You may even have driven past one of its unassuming brick-and-mortar locations, with its familiar yellow and black signage. Lumber Liquidators/LL Flooring is actually one of the busiest retailers of low-cost floor coverings and floor-related products. It’s not just solid hardwood flooring anymore. Now, Lumber Liquidators carries laminate flooring, ceramic tile, luxury vinyl flooring, and a wide range of flooring accessories and tools. What Is Lumber Liquidators/LL Flooring? Lumber Liquidators is a publicly-traded retailer of hard-surface flooring, with 413 locations and over 2,200 employees spread across 46 states....

This article explains what organic matter is, what differentiates it from organic material and fertilizer, and why organic matter is beneficial for soil productivity in many ways. What is Organic Matter? Generally speaking, organic matter comes from living materials that fix and store carbon and deliver it as a source of energy to the soil. More specifically, organic matter is divided into three types, depending on the time it takes for the organic matter to fully decompose....

For years, the word “varnish” has been used as a generalized term to describe many kinds of wood coatings, including shellac, lacquer, and polyurethane. However, though there are many different types, varnish is a specific product rather than a generic term or grouping of other types of products. Varnish vs. Polyurethane Types of Varnish Varnish got its start as a mixture of sap (resin) and alcohol (solvent). Nowadays, there are many different types of varnish that have been created to serve a variety of different purposes....

Size of Pool For starters, what type of pool do you have? Some styles, like infinity, are designed to be an elegant, peaceful body of water. A slide would look out of place. Or, if you have a long, narrow lap pool, a slide will defeat the purpose and probably wouldn’t pass regulations. Enlist the services of an experienced contractor to assist you in determining if your pool is big enough and deep enough for a slide....

The local codes may vary from location to location, but most are based on model codes that are created on a national or international level by committees or councils consisting of recognized trade professionals. One such organization is the International Code Council (ICC), an organization responsible for the International Building Code (IBC) and the International Residential Code (IRC). These codes govern commercial and residential building and remodeling practices, respectively, and are the basis for most local code regulations....

Height Adjustable You should be able to adjust the height of your office chair to your own height. For optimal comfort, you should be seated so that your thighs are horizontal to the floor. Look for a pneumatic adjustment lever to let you bring the seat higher up or lower. Look for Adjustable Backrests You should be able to position your backrest in a way that suits your task. If the backrest is attached to the seat you should be able to move it forward or backward....

Watts also matter when you’re choosing a light bulb to use in a fixture that has a maximum wattage limit or when you’re replacing one of the bulbs in a multi-bulb string, such as your Christmas tree lights. When Watts Don’t Matter When it comes to how much light you get from a light bulb, watts don’t matter. Light isn’t measured in watts. It’s measured in foot-candles or lumens. One foot-candle, as the name implies, is the equivalent of the light from one candle, measured at a distance of 1 foot from the center of the flame....

1. Charities Salvation Army and Goodwill are two of the most recognizable charities that take toy donations. But call your local branch before you go to confirm that it’s accepting toy donations. Such charities often give toys directly to less fortunate children, or they sell the toys and put the proceeds toward the organization’s efforts. Either way, the toys will be helping people in your community. As an extra incentive, you can donate toys to a qualifying charity or nonprofit group and deduct the items on your taxes....

Plants That Grow Well in Alkaline Soils The list below, from the Royal Horticulture Society, the UK’s leading gardening charity, is not exhaustive, but it gives you enough options to begin planning to landscape on ground that is alkaline. You will find perennials, vines, shrubs, trees, and annuals on the list. A plant’s inclusion on this list does not necessarily mean that it needs or prefers to grow in an alkaline soil (although it might), only that it will, at the very least, tolerate alkalinity:...

I love that these baskets appear high end but are available at a manageable price point. So often, I fall in love with woven baskets while browsing Pinterest or shopping online, only to find that they retail for $50 or so each, particularly if they feature a lid. And that brings me to my next point, which is that baskets with lids are a total game changer. I love that I can stack all three of these if I need to; plus, even when they’re not stacked, I like how the lid prevents me from having to stare at what’s inside....

