Best of - the Home Hardware Blog

Everyone seems to be an expert these days and the amount of advice and blog posts that are available are very overwhelming - agreed?

So how do you filter out the best information? We do it for you! Here are the best and most useful blog posts from the Home Hardware Experts Blog:

 

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Expert Advice - Best of Mark Cullen

Our Home Hardware Expert Mark Cullen knows what it takes to have a great yard, and he's happy to share his advice on how to get there.

But where do you start, with a ton of information out there?

 

 

We've put together his best advice for you - all in one place! 

Find his best blog posts, videos, and advice right here in this blog post. 

 

If you need more info, you can find all his posts here and here.

source: Home Hardware Blog
source: Home Hardware Blog

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Favourite Recipes

 

 

You probably know that Anna Olson is the Home Hardware Kitchen Expert. But do you know that you can find a whole collection of her delicious recipes on the Home Hardware website? 

 

There are so many to choose from, that we thought we would help you out and tell you about our favourites!

 

Let's start with something sweet, alright?

Try Anna's Chocolate Truffle Lollies for an amazing treat - you can find the recipe right here


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A fantastic event, two days only!

FAT Paint is here!

We're thrilled to introduce a great new product, we're now a stocking dealer for the fantastic FAT Paint!

 

Our shelves are stocked, and the projects have begun. 

 

FAT Paint is "fabulous chalk-style paint for artisans and wanna-be artisans who have big beautiful bold ideas".

 

That sounds like our kind of product. Our fab paint department team always has bold and beautiful ideas, and they are true artisans. Even more, they love to share their ideas with our customers, so when you stop by the store, you'll always find a project on the go, so you can see this fantastic product in action.

 

FAT Paint comes in three sizes - sample, pint, and quart. It's the basis for your unlimited project possibilities, and the colour palette with colours like Caribbean Blue, Tuscan Sun, or Simply Mauve, will inspire many more projects!

 

Other products include Extra FAT (add some of it to your paint for an even flatter finish), Clear Top Coat (for some added durability), as 


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2015 - Year in Review

Can you believe 2015 is almost over? It's been a fantastic year at Merritt Home Hardware, thanks to our wonderful team and loyal customers. For our last blog post this year, we want to show you a few glimpses of how 2015 went down at our store 😀.

 

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Congratulations, Peter!

We are more than thrilled that our owner and fearless leader Peter Moyes recently received the Rick Isbister Memorial Award for Community Development, during the Merritt and District Chamber of Commerce Excellence Awards! It is awarded to "a person that has demonstrated outstanding leadership, vision, and commitment to the overall quality of life in Merritt & the Nicola Valley" - and we could not agree more!


Peter and his family have always been huge supporters of the Nicola Valley, and their support goes back over 100 years.


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Projects and Miles and Pinterest - oh my!

Fall is a fantastic time to tackle new projects - finishing up outdoors, and diving into new projects indoors. 


This month, we bring you a round up of the latest and greatest resources, projects, and promotions Home Hardware has to offer!


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The team at Merritt Home Hardware - meet Tom Hryniuk


Meet Tom Hryniuk - our Home Installs Manager!


Tom has been part of the Home team since 2008, and the building industry is in his blood. His grandfather built houses in Kelowna in the 60's, and his father was a finishing carpenter/cabinet maker for many years. That's where Tom gets his love for the industry from, and we are sure glad to have him on our team!

 

Tom originally hails from Saskatoon, and came to Merritt with a few detours - first Alberta, where he met the love of his life Etelka (she's the manager of the Merritt Chamber), and then Williams Lake. 

Now he enjoys BC life, and often gets a chance to visit with his parents and sister, who all live on Vancouver Island.



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The team at Merritt Home Hardware - meet Mischelle Pierce


We are thrilled to introduce the next member of the Home Hardware family to you! 


Meet Mischelle Pierce!


She has been part of the Home Team for almost 12 years, fearlessly leading our Paint Department. 


Anyone who's met her knows that her love for paint is only matched by her enthusiasm for her customers. Mischelle loves meeting new Merrittonians and helping them select the perfect colour for their home. Of course she's equally fond of her long-time customers, who all appreciate her eye for colour and the solid advice she has from prep to paint.


While "our customers" is definitely her answer to what she loves most about being a part of the home team, her favourite thing to do at work is keeping up with all the new products and designs to keep inspiring her coworkers and customers.


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The team at Merritt Home Hardware - meet Jim Ball



It's part 3 of our "meet the team" blog post series, and we're thrilled to introduce you to Jim Ball!


Jim has been a part of our team since 1991, and even though he attempted to retire a few years ago, he could not stay away and now reinforces the team part time.


But let's start at the beginning: Jim is the resident Brit at Merritt Home Hardware. He came to Canada in 1981, and first settled in Ashcroft, BC. 


Back then, immigration required a home and a residence, so Jim arranged to buy a house and a business - and came to Ashcroft owning a home and a Taxi firm!


