Month: June 2023

1960s Home Gets New Garage Doors

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First-time homeowner Aaron Caldwell bought his 1960s home about 3 years ago.

He is the second owner of the 55-year-old house and decided he wanted to update it, but he needs our help with curb appeal ideas!

He started on the inside with improvements such as updating the kitchen, repainting walls, and more. Then, he moved onto the outside, including repaving his driveway and replacing his front windows, but it wasn’t enough.

Now that the inside fits his liking, he wants to fully tackle the outside, so we’re going to give him the curb appeal his home deserves!

The Projects

One curb appeal idea is to replace outdated parts of the home, such as wrought iron, and replace it with something new and modern. (3 Echoes Content Studio)

Replacing Wrought Iron

With the new look that Aaron is wanting for the front of his house, the wrought iron does not match. But because the wrought iron is load-bearing, we must put something in its place to hold the weight. So, we decide to use 6-by-6 wood columns to replace it.

To begin, we used a jack and wood columns to raise the soffit. Once we did that, we removed the wrought iron and sawed the leftover screw heads down.

This image shows a wood column being installed using a galvanized saddle, screws, and a drill.
It is important to use a galvanized saddle for extra support when installing new columns. (3 Echoes Content Studio)

Next, John installed the columns with a galvanized saddle and screwed it into each side. After the columns were secured, we used more wood to create a trim around them to make them look even better.

This image shows the new columns with the added trim.
The trim and the new paint color make the house look more cohesive than before. (3 Echoes Content Studio)

Originally, Aaron wanted to stain the wood columns, but after further consideration, we decided to paint the columns a neutral color. This way, the columns match the trim that was already there, and the paint would require less maintenance than a stain.

The best part about these columns is that Aaron found the original plans for the house, and sure enough, the columns that we added are almost identical to the ones on the original house.

This image shows the original garage doors. They are brown and the two doors do not match.
The old garage doors were dull and took away from the overall curb appeal. They didn’t even match. (3 Echoes Content Studio)

Replace Garage Doors

Aaron’s garage doors are the first thing you see when you approach his house.

Because of that, Aaron wants those doors to be updated and fixed. The double doors that were originally installed are not the same door, and the one on the left fails to work.

First, installers from Wayne Dalton Garage Doors removed the existing doors and enhanced the framing around the openings, so the new doors can withstand greater wind loads.

This image shows the garage doors being installed by Wayne Dalton.
In order to tackle the main eyesore, installing the garage doors was necessary. (3 Echoes Content Studio)

Next, they installed new garage doors. These not only updated the look of the outside but also increased the functionality because the old ones didn’t even work as they should!

This image shows the importance of curb appeal. The new garage doors add new life to the home. They are now a neutral color and look more modern.
Aaron’s curb appeal is enhanced now that he has new and improved garage doors. (3 Echoes Content Studio)

The new doors that Aaron chose were the perfect complement to the house’s existing exterior. The doors are identical to one another, and the light beige color makes it appealing to the eye.

Now, Aaron is proud of his house when people come to visit!

This image shows the landscape before the revamp. The plants are dead and dry.
This landscaping desperately needed to be revamped. (3 Echoes Content Studio)

Adding New Landscaping

Aaron was not shy about the fact that he could not keep a plant alive. His mom helped him add landscaping to his front lawn, but because of Aaron’s neglect to water them, they died shortly after.

To update the drab and dead landscaping, we cleaned out the old beds and prepared them for new plant life.

This image shows the new landscaping with pink flowers, bushes, and mulch.
With this new landscaping, Aaron’s curb appeal is better than ever! (3 Echoes Content Studio)

To help Aaron keep his plants alive, we chose drought-friendly plants, but they still need some water. We added a soaker hose that will water the plants on a timer so that this new landscaping will hopefully last longer than the previous.

The new plants enhanced the overall look of his house!

This image shows a paint roller applying the new concrete coating.
Other projects, such as painting the front door, adding shutters, and matching the concrete, are all great curb appeal ideas to make your front porch look better. (3 Echoes Content Studio)

We Also

  • Added shutters two shades darker than the siding
  • Coated the porch with Terrazzo from Daich Coatings
  • Re-stained the existing concrete to match the new driveway
  • Repainted the front door a blue color

Post-Production Thoughts

This image shows the after of the makeover. The house has curb appeal and looks nicer and more modern.
The new garage doors, updated landscaping, new columns, shutters, door paint, and matched concrete made Aaron’s home the best-looking one on the block. (3 Echoes Content Studio)

Aaron’s house was suffering from an identity crisis. The clean, modern lines were confused by the wrought iron columns. The new driveway and windows were offset by old concrete and ancient garage doors.

