Our tests reveal the looks that last

Last reviewed: August 2010

All countertops look good in the showroom, but keeping them pristine requires durable materials or high maintenance. We stained, scratched, sliced, scorched, and pummeled leading brands of 11 materials and found long-lasting, attractive countertops no matter how muchor littleyou want to spend.

You can't get a more classic look than natural stone. But only granite aced most of our tests. Marble was at the bottom of our Ratings (available to subscribers) and limestone didn't do much better. Quartza man-made combination of stone, color, and resinedged out granite because of slightly better overall performance. And you don't need to reseal it.

Laminate, another kitchen countertop staple, excelled at resisting stains, heat, and impacts. Plus it's inexpensive. Choose nature-inspired colors or crisp whites for a classic touch. While we found differences among materials, there were few brand distinctions, so our Ratings (available to subscribers) are by material. We also found:

Download DuPont's free mySurface app to an iPhone or iPod Touch to view screen-sized swatches of their solid surfacing and quartz products and to order samples. DuPont also has an online design guide. Match quartz countertops to paints at Cambriausa.com; mix surfaces and cabinets at Formica.com.

We haven't found a material that's completely green. The Richlite countertops we tested are made of paper from certified, managed forests, but the resin is petroleum-based. Check "green" credentials by how much recycled content a material contains and whether it's made of renewable sources. Another option: Scout home salvage yards for stone or wood countertops that can be refinished or recut to suit your space.

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Countertops: Consumer Reports

Carpet Cleaning Fish Hawk
Carpet cleaning fishhawk.

By: United States Cleaning Services, Inc. 813 263 5587

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Carpet Cleaning Fish Hawk - Video

For a clean, healthy home, ensure that the air you breathe is free from allergens, airborne bacteria and dust. With the help of our trained technicians you and your family can breathe easy with Dalworth Clean's air duct cleaning service.

The air conditioning and ventilation system in your home can attract a variety of contaminants that can make you and your family sick. Dirty air ducts and vents from your heating and cooling system circulate pollutants such as pet dander, fungus, dust and bacteria throughout your home.

Our trained professionals at Dalworth can ensure that your air ducts and vents are properly cleaned. We use our HVAC system to individually clean each one of your air ducts from the grill back to the main component. In addition the blower fan, coils and drain pan are cleaned.

In order to maintain your air ducts, use high efficiency air filters and keep them clean by replacing them regularly, and dust and vacuum often to keep your home as dust-free as possible.

In addition to our air duct cleaning service, Dalworth offers allergy relief services for you home including flooring, mattresses, drapery and upholstery. If you or your family suffers from allergy symptoms, our allergy relief services can help.

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Duct Cleaning Service Dallas Texas, Air Duct Cleaning ...

Shepherds Ministries has been serving people with intellectual disabilities since 1964. Shepherds offers residential and vocational opportunities and Shepherds College provides post-secondary opportunities for adults with intellectual disabilities.

Any donations can be dropped off Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. at Shepherds Findley Center, which is located on Highway 11 across the street from Dairy Queen in Union Grove.

For a tour of our campus, or volunteer opportunities, contact Amy DeBurgh at adeburgh@shepherdsministries.org or 262-878-5620, ext. 2304.

Contact Toys for Tots 262-633-1379 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays between 8 to 11:30 a.m. for more information. Toys for Tots is located at 800 Center St., the same hours. Toys and supplies also can be dropped off at any fire station east of the interstate, Kortendick's Hardware and Wells Fargo Bank on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.

Racine Theatre Guild

Call Beth or Doug at 262-633-1250 or stop by 2519 Northwestern Ave. from noon to 6 p.m. weekdays. For further information on RTG, visit http://www.racinetheatre.org.

RADD

The following is a wish list of items for RADD (Recreational Activities for the Developmentally Disabled), a nonprofit agency which provides individuals with developmental disabilities the opportunity to develop physical, social, emotional, vocational and leisure skills that can be applied across home, school, work and community settings. We are dedicated to promoting health and wellness among our clientele and are a long standing Partner Provider of United Way of Racine County.

Contact us at 262-633-0291 to make arrangements for delivery of wish list items, or to learn more about ways in which you can support RADD programs and participants. Visit our website at http://www.radd-cpa.org to see all that RADD has to offer. RADD is also found on Facebook. RADD is located at 3131 Taylor Ave., Building No. 4, Racine, WI 53405.

Racine Public Library

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How can you help? Wish list from local nonprofit organizations, March 1

Collapsed Retaining Wall Reconstruction
Be careful about hiring the right landscaping contractor for your home. The bitterness of poor quality lingers long after the sweetness of low price is forgo...

