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WOOl) DKCKS -- A VAItlATIOIN OF THK I'ATIO -- serve muny outdoor living needs. Here, deeks arc used to divide a side yard into separate outdoor living rmtms Kusy-eurc native plant materials lake over llir spare between, giving derks tlie floating effect. These are Douglas lir Ikii by twos on rigid post-aiid-lieam framework. Search to Save Work Inspires Decked Yards Is that favorite home improvement project scheduled vagiiely for "some time when we have cash to spare"? As many families know, such a time rarely ever cbmes. But home improvement dreams can still become realities -- especially if the modernization or expansion project is of a type that will add substantially to the resale value of the home. To determine whether a specific improvement will increase home resale value, it's a good idea to consult the loan officer of a full-service bank. With a wealth of experience in this field, he is in a position to advise on such things as whether the proposed improvement is worthwhile and how much it's likely to cost. When extra money is heeded, there are a number of ways to borrow the necessary cash for home improvements. FHA Loans. The Federal Housing Administration offers two types of loans, short term and long term. The short term Title 1 loan is issued for permanent structural improvements, in amounts up to $3,500 with five years to repay. Interest is charged at five dollars per hundred up to $2,500, four dollars per -hundred from $2,500 to $3,500. Man's search for the finer things of life should receive much FHA long term loans, for credit for the invention of labor-saving devices. But oftentimes really extensive improvements, it is mankind s tendency to laziness which serves as inspiration, provide for borrowing up to Wasliiim machines and golf scooters arc but two of the won- $10,000, with up to 20 years to drous inventions inspired by, if not laziness, at least a willing- JJPj* than610 ness to work less. And many outstanding landscaping designs years old the loan must ^ also lit into this category. used for such major structural For example: wood-decked yardM. To the man with the changes as adding a wing. If lawnmower, the back yard seems acres square regardless of its it's more than 10 years old, the actual size, and the continuous chore of mowing, trimming and homeowner can use the loan watering usually requires more weekend time than he wants to make any kind of improveto devote lo it. So here's a cure-all: supplant leaves of grass ments he likes with planks of wood. As with all such innovations, the wood deck has evolved from a simple porch-like affair to an outdoor room as sophisticated as the homeowner wishes. Variations in design are abundant. limited only by the imagination. A^ith such an easily-tailored material as wood, patio decks can be made in any size or shape and to fit any niche in the yard. Several decks serving different purposes might be built, one adjacent to the dining room or kitchen for an outdoor family room, one in the back for sunbathing, one for a children's play yard. These can be connected with narrower decks acting as walkways and built on levels two steps up and down from each other for added eye interest. With shrubbery and rock filling the spaces between, the decks look like islands floating in a sea of greens and grays. Decks can be built of Douglas fir two by fours on edge or two by twos over a rigid postand- beam framework. Deck boards are spaced one-eighth inch apart to allow rain runoff. Some people may wish to stain the decking, but it's far easier and often better looking to let the wood weather naturally. After an ugly duckling season, the wood takes on a soft silvery sheen that's easy to live with and requires no upkeep. inn Vinyl Wallpaper tW,,9 Totix, HorJ flank Itinprovement Loans. Banks offer their own home improvement loans. Although they cost slightly more than the FHA loans, they are more flexible, because the money can be used for projects not approved under Title 1. Interest varies from five to seven dollars per hundred a year. Open-End Mortgage Loan. If the home mortgage contains an open-end provision, this could enable the homeowner to borrow an amount equal to what has already been paid off. i. Takes Hard Wear For heavy duty areas such jBs^^this or kitchens where heat and steam may be big factors, vinyl wallpapers are a wfse choice. These papers are especially designed to look better for longer under adverse conditions. Because of their nagged qualities, they can be scrubbed for spot cleaning without going over the entire wall or ceiling areas. Local wallpaper stores and departments carry selections of vinyl papers in handsome Color and pattern combinations. Desk Center Fits Problem Corner, Makes Big Use of Small Space Imaginative utilization of small space can pay big dividends in a home modernization program. The cramped corner, that hard-to-furnish niche, becomes useful floor space and a design focal point with builtin units that mix style and functionality. A wide, ceiling-high cove presented a remodeler with a stiff challenge in a kitchenfamily room area. Distant from the kitchen work center and visible from the well-decorated family-leisure room, the niche had been an unused, barren wall area. With a minimum of basic construction, a dry-wall soffit was lowered from the ceiling and the built-in unit installed, BUBLT-DN DESK and "commu- Creating a desk-storage-com- micaitnoiio center" makes good use munications center, featuring of space in problem corner of a a handy extension telephone Ulehen-family room. The entire and house-wide AM-FM radio tassit was surfaced with Formicaintercom system. brand laminated plastic. WMnMMMMMMMWWMNH PROTECTING BRASS For brass hardware that sta£s bright and new looking, apply a: spray coating of clear lacquer. WATER SOFTENER SERVICE 8A£3S BAY SERVICE ON MOOT MAKES & MODELS • 8 -- • C l e M £ = 3 © • ! • lef>tr # l--tri-aMcp' • esscaiHtMlBt < -- ALL WORK GUARANTEED -- ss 335-5566 WAYIER SOFTENER S NEW -- USED -- REBUILT WATER SOFTENED SEBVICB/SAIJC8 McBmi, .WSstM ... The Guaranteed Exterior Finish Whichever effect you want - Solid Color or Semi Transparent • when it comes to finishing wood, nothing does a better Job than Olympic. That's because Olympic Stains were developed especially for wood. Their whole purpose in life is to make wood look good. And that's exactly what they do. How? On the Job, both types of Olympic Stain soak in. The Solid Color covers and colon the wood completely. The Semi-Transparent colors protect and enrich without hiding the grain or texture. Unlike paint, Olympic Stains don't form a film. They penetrate -- actually become a part of the wood. So Olympic can't ever crack, peel, flake or blister. But it can (and does) last years longer. Olympic guarantees it. I. Lakeland Paint "W«Rt. "120 - West ot MeHenry Market 'Place