Hello all, I think I may have the wrong forum here, but I thought I would ask a quick question. I have an old wooden bench seat that my dad gave to me, that is weathered and in need of staining/painting or something to bring it up to scratch. Do you know of any good websites with very easy instructions on how to do this, or do you have any suggestions for me. Would I need to sand it back first then stain it, and if so is it easy to do. Thanks in advance.

Recommendations for booster if a tough call, each booster has to be confortable for your child, there are so many out there, I would take your child with you when you go shopping and try them out first. http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/childps/booster_seat/page1.html There are many others web sites that have very good information. I am also certified in Child Passenger Saftey and I do what I can for others to ensure that our younger generation is safe. http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/childps/ www.safekids.org www.childsafety.org www.nsc.org There are many more, if you have any questions please feel free to drop me an email @ carseatsafetynospam@nospam.yahoo.nospam.com **YOU MUST REMOVE ALL 3 'nospam's ** Thanks PROTECT YOUR CHILD(REN) PS. Once you have a booster seat/car seat, I would recommand you contact your local Fire department or Hospital and find out if they have Fitting stations/Car seat check up events.

I have replaced a lot of these woven cane seats....piece of cake...40 minute job. Dig out the old spline....smooth out that groove being careful not to enlarge it...and finish the seat....as in put your finish on it....someone I once knew would mix elmer's wood glue with sandings form a similar wood and fill holes with that...or mix some color in with rock hard putty and use that. make or have someone make about1 5 soft wood wedges....just triangular pieces of a pine board....about 1/8 inch thick at the narrow edge and about 1 to 1/2 inches long....and of course an inch wide. Buy a piece of caning the size and style you want and a piece of spline as long as the groove around the chair. You will also need glycerine and a bowl or pan big enough to hold the cane and a rubber hammer....and wood glue and an exacto knife. Soak the cane but not the spline, in water to which you have added a good glug of glycerine....soak for about 30 mintues to an hour. Place the cane panel on the chair making sure it lines up square with the chair and not at an angle....and start pushing the cane into the slot where the spline was....using the wedges. Start at the top, then go to the opposite and stretch...then do the sides....hammering in the wedges. You want to force that now soft cane into the slot....WITHOUT BREAKING it. Do top, bottom, right, left and repeat...leaving some wedges in place as needed. When all is neatly tucked in, gently lay the spline in place and cut to length...leaving abotu 1/2 inch for errors....remove the spline and fill the groove with wood glue....then place the spline into the groove on top of the glue and the cane and using the mallet and a folded cloth, hammer the spline into place all around....cutting off excess when you are done. Allow to dry for several hours or longer.....then using the exacto knife, cut off the excess caning close to the spline. Yo can cut off the cane as soon as you have placed the spline but it's easier when it is a bit dry. Poof! seat!

Yes, use the basketball court for the floor and choose a cover suitable for your climate and your preferences. We prefer a full cover for our lounging area because every inch of shade is needed in the summer, we enjoy sitting outside when it does rain, and it helps prolong the life of our furniture which we leave out all year. The firepit I posted (Lowe's, about $430) has an adjustable flame which gets maybe 8" at most in the center so it's fine underneath if it's outside and the sides of the structure are open. It runs on propane - the tank is interchangeable with the one you use for your BBQ grill. It's taller than a coffee table, you can place drinks or plates on the rim and it can also be moved around and taken with you when you move. Sure, you can try to fit dining and the firepit on the concrete. If you decide to put lounging furniture there instead and move the table off to the side, it's better to have it on a concrete or stone pad than on the grass. Not only will mowing be easier, the grass may end up dying underneath it anyway. Yes, you'll want the stepping stones or pavers dug into the ground so they aren't a tripping hazard and laid on a base so they don't rock or sink. There are lots of videos about installing the kits and pavers. Price it all out before you begin, depending on your priorities, you may want to pay someone to install the gazebo/pergola. (BTW, you can also consider running power to it for a ceiling fan or lights!) Your yard looks so serene, I hope you end up with something you use a lot and enjoy!