But now, the house has found itself. The new garage doors add character, making them a focal point on the house rather than something to overlook.

The new columns and shutters work with the home’s clean lines instead of against them. And the Terrazzo coating on the porch defines it and separates it from the driveway.

Plus, the new front door color and the lush landscaping create the perfect welcome for Aaron’s guests.

Other Tips From This Episode

Further Reading

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RIBUS opens production plant in Nevada

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SPARKS, NEV. — RIBUS Inc. has opened its first solely owned and operated production facility in Sparks, where the company is now headquartered after moving from St. Louis.

The 15,000-square-foot plant is organic and kosher certified, with non-GMO, gluten-free, halal and SQF certified, RIBUS noted. The facility also will provide job opportunities to citizens of Reno, which is just east of Sparks. The new jobs are in plant operations, quality, maintenance, supply chain, customer service and finance departments.

“Having our own plant gives us increased capacity and control over making changes that are needed in the marketplace,” said Steve Peirce, co-founder and president of RIBUS. “Some of these changes may include different package sizes, different particle sizes, and new, innovative ingredients.”

RIBUS, which is short for Rice Ingredients Business United States, is a producer of plant-based, non-GMO, natural, organic, vegan and gluten-free ingredients for food, beverage, pet and dietary supplement companies. RIBUS’ Nu-FLOW ingredient, also known as “The Synthetics Replacer,” gives manufacturers the option to replace anti-caking agents, including synthetics, silicone dioxide or tri-calcium phosphate (or talc) with a natural or certified organic ingredient.

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A subsection of tech is set to be worth $1 trillion. But taboos are holding it back

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Investors are ignoring a huge subsection of tech because it’s considered “taboo” – despite the fact that it is set to be worth $1 trillion by 2027.

The FemTech sector includes all innovations designed to solve health issues suffered solely, differently, or disproportionately by women. It covers everything from health during pregnancy and the menopause, to Alzheimer’s and HIV.

Women make up more than 50% of the global population, which means the target market for products focusing on their health is massive. But just 3.3% of digital health investment in the U.S. went towards women’s health between 2011 and 2020, according to digital consultancy Rock Health.

And nurturing innovation within the female health space doesn’t just benefit women. 

Research by Women’s Health Access Matters, a nonprofit organization focused on funding for women’s health research, suggests that a $300 million investment into improving female health could generate around $13 billion for the global economy.

Research by Women’s Health Access Matters suggests that a $300 million investment into improving female health could generate around $13 billion.

De Agostini Picture Library | De Agostini | Getty Images

“The opportunities and the potential for value creation of investing in this area is huge,” Karen Taylor, research director of the Centre for Health Solutions at Deloitte told CNBC. 

“So I think if there was some more homework done by some of these investors, they’d understand why this is an area that is ripe for growth and investment.

“They just didn’t really get it”

Tania Boler created Elvie, a tech company focused on women’s health, in 2013 after she found a lack of products designed for new mothers. Elvie’s main products are pelvic floor trainers and portable breast pumps.

But not everybody took her new business seriously.

“To be completely honest, the tech industry thought it was a joke,” Boler told CNBC.

“They just didn’t really get it … [and] in quite a few women’s health issues, the problem is that because there’s a lack of education, there’s a lack of demand. From an investment point of view it’s not clear what the thesis is,” Boler said.

Personal understanding of a product is often key for investors, but the stats show that most investment decisions are made by men. A 2022 report by European Women in VC, a collection of senior female venture capitalists, found that just 15% of VC general partners were female.

Despite the barriers, Elvie has gone big. It is now one of the largest companies in the FemTech space and has a revenue of $100 million. There are examples of women who have run marathons and performed surgery while expressing milk using Elvie pumps, which CEO Tania Boler said highlights the human impact of investing in women’s health.

“We went with a very strong message of empowerment, but at the same time we tackle the taboos head-on, we don’t shy away from that. And that starts the conversation,” Boler said.

The issue of not understanding women’s health – and the importance of female-specific health solutions – has deeper roots.

“Because it’s been such a taboo topic, it’s really hard to overcome,” Valerie Evans, consumer investor at venture capital fund The Craftory, said.

“Not because [investors] don’t want to know and not because they’re purposefully ignorant, but I think it’s an overall societal problem that sort of permeates the investing world.”

And while the number of female investors is limited, the gender balance within company teams can also impact how difficult it is to get backing.

‘Being angry feminists hasn’t worked’

More than 70% of FemTech companies have at least one female founder, compared to the 20% average, according to McKinsey & Company.

But that means the odds are stacked against them.

Less than 3% of venture capitalist funds went to female-led startups in 2020, according to data from business school INSEAD, while female entrepreneurs are 63% less likely to get VC funding than men.

