yardstick ends. Though there’s not one depth for all of these units, guesstimating a 36” depth is a good guide go off of for a general idea of what you’re getting into.

Tip: Before buying any appliance look at it in a showroom and look at several different photos of it installed.  Try to find real installations and not just the manufacturer's promotional photos. Just search the internet for photos of the exact appliance you want.

That’s all for this week, appliance fans. Until next time, America!

For a “different” take on the appliance industry, check out: www.kieffersblog.com

For more information or to schedule an appliance appointment in our showroom, contact:


Nanette Law
Nanette@kieffers.com

Kieffer's Appliances
785 Sumneytown Pike
Lansdale, PA 19446
267-340-5774
www.kieffers.com

Superior Woodcraft is a local custom cabinet maker from Doylestown, Pa - the heart of Bucks County.

Source:
Superior Woodcraft, Inc.
Superior Woodcraft Blog

FINISH TIPS & SUGGESTIONS FOR WOOD FLOORS - PART 2 - FINISH PREFERENCE

SITE FINISH OR PREFINISHED?

The decision to finish your floors on site or in advance will really depend on what type of look you want to create. But lets look at the general pro’s and con’s of each.

1. Site Finish

When you site finish a floor you want to expect your job site to be down for several days or week, depending on how big your job is. You do not want anyone else, but your finisher working in your home during this time. You need to keep the floor as clean as possible. When you finish your floors on site it important to have all your heating, air conditioning or other central air systems installed and running. This will help with the dry time of the finish.

When you finish on site your installer should make several samples of flooring for your approval, hopefully in large sections. Keep in mind that a small 12x12 sample is not going to represent 1000 SF, so keep an open mind that there will be some variation. The color of the stain can also be impacted by several variables:

• Did the installer user a cleaner prior to staining

• Did the installer use a wood conditioner

• How is the stain being applied – by hand, spray on, or applicator

• Was the floor sanded

• Are multiple people applying the stain

• What are the environmental conditions during the finish application – if its humid stain can dry slowly, if its cold or dry air the stain dries quickly – which isn’t always a good thing.

2. Prefinished

There are some great advantages to having your floors finished in advance.

• Don’t worry about what the floor will look like after the finishing process, you already know when the flooring arrives.

• You don’t have the shut down your job site to finish your floors

• You don’t need to hire a custom finisher to finish your floors, just a good craftsman to install them

• No sanding required on site, saving time, money and some mess

If you are considering a Prefinished floor please keep in mind that not all Prefinished flooring is created equal. In fact, a majority of prefinished floors are mass produced and finished with Aluminum Oxide. One of the biggest misconceptions is that Aluminum Oxide is the hardest finish, and therefore it must be the best, as many of these floors have a 25-50 year warranty. Unfortunately those warranties don’t really protect against the floor getting scratches and scuff marks, which will cause it to become very unattractive over time. What you also don’t hear is that very few of these floors can be touched up over the years. So when you are tired of your floors looking unattractive you either deal with the diminished appearance or suffer the high cost of replacement.

There are some floors that are NOT finished with Aluminum Oxide, for example read more about the Carlisle Custom Coat Process – all the convenience of prefinished with the beauty, durability and ease of maintenance of a site finished floor.

No matter what finish you are using, and what finish preference you decide on, this is an important decision. Take the time to look at samples, and understand the advantages of the products you are considering. Most importantly understand that one small sample will not represent an entire floor, just use it as a guide. Find the right flooring company who can walk you through your options, explain their finish choices and provide you with the best solutions. Then make sure you work with an installer who worries about quality not quantity, and will take the time to help you achieve your vision.

Contributed by Shanon Sterrett of Carlisle Wide Plank Floors

Carlisle Wide Plank Floors is the premier supplier of luxury solid and engineered wood flooring for residential and commercial projects all around the United States and around the world. Our personalized shopping experience and hands-on support from an experience wide plank specialist assist clients all over the world with wood flooring selections from a variety of species, finishes, and for a variety of applications.

Contact Information:
Web: www.wideplankflooring.com
Phone: 800.595.9663
Showroom/Local Rep Locations

Finish Tips & Suggestions for Wood Floors

  

So the time has come, you know exactly what type of wood floor you want to use in your new home, but now there is more hurdle to overcome – what type of finish to use to seal and protect it for the long road ahead.


As with most things you’ve selected for your home, there are many options to choose from, and multiple opinions depending on who you ask. And once you’ve made your decision you also need to decide whether to have your floors finished on site, or to have them finished before the floors ship – if that option is available.