Always a willing model for our Deal of the Week....
Always a willing model for our Deal of the Week....

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The team at Merritt Home Hardware - meet Wade Garcia

 

In the second part of "meet the team at Merritt Home Hardware", we'd love to introduce our Contract Sales manager Wade Garcia to you.

 

If you've been to Merritt Home Hardware, you've probably met Wade. While he works mostly with contractors, he's always happy to give great advice for your next project - and in the 24 (!) years since he started working at the store, he's spent time in every single department. 

 

Yes, that's right - Wade has been with Merritt Home Hardware since September 1991! We were lucky to recruit him straight out of High School, and we're not about to let him leave 😊


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The Team at Merritt Home Hardware - meet April Garcia

We're thrilled to start a new series on our blog - an introduction to the awesome team at Merritt Home Hardware.


We'll be introducing and profiling our team members here, and give you a little glimpse of what it's like to be on the Home Team, and what our people are up to beyond providing excellent customer service to you.


Our retail manager, April Garcia, agreed to go first!


She has been with the Merritt Home Hardware Team since 1998 (!) and, like most of our team members, started as a cashier.



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Insulate and save energy (and money!)

Heating season is coming to an end (hopefully... ), and while you might be thinking "air conditioning" already, you should be thinking "insulation"! Here's why:


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Ode to Windex


We now have the 5 litre refill of Windex in stock - and we thought it would be a good time for a little "Ode to Windex".


Did you know? Windex is some pretty fantastic stuff, and has lots of uses - like:

  • relieve pain and swelling from a bee sting
  • clean jewelry
  • get stains out of laundry (use colourless Windex for that, won't work on wool or silk)
  • treat pimples (clean face, dab Windex with a q-tip onto blemish)
  • deter bugs from coming into the house (leave small bowl of Windex at the door)
  • remove greasy stains
  • get a stuck ring off your finger

Pretty fantastic, eh?

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Time to get organized!

The new year is here and with it often come resolutions. One of those resolutions might be to get organized - and we have some tips for you to help you accomplish that!


As the new year starts with a clean slate, many of us get the urge to organize and declutter. But where do you start? Just the thought of it can sometimes be a deterrent... There is hope, though! Here are a few tips that will guarantee your success:

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2014 - Year in Review

We had a fantastic year at Merritt Home Hardware - thanks to our wonderful customers and the support of our community!


Today, we'd like to reflect back and show you a few of our favourite moments here at Merritt Home Hardware during this past year :) (Click on the pictures to view full size!)


Thank you so much for supporting us. We hope you have a fantastic holiday season and a happy, healthy New Year!


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Stress-free Holiday Baking

Are you ready for the busiest time of the year?

While many of us get stressed with just the thought of baking for the holiday season, simple ways are available to bring back the joy.

"There are enough stresses at this time of the year and baking needn't be one of them," says Anna Olson, Home Hardware's Kitchen Expert and the star of Bake with Anna Olsen on Food Network Canada. "You too can join those who get excited about baking and have a memorable and delicious holiday season by following a few simple guidelines."

Olson offers these preparation tips for stress-free baking:

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More great fall projects

We already featured a great fall project in last month's blog, and this month we have a whole bunch more!


Today, we want to feature one crafty, quick project - and one that's a little more involved... one is a fall decorating idea and the other one a kitchen island. Have a look!


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Fall DIY Project


Summer is almost over and fall is ready to arrive. Chilly nights and crisp mornings, sunshine and frosty winds - gotta love fall in Merritt! If you don't want to spend your whole fall just with yard work, we have a few awesome projects for you! You could even get a head start on your Christmas gifts :)


There is a variety of projects for every budget and time frame on the Home Hardware Website - have a look! One project that is easy to do and will keep the spirit of summer in your house all year long is the Indoor Herb Tote.

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Paint Recycling!

Did you know that we are a PaintsPlus Recycling depot?

 

In addition to the LightRecycle, AlarmRecycle and Call2Recycle Battery Recycling we accept paint, paint and pesticide aerosols, pesticides and flammable liquids and solvents in cooperation with the Product Care Stewardship Program.

 

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Useful Websites - for gardening, DIY and home improvement

Mark Cullen is Home Hardware's garden expert. His website will give you access to his Gardening Guide as well as information on Design, Planting, Care and Maintenance of your own oasis. It also features a Buyer's Guide with Mark's Choice Products and Mark's Blog.

 

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The window checklist - vinyl windows

If you are thinking about replacing your windows, you should consult with the experts in our Contract Sales team - summer and early fall are a great time to replace windows, and with delivery times ranging from 2-6 weeks, now is the time to start planning.

 

There is a window for every budget, and since this is an investment you won't repeat for a while, we want to make sure you make the right choice!

 

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Home Hardware Beauti-Tip - Paint and Colour

Colour is powerful, paint is affordable. Together they are invincible, the dynamic duo of decorating. Transform your paint brush into a magic wand with these simple tips!