Deloitte’s Taylor said female founders also generally ask investors for less money than their male counterparts, which could be harming their prospects within the space. 

“There’s lots of research that shows women tend to be much more honest and play down what they believe is the potential for their innovation,” she said. “Men are notorious for big sales and investors are used to it.”

Economies will grow when women can birth taxpayers and not die in the process

Brittany Barreto

Founder and CEO of FemHealth Insights

For Brittany Barreto, founder of FemTech analytics platform FemHealth Insights, these figures emphasize the importance of startups taking accurate data to investors — so if they can’t appeal to personal experience (because the VCs are men), they can provide robust information.

“It was very important that we stick to the data part of all of this because if we’re just angry feminists, that hasn’t worked yet. So I was like: let’s be scientists and let’s be business people,” Barreto said.

And the FemTech sector is growing at an astounding rate. More than 60% of FemTech startups were founded in the five years leading to 2022, and there has been a 1,000% increase in the number of businesses in the space over the last 10 years, according to FemHealth Insights research.

Investors see growth opportunity in Femtech

These growth rates — despite myriad obstacles — are encouraging for an industry that has been struggling to gain traction.

“I am incredibly optimistic for the future of women’s health,” Barreto said, stressing the huge potential benefits for the world.

“The economic potential for countries if they can empower women to feel better, to live longer, live with more mobility?” she said. “Women have money. Economies will grow if we make women healthy.”

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Effortlessly Drill Perfectly Deep Holes with This Simple Tool Hack

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There is a common problem that every DIYer or woodworker faces: drilling multiple holes to the same depth. While it seems simple, it can quickly become frustrating when you find yourself with uneven holes.

Using masking tape on the drill bit is a popular solution to act as a depth guide. People place the tape around the drill bit and use the end of the tape as a flag to indicate when they reach their desired depth. It sounds simple, but after drilling several holes, the tape can rip or slide up, causing the holes to become deeper and deeper.

Here’s the Simple Solution to your drill depth problems — a Sharpie!

The Sharpie hack is simple and straightforward resulting in perfectly even holes. (3 Echoes Content Studio)

How to Use the Sharpie Technique

Here’s how to make drilling holes even every time:

The Sharpie hack is straightforward yet effective for achieving consistent drilling depth. First, take a Sharpie and mark a line on the drill bit at your desired depth. Ensure you make a clear and visible line while ensuring it is straight. To do so, align it with the tip of the drill.

Once you mark the drill bit, insert it into your drill. When you begin drilling, you can see the black line, indicating that you’ve reached your desired depth. This technique works for both twist bits and spade bits.

With this Sharpie hack, you can achieve precise and consistent drilling depth every time, making your DIY projects or woodworking so much easier and more efficient!

The Sharpie hack is more effective and efficient than the masking tape hack because the line will not move. (3 Echoes Content Studio)

The Advantages to the Sharpie Hack

There are several advantages to using the Sharpie hack over masking tape as a depth guide. One of the most significant advantages is the permanence of the line. With the tape, the line is constantly changing, causing the depth to be inaccurate. The Sharpie line, however, will never move.

Another advantage of the Sharpie hack is how easy it is to use. Marking the drill bit takes only a few seconds and requires minimal effort. There is no need to struggle with cutting and placing strips of tape perfectly or worrying about the tape getting in the way during drilling.

Finally, the Sharpie hack allows for precision and accuracy during drilling. The black line is very easy to see, making it easy to know precisely when you’ve reached your desired depth. This precision saves time and prevents mistakes and mishaps.
These things make for a more efficient and successful project!

Tips and tricks make for a problem-free drilling process. (3 Echoes Content Studio)

Tips and Tricks for Optimal Results

While the Sharpie hack is very simple, a few additional tips can help you get the best results possible.

One tip is to use a clamp to secure the workpiece in place before beginning to drill. This is to prevent any movement or slipping during drilling. Movement from the workpiece can result in the inaccuracy of depth.

Another tip is to check the alignment of the drill bit before drilling. This is to ensure that it is straight and centered. This will prevent any drifting or wandering of the drill bit.

By following these additional tips, you can achieve optimal results with the Sharpie hack. These will ensure that your drilling depth turns out perfectly every time.

To Sum It Up

The Sharpie hack is a simple but effective technique for achieving consistent drilling depth in your projects. By marking a line on your drill bit, you can easily see when you’ve reached the desired depth while avoiding the inaccuracy and frustrations of masking tape.

Additionally, the permanence of the line allows for the exact depth every time. And following additional tips and tricks will result in perfectly drilled holes.

Try the Sharpie hack in your next project and see how much easier it can make your drilling experience!

Further Reading

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