Sunday, March 30, 2014

Organic Fertilizers



There are lots of organic fertilizer choices out there on the market. We learn about some of them and when you would use them.

Thursday, March 27, 2014

Walk-on Fir Bark at Dixon Landscape Materials



Raj Hansra with Dixon Landscape Materials shows us the Walk-On Fir Bark which is very popular in landscaping and is much easier to work with than Gorilla Bark.

Dixon Landscape Materials, 150 East H St, Dixon CA. 707-678-8200. www.dixonlandscape.com

Monday, March 24, 2014

Stamped Concrete Restoration with Solid Stain - Sun Masonry



Aaron Oldham collaborated with NewLook to create this project video. Products used: Sierra ORIGINAL Solid Color Stain, Medium Gray Translucent Color Enhancer & SmartSeal WB (Gloss).

Friday, March 21, 2014

Restore & Enhance Stamped Concrete with Water-Based Antiquing Colorant



Restore and revitalize your stamped concrete with TiqueWash™, a superior antiquing concrete stain colorant used to easily create a natural-looking, multi-toned finish on textured concrete surfaces. The high-quality water based formula includes ultra-fine polymers for improved surface penetration and strong adhesion when sealed with NewLook SmartSeal™ or other compatible sealers. The TiqueWash powder is mixed with water to create a translucent color wash that, once applied, runs off high spots and settles in the low spots of textured concrete. Use TiqueWash to restore the color of weathered concrete or create an antique color finish for stamped concrete.

Thoroughly clean the concrete surface before applying TiqueWash. Remove existing sealer and other foreign materials using NewLook EasyStrip™ and NewLook Concrete Degreaser™.

Using the included measuring cup, mix into a separate bucket one to three scoops of TiqueWash powder (depending on desired color intensity) with one gallon of clean water. Pre-moisten the surface with water to help ensure color consistency and proper settling of the pigments. Spread the TiqueWash mixture across the surface with a NewLook Applicator Brush™ or clean push broom. Apply a liberal and uniform amount of material. Keep the product mixture agitated throughout the installation process to ensure color consistency and prevent pigment from settling. Simply clean up with water.

Features & Benefits:
- Cement based formula yields a natural-looking finish
- Optimal pigment loading for improved adhesion and bonding
- Ultra fine polymers for efficient penetration
- Many popular, natural-looking colors
- Water based stain formula is non-reactive & reliable -- you can bet on the color!
- Fast-drying concrete stain imposes minimal business interruption
- Easily brushed on with the NewLook Applicator Brush

Coverage & Packaging:
One three (3) pound container covers approximately 2000--3000 sq. ft. of stamped concrete. One mixed gallon covers approximately 300--500 sq. ft. Coverage varies with porosity and method of application.

Saturday, March 15, 2014

Pavestone RumbleStone™ Waterfall



Pavestone RumbleStone™. Rustic building blocks for your outdoor hardscape projects. Simple to complex, large or small, the possibilities for creative expression are as far and wide as that inner child's imagination.

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Rock Landscaping Ideas That Are Quick & Easy

Landscaping your yard can be a fantastic way to add beauty and color to your residence. When you landscape the yard you could very easily help to make it a thing of beauty. You might want to landscape the entire yard, make a quiet garden area or work on the a small section. Incorporating a lot of regional natural plants and things such as rocks will be quite nice. Stones can easily add color and design to an otherwise uninteresting landscape. If you're looking for some rock landscaping ideas remember there are many ways to integrate beautifying with rocks into your backyard.
Decide What You Would Like to Do
Ideas about using natural stones can be discovered in numerous sites. First off, think about what you want. Smaller rocks and stones might be used to line the edge of a private drive, flower bed or even a little pond. Larger stones might be integrated into the middle of plants or even natural herbs. A very big decorative landscape rock which is of an interesting form and color may even grow to be the focal point of your garden project. Before you choose glance through publications, travel all-around your town and take a look at other individual's yards and even view rock landscaping pictures online to have an notion of what you want.
Do Some Research
Local rocks and stones are probably what you should use in your design. Check out local home building sites for suggestions of what type of stones are available in your location. If you are lucky enough to live in places you can go get your own river rocks for landscaping you can find some beautiful ones that way. When you know what you want to utilize you can draw up your rock landscaping designs and get started.
Options for a Layout Designed with Natural Rocks
Creating an backyard design offers you numerous ways to incorporate stones into your designs. One creative interesting way to put various rocks is to create a landscaping rock wall. A mail box foundation or a rock wall as a backdrop for a backyard garden is merely a couple of interesting concepts it is possible to consider. The rocks will be embedded in the wall, or sculpture base in something such as a mailbox post. You may utilize polished flat stones as stepping stones and develop a wondering path via your flower garden. The strategies for these landscaping ideas are really endless.
Don't Want to Do It Yourself?
Not everyone likes to do things themselves and if you're not a do-it-yourself individual no problem. But bear in mind, you can easily always employ somebody to do the job for you. There are plenty of local landscaping companies specialized in rock design that are prepared to do the work for you - but remember rock landscaping prices can differ based on where you live. The positive side is that they may have access to rocks you don't. The downside - that type of contracting work could be pricey.
Begin Your Rock Landscaping Project Right now
These rock landscaping ideas [http://www.newlandscapingideas.info] will allow you to turn your backyard into a thing of beauty in no time at all. Develop a rock landscaping garden or a wall, line a few paths, get imaginative! Why have a big empty space of green grass whenever you can have so much more than that? Your friends will be pleading with you to share your rock landscaping secrets when you are finished.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4416128