Contrasting colours emphasize. Use them to highlight and take advantage of wonderful moldings, art, or other beautiful architectural features in your room. To the contrary, unsightly architectural
features and basic moldings will disappear if ‘painted out’ by using the same colour as the background.

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Home Hardware Beauti-Tip - All Decked Out

 

Before you get all decked out, though, there are two simple secrets to a long-lasting finish – quality stain and prep work. Together they’re a dynamic duo. Without them, you might be doing your
project again next year. We understand. Prep work is a bit like homework – beneficial but who wants to do it! However, since 90% of stain failure is due to lack of prep work, it’s key. Here
are the simple, easy steps to protect your investment for a lifetime of enjoyment.

 

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Refinishing Furniture - a great Spring project

Yard Sale season is just about over for the year, but antiquing and picking are always in season; one way to add some pizazz to your home and have fun doing it is to refinish a piece of furniture.

 

A dresser, vanity or side table are small projects that can easily be tackled and don’t worry – it really is a simple process.

 

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Home Hardware Beauti-Tip - Interior Painting

This Beauti-Tip is courtesy of Home Hardware, home of Beauti-Tone quality paint!

 

Colour is powerful, paint is affordable. Together they are invincible, the dynamic duo of decorating. Transform your paint brush into a magic wand with these simple tips!

Contrasting colours emphasize. Use them to highlight and take advantage of wonderful moldings, art, or other beautiful architectural features in your room. To the contrary, unsightly architectural
features and basic moldings will disappear if ‘painted out’ by using the same colour as the background.

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Health and Safety in your Home

Our homes should be an oasis of health and safety. We want to feel comfortable and look forward to coming home after a long day at work or school.

 

A healthy lifestyle will help us to feel better about ourselves and there are also a number of things we can do to make our

homes safe and healthy.


 

 

 

Allergies - Unfortuately the number of children and adults suffering from allergies is constantly increasing. With forced air furnaces being the prevalent method of heating in many homes, allergens and pollen from the outside get circulated through the air inside, along with dust and other particles.

 

A good way to reduce those allergens is the use of dust-stop furnace filters, which are available in different varieties and sizes. It is also advisable to have a professional duct cleaning done every 1-2 years. Finally, having your carpets cleaned on a regular basis is another important aspect of keeping your home allergen-free.

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Backyard Ideas

Model Sobe
Model Sobe

 

Now that you've built your dream home, you need to start thinking about some landscaping (in fact - you can start thinking about that even while you build; it can be a great stress release!).

 

Here are some great blogs for your inspiration!

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Pinterest is where it's at!

Are you interested in home and garden design? Project ideas?

 

Then you should be on Pinterest!

 

Home Hardware is active on Pinterest and provides lots of inspiration for furnishings, outdoor living, paint and projects.

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Painting 101 - FAQs exterior painting

Can I paint my garage floor?

 

You betcha! There are different options available. The concrete floor should be cleaned thoroughly and if possible acid-etched. Even though it is possible to paint with a latex Porch & Floor paint, this will not be suitable for your garage floor if you park your car there.... the latex paint is prone to being picked up by car tires, so a better alternative is an alkyd paint or an epoxy tough acrylic paint, available from Beautitone.

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Painting 101 - FAQs interior painting

Bathrooms - is that mould on my ceiling?

 

Not every dark stain in a bathroom has to be mould. If the stain has more of a brownish appearance rather than grey, it can be caused by the latex paint on your wall. Streaking or staining of latex paint is called 'surfactant leaching' and usually caused by high humidity in bathrooms. Surfactants are ingredients in paint, necessary for overall performance. Gently wipe with a wet cloth and mild detergent, no bleach required! Before repainting a bathroom make sure all walls are washed (and if necessary rinsed), and once painted give the paint a day to dry before using the shower.

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Painting 101 - the right preparation

The difference between a paint job gone wrong and a paint job turning out great is almost always the proper preparation. And the number one mistake is ..... you guessed it - not prepping at all!

 

Here are a few tips that will contribute to your painting success:

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Adhesives - the glue that holds it all together

You might think that adhesives are not the most exciting thing to write or read about. Maybe not exciting, but important! The type of adhesive you use could make the difference between success and failure of your project.

 

As with the use of any product, the most important thing is to read the label - it will tell you right there in black and white what it is suitable for and what will not work. Here are some general guidelines for a few of the most common adhesives:

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Lumber is not just 2x4's!

When we say to our customers "We've got your lumber", we are not just talking 2x4's.

 

We are able to deliver on all your lumber needs and can even give you a hand in planning your project. Our lumber yard is well stocked with dimensional lumber from 1x4 to 2x12, with lengths ranging from 8' to 20' (20' for assorted sizes only).

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Windows and Condensation Issues

Whenever the temperature outside is significantly lower than inside - mainly in the winter - condensation on windows can occur. If you have double pane windows and condensation is sometimes an issue, this blog post will hopefully provide some helpful insights.

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