By: William Dalzell

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Collapsed Retaining Wall Reconstruction - Video

No job is too big or too small. All Retaining Walls are happy to quote on anything in and around Adelaide, from a small garden bed retaining wall to large scale commercial retaining and landscaping work, throughout the Adelaide and Outer Adelaide areas.

Andrew Scarfe has been building retaining walls of all types for many years and has been featured in the Adelaide Advertiser in articles about Retaining Walls in Adelaide.

With experience in all types of retaining walls, including concrete sleeper walls, block walls, curved retainer walls, bluestone retaining walls, retaining walls on property boundaries, retaining walls with addiitonal fencing above, gabion retaining walls, tiered retaining walls for steeply sloped blocks, and retaining walls in areas with tight or difficult access, Andrew's knowledge of retaining wall building is extensive. If you need a low cost retaining wall or a feature garden retaining wall, he can build your wall with the right quality materials to ensure that it lasts for years. All Retaining Walls only use quality materials as required by the building code, and will install proper drainage, to ensure your retaining wall lasts.

We can do the complete construction, including design, costings, materials sourcing and retaining wall construction.

Difficult site access is our specialty, with equipment andexperience to handle difficult situations incluidngnarrow or steep access.

For more pictures of completed jobs around Adelaide, please see our gallery pages.

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All Retaining Walls Adelaide South Australia - All ...

Top 5 Best Rouge/Budget Decks For the January 2015 Format
Ebay Store Link http://www.ebay.com/usr/theyugiohcouncil Like us on facebook facebook.com/theyugiohcouncil follow us on twitch twitch.tv/yugiohcouncil if you...

By: theyugiohcouncil

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Top 5 Best Rouge/Budget Decks For the January 2015 Format - Video

Lock Stock and Two Smokin Decks
A Quick Live Play on Maschine Studio 2.0 with Some Samples I #39;ve Sourced from the Movie Lock Stock, Sampled and Edited by my Own Hands. #lock #stock #guy ritchie # snatch #vinnie jones # bradd.

By: Hard5tance

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Lock Stock and Two Smokin Decks - Video

This could be the worst example of DIY ever.

Watch as this husband gives us a tour of he and his wife's hilarious attempts at rewiring their bathroom.

It all culminates with the brilliant revelation that a hairdryer now acts as the main light switch.

The video was uploaded to YouTube by the woman's brother, and it has gone rapidly viral with over 539,000 views since Wednesday.

Daniel Willey, the source of the clip, said on YouTube: "When remodeling their bathroom, my sister and her husband ran into some... difficulties."

DIY fail: Man demonstrates new hairdryer light switch

In the video, an unnamed man gives the viewer a tour of the botched bathroom, much to the amusement of his wife who holds the camera.

The DIY project began with the simple removal of an extractor fan, but it soon went south.

He begins by saying: "I thought I wanted everything the way it was, but it's not functioning the way it did."

It is revealed that both bathroom light switches now turn on the same light, although only one switches it off.

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Think you're bad at DIY? Bungling couple wire bathroom light up to HAIRDRYER

St. Mary Catholic Church officials are in the early stages of planning interior renovations to the historic structure as well as a fundraising campaign to pay for the project, the Rev. John Hilton said last week.

Hilton, who has served as the churchs pastor for nearly four years, said the discussions also involve new church programs. A tentative completion date for the work is 2017, the 125th-year anniversary of the building, which was dedicated in March 1892. The parish itself was established in 1882.

Its too early to put a figure on the cost of repairs, he said.

All of our discussions have been about getting ready for the next 100 years, Hilton said. Its not just about buildings; its about programs and initiatives and community outreach for St. Marys. Were not focusing on capital campaigns at this point.

Hilton acknowledged, however, that fundraising efforts will become part of the discussion eventually if the church is to accomplish its many goals. A Denver architect has been involved in the early talks, as has Aspen architect Charles Cunniffe. The citys Historic Preservation Commission held a work session in September to discuss a possible expansion on the west side of the church in the courtyard, but nothing was officially decided.

No formal development applications have been filed with the city, Hilton said.

Were really in the early stages of this discussion, he said. What were really looking at is, how can the building serve future needs of the parish, and how can the parish serve the community? What can the parish do for Aspen? And were entering into lots of partnerships with different groups.

Hilton outlined a few tangible needs for the buildings interior, such as repairing stained-glass windows; refinishing the altar area and pews; fixing statues; improving lighting, electrical systems and energy efficiency; installing new carpeting; and upgrading ventilation systems and the ceiling.

Parishioners have been surveyed to gauge their views on the churchs needs, he said. Safety concerns also are being examined; the Aspen Fire Department wants to see an additional stairway linking the first and second floors, Hilton said. The church itself is on the second floor.

Were looking at the need for additional office space, he said. Also, the bathrooms are not code-compliant and thats also part of the discussion.

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Aspens Catholic church gearing up for projects, programs