Saturday, March 8, 2014

Be Prepared for These Common Sod Problems

Planting or rolling out sod is a great way to be able to quickly get a green, lush, and healthy lawn that will enhance the look of your property and immediately give you a place to relax or play. Without diligent attention to details of sod preparation and maintenance, some unsightly problems could easily crop up that could destroy all or parts of your new lawn.
The first step, one that is vital to insure a healthy start to any new sod installation, is to make certain that the soil is prepared properly. The soil bed for sod must present an even surface that is accessible to the grass roots so they can dig in and get nutrients and water for even color and growth. Unprepared soil will be uneven, so areas of the sod may be left high and dry, turning brown as the grass in that area fails to take root.
Loosening and Preparing the Soil
Preparing the soil means removing all the rocks and as many stones as possible. Removing weeds will eliminate a fresh weed problem and take out the competition for the water that your new sod will need. Use a rake to loosen the top couple of inches of soil to make root access easier. Be sure to test the soil for the proper pH level and the proper nutrients to provide the level that is best for the type of sod that you have selected. When preparing the soil, be sure the grade is about four inches below any sidewalks or driveways. This is to ensure proper installation of the sod so that it is level with hardscapes and won't cause problems walking or create an impediment when rolling something onto the lawn.
One of the greatest enemies of new sod is insects. It doesn't take very long for webworms to spot new sod and invade, planting their flag by laying eggs that will hatch into lawn-eating grubs. A webworm infestation is visible when circular brown patches begin appearing. Worms may also leave tunnel openings the size of a finger at the surface. When pulling back a roll of sod, check to see if there are grubs on the bottom, which is where they feed.
Prevention is the Best Medicine
The best way to battle webworm is to get them at the larval stage. Keep the sod watered and well irrigated and try introducing rove and ground beetles, which are natural predators and are not grass-eaters themselves. You can, finally, resort to chemical weapons such as chloronicotinyl and diacylhydrazine. They are most effective on webworm larvae.
Cinch bugs can also be a problem for new sod. These pests usually appear during excessively hot and/or dry weather. They will create round brown spots that are visible in the lawn. To get rid of them, it's best to spray them with insecticidal soap for small invasions. You may use botanical insecticide for more severe cases.
If you are not sure why your new lawn is turning brown in some locations, contact a lawn care professional who is familiar with common sod problems in your region.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8279905

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Efflorescence Prevention Guaranteed - EffLock Efflorescence-Curing System



Efflorescence is the dandruff of concrete. EffLock is the Head & Shoulders you need to cure it. Learn about how to permanently stop both primary and secondary efflorescence in concrete and masonry using the EffLock system of products. This includes the Liquid Admixture, Powder Admixture, Topical Treatment for existing concrete surfaces, and an Efflorescence Remover.

NewLook's EffLock™ is an efflorescence-curing system for cement and masonry. It's truly revolutionary because it permanently prevents and completely eliminates both primary and secondary efflorescence. Unlike other admixtures that try to reduce efflorescence by slowing water intrusion, EffLock's nano-fusion chemistry actually uses the presence of water to react with and bind minerals, chlorides, salts deposits and other impurities of concrete mixes at the nano-molecular level. It converts these into harmless matter that becomes part of the concrete. This keeps efflorescence from leaching out onto brick, block and other mortar set products permanently; it is also excellent for pre-cast and poured-in-place concrete.

EffLock admixtures are guaranteed* to permanently stop efflorescence when mixed according to instructions. EffLock products are specifically formulated for cement and mortar mixes.