A Testing Laboratory by Any Other Name UL is formerly, and perhaps most commonly, known as Underwriters Laboratories. It doesn’t exactly leap off the tongue. Perhaps that’s why the organization has dropped the full name in favor of the well-known abbreviation. UL is the leading nationally recognized testing authority in the U.S. They also test Canadian products. UL testing makes sure that wire sizes are correct, devices can handle the amount of current they say they can, and products are constructed correctly to provide safe function in your home....

Why Mulch the Garden in Winter? The main idea behind winter mulching is to keep the ground frozen by shielding it from the warmth of the sun. A steady temperature will keep the plant in dormancy and prevent it from triggering new growth during a brief warm spell. Tender, new growth too soon will just result in more winter dieback. Mulching now will also help conserve whatever water is in the soil, so hopefully, you’ve been keeping your garden beds watered right up until the hard frost....

One of the taupe’s strengths is many colors go with taupe; it can handle a versatile color palette, such as pastel pink, sky blue, lavender, yellow, olive, and violet. Each taupe hue has its merits; some work better based on the room, such as sun exposure (sunnier or darker) and other colors in the space. No one shade of taupe is the best since it’s situational, although experts agree that Benjamin Moore’s Edgecomb Gray is the best classic shade of taupe....

If you have an attic in your home, you likely don’t visit often. They can be hard to reach—entering often requires pulling down a ladder attached to the ceiling of the top floor of your house. But don’t neglect your attic as a storage space. There are several things you can store in your attic, including holiday decorations, camping gear, or your kids’ old toys. Use these helpful attic storage ideas to keep your hardly used items out of the way, which will help you declutter the rest of your house....

Designing your garden to withstand dry periods does not mean you cannot have a great deal of color and variety. Take a look at 10 perennials that may surprise you with their drought-tolerant constitution. USDA Growing Zones: 8a to 11aColor Varieties: White, purple, or blueSun Exposure: Full sun in summer, indirect sun in winterSoil Needs: Prefer moist soil but can tolerate drought USDA Growing Zones: 3a to 9aColor Varieties: Rust-colored, rimmed with yellow, red and burgundy varietiesSun Exposure: Full sunSoil Needs: Well-draining soil; avoid clay...

For decades, architects and engineers have been taking advantage of computer-aided design (CAD) for drafting and planning beautiful homes. For the non-professional, though, CAD programs can often seem too technical and difficult to learn. Fortunately, now it’s a lot easier to decorate a room online. There’s a wide variety of fun and easy-to-use home design and decorating software and online room planners to choose from. We’ve picked 10 of the best free and easy interior design software programs—and, best of all, you don’t have to physically move around any furniture while planning....

Take a look at these 10 incredible before and after bedroom makeovers. Modern Vintage Small Bedroom Makeover from Grillo Designs Read more about our Diversity and Inclusion Pledge to make The Spruce a site where all feel welcome. Ivie’s Bedroom Remake from Vintage Revivals Small Condo Bedroom Makeover from Addicted 2 Decorating Budget Boho Chic Bedroom Makeover from Addison’s Wonderland Small Bedroom Makeover from The Inspired Room Woodland Forest Girl’s Bedroom Makeover from Balancing Home

Carex species are perennials. They are easily confused by beginners with ornamental grasses because their foliage is very grass-like. But stems of the true grasses are typically hollow, and their shape is either flat or rounded. Sedge stems, by contrast, are solid, and they are triangular in shape. If you wish to put this identification aid to a touch test, be sure to feel the stem (the part of the plant closest to the ground), not the leaf....

The elegant pattern first made its appearance in the Middle Ages, when it was used on the hilts of Japanese swords, but has since become the darling of the design world for its instant ability to add a beautiful effect to any space. Looking to add this luxurious texture to your space? Below, we spoke to two design experts to get their insights on exactly how to incorporate the sparkling stingray hide into your decor....

To give you an inside look at Spanish style homes and their main elements, we spoke with designers who weighed in on common characteristics of such spaces and why they’re so special.