Today we will look at the top 4 finish options, and evaluate the pros and cons of site finish versus prefinished, to help you can make an informed decision.

TOP 4 FINISH OPTIONS

1. Wood Floors Stains

If you want to adjust the natural color of the wood to create a certain look, then a wood floor stain is the best way to do that. They are available from a variety of manufacturers including Minwax, and Sherwin Williams and they come in a variety of colors.

Most stains today are made as water-based stains to comply with environmental regulations, and some

companies produce “hybrid” stains which are a combination of water and oil.

Because of the use of water-based stains, it can be a challenge to create very dark tones, unless you have a stain that is crafted with more pigment. Stains that use more pigment are going to be slightly more expensive, but they will give you a richer look. This is especially important if you are going for a very dark floor.

When choosing a stain keep in mind that you want to see multiple samples both of the flooring for color selection, and also on the floor, prior to finishing your entire floor. And because stains only add color, they don’t protect or seal the floor, it is important to see samples with the sealer applied as well. This can dramatically change the final color – either for good or bad – depending on the look you want to create. I normally recommend that the installer finish a small closet or pantry prior to completing the entire floor to ensure that the customer has the full “picture” of what the floor will look like.

And once you approve a color sample, hold onto it so your installer can use it as a guide when they are creating your floor. It is a good idea to store the sample in a dark closet or cover it so sunlight doesn't alter the color.  Some woods are highly photosensative to UV light, which will change appearance of the color.

2. Polyurethane

Generally speaking there are two types of polyurethanes to choose from – water based and oil based. Polyurethane, as a floor finish is a hard, durable sealer. Water based finishes will protect the floor without adding color or significantly changing the overall tone of the floor. Oil based finishes will give the floor more of an “oiled” look but this can yellow over time. If you are going for a white, light or very dark look, oil based polyurethanes may not be the best sealer because it will eventually yellow and diminish the original design of the floor.

Be sure to understand the touch up process for the poly that you are considering. While Poly is a very hard and durable finish, that doesn’t mean it will not scratch over time. You want to be able to touch up the finish over the years, ideally without having to sand and refinish the entire floor.

Poly comes in a variety of sheens, this determines how dull or shiny your floor will be. High Gloss will be very shiny. Satin is the most popular when it comes to wood floors unless you are deliberately going for an unfinished look then a Matte or Extra Matte finish is the best choice. Keep in mind that the sheen level for finishes is diminished with the use of “dulling agents” usually a wax of some kind. So the less shiny you go the more dulling agents are added to the finish. This can create a cloudy build up on the floor. In some flooring designs, like dark Walnut floors, this can actually make the floor lighter, which you may not want.

If you are looking for a good, high quality Polyurethane for your project visit www.loba-wakol.com.

3. One Coat Color and Oil

In the last several years we have seen products like Woca and Rubio MonoCoat emerge as one coat finish applications. These have spawned an era of unfinished, waxed and driftwood looks, that are very popular in the design community.

These finishes often allow you to create color and add a sealer to the floor all in one step. While this sounds good, and some of their looks are very appealing, some of these products can be very unpredictable. What might look good on one small sample may not replicate over 1000 square feet. The final color of these finishes varies depending on how much “heartwood” is in the board, how much vertical grain the board has, or even how it is milled. It is so important to test large areas of flooring to completely understand what the finish will look like. It is also important to understand that these finishes may look perfect on day 1, they can alter over time. So your floor may not look exactly the same in a year, or 5 years. This is due to changes in the wood underneath, and in the finish themselves. For example, White Oak can actually darken over time so this will alter the look of the finish on top.

These types of finishes may also require a different maintenance routine due to the way the finishes are formulated. For example, Rubio products require you to wait 7-21 days prior to getting any water or stains on the floor, as this is how long it takes for the finish to actually cure.

4. Tung Oil

Tung Oil is the most traditional flooring finish, aside from 100% wax or linseed oil (which I would not recommend). It is considered a “softer” finish which makes it is not as hard of a finish (at first) as Polyurethane, but it has many advantages, depending on the look you want to create, and the wood you are using.

(Birch with Tung Oil)

 

Tung Oil floors is especially great for Pine floors because it gives the floor such an authentic hand-oiled look. It also works great on Reclaimed floors  which are hundreds of years old and are very dry. The Oil restores moisturizer back into the wood for a more beautiful look. It also looks beautiful on hardwood floors, especially Walnut, Birch and Cherry ,when you want to accentuate the beautiful natural colors.

(Cherry With Tung Oil)

Tung Oil is one of the easiest finishes to touch up, but it does have a very strong odor to it. If you are considering Tung Oil do not use 100% Tung Oil for your floor, as it will never dry and you will have a big problem on your hands.

