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Daily Uses

Hardly a day goes by that we are not affected by one of the many types of adhesive. We use them for everything from repairing broken or torn items to bonding materials as varied as metal, plastic, wood, paper, and so on. Did you get or mail a letter today? Both the stamp and the envelope have glue on them. How many post it notes do you use in your office? Everyone, including children as well as adults use adhesive all of the time. We glue, tape, stick, bond, seal, and so on and so on to make our lives better, more efficient and more organized. Here are some things that you might find interesting about those things we use to hold our lives together.

Since Early Civilization

If you think that adhesive is a fairly modern invention you are wrong. Since early civilization the inhabitants of Earth have used substances found in nature to stick things together. These include beeswax and resin, and glue made from animal bones, rubber, and animal skin. These substances are still used in some of the glues and pastes that we use today. This shows in part, how useful they are, but also how effective they are.

New Uses

But, with the increase in scientific knowledge and technology, now we are able to use more synthetic materials in our adhesive products. Masking tape was invented by Richard Drew as an answer to the problems that auto workers were having with painting the popular two-tone paint-jobs. The glue that they had to use was taking the paint off of the cars. He also invented what we call “Scotch” tape which is really cellulose tape.

Another recent invention is epoxy adhesive. When you want to bond two materials of different types together, such as metal and glass, regular glue will not work very well. But with epoxies, you can bond these things together quickly and easily. They also are able to bond non-porous materials easily. You can even use Super Glue, one of the more popular types of epoxy to seal cuts together instead of using stitches.

Post-it notes are one of the more recent uses for adhesive. You may or may not be familiar with the unlikely story of these now iconic pieces of society. At the 3M Company an employee invented glue which was not overly sticky, but unlike other types of adhesive, it maintained its sticky nature over long periods of time without drying out. They tried using for various purposes, to no avail. But, then one day, one of the company employees was trying to find a way to keep his bookmark from falling out of his book. He put on a little of this glue, and the rest is just history. Now they have replaced other adhesive materials like cellulose tape for posting all of those little reminder notes all over our cubicles and computer monitors.

Stay Safe

As always there are some precautions and instructions for how to safely use adhesive-especially glues. If you are working with children especially, you need to educate them on the proper use of glue and supervise their activities. They should not be trusted to use the more powerful types of glue like epoxies. The area where you are working should be clean and free from dust, dirt and debris, and you may want to put down newspaper or a protective cloth to keep it off the counter or work table. Follow all of the instructions on the glue packaging to ensure that it will work properly.

Margarette Tustle writes ideas for home and family. Find adhesive resources at duoadhesive.com

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This is what should be done to safely use a wood heating system. Before you ever start a fire in your wood heater check the stove pipe and chimney. Look to see they are properly connected and that they have no holes showing. Fumes like carbon monoxide, as well as smoke, could escape into your house through a hole in the stove pipe, as could flames f you ever have a small chimney fire. That could start a house fire.

Open a window some to allow oxygen from outside to enter the room where your heater is burning. The fire burns up the oxygen present in the room when the heater is operating.

It is a good idea to have your heater sitting on a sheet metal base, that stretches out in front of the heater’s door. This metal sheet spreads out any excessive heat on the floor and should the fire spit out burning embers when the door is opened for putting wood in, the floor will be protected from burns. This can often happen if the wood being burnt is not completely dry. Some types of wood like spruce will tend to pop and spit embers frequently while burning.

Check the fire proof chord seal around the door of the heater, making sure that there are no holes or gaps present. You want the fire box of your heater air tight when you close the draft lever shutting off the air flow. The draft lever allows you to control how hot the fire burns. Closing the draft lever slows down the fire by stopping its oxygen supply.

You should keep a door seal repair kit on hand. It contains a tube of liquid adhesive and a length of fire proof rope-like chord. If you can see the light of the fire through the edge of the door where the door seal is located, repair is needed.

It is best to do the repair when the door of the heater is still quite warm. Measure and cut the correct length of door sealing chord that will fit all around the door in the groove. Scrape out any of the old chord still inside the heater door groove and when clean wipe it with a rag. Apply the liquid adhesive a few drops at a time to the inside of the groove. The warmth of the door will cause it to become sticky in a few minutes. When the adhesive becomes gel-like, press the chord into the groove with a screwdriver. Hold the chord in place for a few moments while it sets, attaching a few inches of the chord to the groove at a time. When it is all in place, close the heater door. Tighten the door latch as much as possible and let it set for about fifteen minutes.

The chimney must be checked for an excess of soot deposited on its inside. It is a good idea to open the hole for the soot to fall down the chimney and stove pipe into the heaters burning chamber. This is done by turning two fire bricks on their side at the top of the heaters burning chamber.

Wear old clothes. Take hand wiping rag, chimney cleaning brush, and the tools needed to remove the stove pipe cap at the top of your chimney. Carefully climb onto the roof. Take off the chimney cap and brush the soot off the inside of the cap. Look inside the chimney. You will likely see a layer of black soot covering the top of the chimney. Blow it away. Take the chimney brush and carefully push it down and pull it up the chimney. Do this repeatedly until you see no more black near the top of the chimney. When it’s clean reattach the cap onto the chimney, clean your hands and tools with the rag and be careful climbing down off the roof. Take your time. It is not worth getting hurt by falling.

Wood heat is a comfortable way of heating your home but it does take some safety knowledge and precautions to do so safely.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Safety

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One of the newest most innovative laminate flooring products on the market is Pergo Presto. Pergo Presto is a glueless laminate floor that is installed by sliding the pieces into one another by the way of groove and tongue. With Pergo Presto there is an adhesive strip on the backside of the piece that attaches it to the sub floor (can be made of wood, cement, or other flooring products). There is no gluing and no wetting with Pergo Presto, just the simple application.

This type of Pergo floor has a built in edge sealant to protect the floor from getting any moisture beneath it. Moisture can ruin the floor through warping and swelling. This new floor type by Prego is a great solution for people who enjoy to do-it-yourself, and who have the financial leeway for the convenience of a glue-free laminate floor.

Where to Find It
This Pergo product can be found at most large home improvement stores and other flooring stores that carry laminate wood flooring. There are also online companies that sell Pergo flooring. Be wise and cost compare to make sure you get the best price with the customer service you expect and deserve. Customer service is important, since you will want to be able to ask questions or find quick answers to your Pergo Presto installation problems. It is important that you are able to get the help you need.

Pergo Presto Installation
Before attempting to install the Pergo Presto floor on your own, make sure you seriously consider your level of do-it-yourself expertise. If you feel comfortable reading the Pergo Presto instructions and completing the installation on your own, that is great. If, on the other hand, you are nervous and feel you would like some further instruction, there are a number of options you have. You have the option to take a home improvement class at your local home improvement store, or you can watch an online video on the installation process of a laminate floor by Pergo. There will also books about installing such a floor in your nearby library. If you take the time to further your knowledge on your own, do not forget to pay attention to the specifics provided by the Pergo manufacturer to ensure the best results.

In order to allow the laminate flooring to adjust to the levels of moisture in the air of the room you are going to be installing it in, leave the Prego flooring in the room (in open boxes) for at least 48 hours prior to the Pergo Presto installation (72 hours if you live in an extremely dry or humid climate). This also will allow for the Pergo Presto laminate to do any swelling or shrinking before you spend the time installing it.

Your Presto floor can be installed on almost any subfoor, including wood and tile. If the room you want to install the flooring in has carpet, you should remove it prior to installation. You should also make sure you use the tools offered by the manufacturer, such as tapping block and tightening straps. This will help you to fit the Pergo flooring as tightly as possible together. Make sure there is a

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