EffLock is a proprietary engineered product system containing nano-fusion composites in aqueous solutions that react with impurities, such as calcium and mineral-based salt. These contaminants can be found in mortar mixes, cement products and aggregates. This reaction permanently binds the impurities and prevents efflorescence salt from leaching out to the surface.

The nanotechnology of EffLock's chemistry is approximately 100,000 times smaller than even the smallest cement particle. This allows it to literally pass through cement minerals or (hollow) sand and become part of the mineral with which it reacts. EffLock reacts when hydrogen is present; it stops reacting when the concrete dries out, but will react again when the concrete gets wet again--further improving the ability to lock out efflorescence.

Other products react with oxygen or don't react at all. EffLock reacts when hydrogen is present, meaning it needs water (H2O) to react; it stops reacting when the concrete dries out. But EffLock will continue to react each time the concrete gets wet. This prevents the formation of efflorescence for the life of the concrete. But EffLock's efficient reaction during hydration allows treated concrete to retain moisture longer, which improves the initial curing process and enhances the green strength of concrete.

A more efficient reaction during the curing process also helps brighten integral colorants because there are fewer chemical impurities present that would otherwise dull the finish. Also, it reduces the amount of integral color pigment needed, which means greater value to concrete professionals. Can I get an AMEN!

EffLock also improves the performance of densifiers and penetrating sealers. It binds contaminants and other salt-based minerals that can inhibit penetrating sealers' ability to absorb and react. When the excess salt is bound within the slab and more free lime is present, penetrating sealers will penetrate deeper and react more efficiently.

The overall quality of concrete is tremendously improved when treated with EffLock. The cosmetic appearance is improved as the concrete cures properly, resulting in a more uniform finish. Fewer air pockets and pinholes appear during the finishing process.

EffLock can be used with all cement types and ingredients, including lime, calcium, alpha and beta gypsum, fly ash, volcanic ash and hydraulic cement. Cure and seal products may still be used on EffLock-treated concrete. Other admixtures may also be included in the cement mix. However, EffLock should be added first and mixed with water before other admixtures are introduced to the mixture. This allows EffLock to react properly.

The liquid and powder admixtures are guaranteed to stop efflorescence permanently when they are mixed thoroughly exactly according to instructions. Since NewLook cannot control how well an existing concrete surface is prepared or how porous it is, we cannot offer the same guarantee on EffLock Topical Treatment. Visit our Terms of Use webpage for all the legal mumbo-jumbo.

Yes, you can use any other admixture or additive with EffLock in concrete and masonry. EffLock should be the FIRST admixture used to ensure proper reaction. Once EffLock is mixed properly, you can use any additive you want. In fact, EffLock will improve the performance of many other admixtures.

Saturday, March 1, 2014

Lawn Turf or Sod - What Is the Difference?

I was considering installing a new lawn using rolls of grass, and got to thinking about all the terms used for the ground cover. You can almost use the terms, turf, sod, and lawn interchangeably, and most people would know what you mean. But since I like to be somewhat correct in my choice of words, I researched the difference between these terms. To accomplish this I decided to use a dictionary and in each case went with the first dictionary option. Here are the results. Turf: A surface layer of earth containing dense growth of grass and it's matted roots. Sod: A section of grass-covered surface soil held together by matted roots. Lawn: A plot of grass, usually tended or mowed, as one around a residence or in a park or estate.
Of the three definitions lawn stands out as the most different from the other two. Lawn is more the finished product, as what would go around a house or park. To illustrate, lawn would be like a fully tiled floor in a house, not the individual tiles before being Installed.
Sod and Turf are a little closer in definition but not exactly the same. They both have a surface layer of soil or earth, both have grass and matted roots. The difference in the definitions I found is that, Sod is a "section that is held together" by matted roots. Rolls of grass come in sections and need to be held together by matted roots. Even if they use meshing to help hold the rolls together they still need the matted roots.
Turf is not held together by matted roots, and does not necessarily come in sections. It is a surface layer. When people claim an area as 'Their Turf' it is bigger than a section of sod.
My conclusion is that the most correct term for rolls grass is Sod. Having a new lawn installed could include using rolls of sod but it could also by definition include having an area seeded with grass that will eventually grow into a lawn.
Once a turf farm cuts out sections of grass and matted root, those sections become Sod. They are then rolled up and shipped out to a requested location. once at the site the Sod is laid on the ground one matted section at a time. To go back to the illustration the sod is laid out like tiles on a floor. Once the sections are laid out and joined together it becomes a lawn or turf.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7444429