(Eastern White Pine with Tung Oil)

If you are looking for a good Tung Oil visit www.waterlox.com.

Stay tuned for Finish Tips & Suggestions - Part 2 - FINISH PREFERENCE.


Contributed by Shanon Sterrett of Carlisle Wide Plank Floors

Carlisle Wide Plank Floors is the premier supplier of luxury solid and engineered wood flooring for residential and commercial projects all around the United States and around the world. Our personalized shopping experience and hands-on support from an experience wide plank specialist assist clients all over the world with wood flooring selections from a variety of species, finishes, and for a variety of applications.

Contact Information:
Web: www.wideplankflooring.com
Phone: 800.595.9663
Locations: Showroom/Local Rep

Superior Woodcraft is a local custom cabinet maker from Doylestown, Pa - the heart of Bucks County.


Source:
Superior Woodcraft, Inc.
Superior Woodcraft Blog

Superior Woodcraft Assists Deserving Decor

This Saturday, May 18th, Superior Woodcraft is opening its doors for volunteers from Deserving Décor. Volunteers will be using spaced donated by Superior Woodcraft to refurbish home furnishings to be used in homeless shelter makeovers. Superior Woodcraft is please to help these volunteers who serve our community.


Deserving Decor is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization of community volunteers who donate their time, passion and talent to clean, furnish and decorate transitional homeless shelters for families in Bucks County, PA – using community donated funding, furnishings, household goods and home decor.

The 58 transitional homeless shelter apartments and houses are provided by our partners Bucks County Housing Group and Keystone Opportunity Center.

Services: Homeless shelter makeovers by cleaning, furnishing and decorating transitional homeless shelter apartments and houses. Just-in-time provision of furniture and household goods to recently housed families transitioning from homeless and domestic violence shelters to permanent housing. Advocating and educating on behalf of women and children living in homeless and domestic violence shelters.

Recycling: Deserving Decor is a green organization. We recycle, re-purpose and refashion donated furnishings and home decor for our homeless shelter makeover projects. Recycling prevents wood, textiles, glass, metal and other materials from going to overcrowded landfills and provides for families in need.

Support: We can’t do it without you! We need volunteers, donors and sponsors to enable us to provide our services to our partners.

Check out Deserving Décor to see how you can assist.

Buy Local - Just One Example of How Your Dollars Stay in Your Local Community

Superior Woodcraft is a local custom cabinet maker from Doylestown, Pa - the heart of Bucks County.


Source:
Superior Woodcraft, Inc.
Superior Woodcraft Blog

IT'S GETTING STEAMY IN THE KITCHEN

You already know my job is fun. And sometimes I get asked to do something a bit off the grid-like test the new Thermador Steam Oven-so I went full steam ahead (ha, ha, get it?) and spent the day cooking in the showroom. The staff was groaning by the time the last food was brought to the offices. Not that it was so good-just that there was so much of it. The challenging part about this testing was that I could not prep anything, it had to be food bought “off the shelf” from one of the two local supermarkets and I couldn’t do anything ‘cheffy” to it. So buy it and go cook it-how most people feed themselves every day.


So with my $100 clutched in my hot little hand, this little piggy went to market. I bought fresh in-the-bag veggies, refrigerated and frozen ready to cook items and a few fresh raw products with bottled seasoning and went to work. I had used steam cabinets professionally and loved the results, but they were basically the size of a refrigerator on wheels, so they are a no go in any home kitchen I was familiar with. At home I do the ice cubes in the bottom of the oven and a spray bottle full of water thing and it works reasonably well, but I was itching to try a steam oven that fit into a 30” cabinet and was designed for home use. Many manufacturers are introducing a steam oven, so it must meet an unmet need-I was looking forward to finding out how it worked.

This steam oven will cook anything a regular oven will, as it has a straight convection mode, as well as a straight steam mode and a combo steam/convection mode in addition to a few other functions. However, it is the steam function that sets this oven apart and what I was interested in. You probably know bread

benefits from steam, developing a chewy crust and a soft interior with the help of the moist environment, but it also makes cooking fish fairly fool-proof (it’s forgiving in the easy-to-do dry fish department) and generally cooks beautifully without a drop of fat. For most things, you add fat, if you want, in the form of a sauce AFTER cooking, so you really are in control, especially if one person wants fat free/reduced and the other wants full fat food. A steam oven can REALLY contribute to an easy, healthy diet.

So basically after filling the water reservoir to feed the steam and preheating the oven, I was ready to cook. There are 3 levels with two pan slots each and 4 pans that come with the oven. There is a bit of a learning curve to use the product, but if you remember a few basic principles, it all comes clear: 1) steaming needs the pan with the holes, with the solid pan below to catch the condensation and food drips.2) baking needs the solid pan. 3) roasting needs the rack and the solid pan. Just as in boiling, dense vegetables, like carrots and potatoes will take longer than non-dense vegetables like eggplant.

Steam does not cook more quickly, it is meant to cook gently, so it rocks fish in particular. I cooked scallops, meatballs, pork tenderloin, asparagus, salmon, packaged biscuits, Cinnamon Rolls (see how yummy my rolls look), Apple Turnovers and break ‘n bake cookies and it did a fantastic job on all of them. I was particularly impressed with the frozen Goyza-cooked in 6 minutes with no sticking and no toughness. Meatballs came out juicy WITH NO ADDITIONAL FAT!! and I even poached an egg…what can I say, I was getting creative. But I was most impressed with the fish-this could really take the fear out of cooking fish for almost everyone. Healthy and easy-what more could you want? A nifty addition to the home kitchen. No, it does not do dishes.

-Chef Brenda Kieffer

For more information or to schedule an appliance appointment in our showroom, contact:
Nanette Law
Nanette@kieffers.com

Kieffer's Appliances
785 Sumneytown Pike
Lansdale, PA 19446
267-340-5774
www.kieffers.com

Superior Woodcraft is a local custom cabinet maker from Doylestown, Pa - the heart of Bucks County.


Source:
Superior Woodcraft, Inc.
Superior Woodcraft Blog



    

What to Expect with Interior Wood When Spring Humidty Rolls In

 

Relative Humidity, wood moisture content, expansion and contractor of wood - the cause of many problems with interior wood, but often times the situaton is misunderstoo or overlooked. 

Spring has finally arrived and you are excited to open the windows, air out the house and allow that warm moist spring air to come inside. It feels refreshing and energizing.


All of a sudden you start to see changes in your home. Your gaps in your wooden floors get smaller and your drawers and doors on wooden furniture are bit more snug....

....To control the expansion and contraction of wood, you want to establish moisture/humidity control in your home....

...The environmental protection agency recommends that homes maintain a relative humidity level between 30% and 50%.  The EPA recommends summer indoor temperatures range between 73 F and 80 F...

...Keeping a consistent temperature and relative humidity level will allow the wood’s moisture content to be stable and therefore your wood will be stable – no more (or a lot less) expansion and contraction. ...

Visit Carlisle Wide Plank Floors Blog to read more details about how to provide proper climate control in your home to help insure that your wood furnishings are protected and last for generations.

Superior Woodcraft is a local custom cabinet maker from Doylestown, Pa - the heart of Bucks County.


Source:
Superior Woodcraft, Inc.
Superior Woodcraft Blog

Superior Woodcraft Presents at Habitat for Humanity Women Build Fund Raiser

Women Build Shopping Boutique

Featuring 50 Vendors

Sponsored by Habitat Bucks

Saturday, April 27, 2013, 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM

First Annual…

Home-Design-Talk Event!!

presenting…

10:30 AM - Planning & Budgeting Your Home Design Project

presented by Patrick Kennedy, Superior Woodcraft www.superiorwoodcraft.com


11:15 AM - Fabrics, Window Coverings & Decorating Ideas From Start to Finish

presented by Lisa Shull, The Fabric Loft www.TheFabricLoftOnline.com


12:00 PM - Bathroom Beautiful; The Ins & Outs of a Bathroom Remodel

presented by Mary Lennon, Lennon’s Small Jobs www.LennonsSmallJobs.com


12:45 PM - Garden Design; Creating Your Own Piece of Paradise

presented by Steve Severson, Outside the Box Garden Design www.outsidetheboxlandscape.com

Both Events to be Held at:

Chalfont United Methodist Church

11 Meadowbrook Lane (@ 202), Chalfont, PA

Come Out to Support and Learn More About Women Build of Habitat Bucks

Shopping Boutique Will Be Held Indoors at the Church

Home-Design-Talk Event Will Be Held Outdoors Under the Canopies in the Church Parking Lot

$2.00 Donation at the Door – Children Under 12 Admitted Free

Food Available * Free Parking

Habitat for Humanity Of Bucks County
31 Oak Avenue

Chalfont PA 18914

215 822-2812

 www.habitatbucks.org

 Superior Woodcraft is a local custom cabinet maker from Doylestown, Pa - the heart of Bucks County.


Source:
Superior Woodcraft, Inc.
Superior Woodcraft Blog