How to Build a Bluebird House From a Single Cedar Board

Layout the components

Layout your components on the 1×6 board. If you are using cedar, you may have a smooth and rough side. Face the rough side out on the exterior of the bluebird house.

• Use a tape measure and speed square to lay out each piece as in the drawing below. To account for the saw blade kerf, leave a 1/8-in. gap between each piece.
• For the sides (B), mark both edges of the board at 10-3/4-in. and connect them with a straight line. From one corner, measure 9-3/4-in. and connect it to the opposite 10-3/4-in. mark to create the roof slope. Mirror this for the second side.
• Label every piece to ensure accuracy during assembly.

Cut out the pieces

At the miter saw:

• Cutout each piece on the straight lines before any angled cuts.
• Set the miter saw angle to 10 degrees for the sloped tops of the side pieces (B).
• On the floor (E), cut off 1/2-in. x 1/2-in. triangles from each corner for drainage and ventilation. Use a long scrap board as a sub fence for better support. Set the saw to 45 degrees for these corner cuts.

Drill the entrance hole

Grab your front piece and head over to the drill press.

• On the front piece, find center along the top 5-1/2-in. edge. Measure 2 in. down from that center point on the front face. This marks the center of the entrance hole.
• Using a 1-1/2-in. Forstner bit, line up the point to your mark and drill completely through the front (A) into a sacrificial scrap under it to ensure the hole doesn’t blow out.

Make the angled cuts

Use your table saw or miter saw to cut 10-degree bevels at the top edges of the front (A) and back (C) pieces so they align with the roof pitch. And, at the back edge of the roof (D), so it aligns with the back (C) when assembled. To ensure consistency with a rough exterior and smooth interior, be aware of the position of the rough side of the cedar relative to these bevels.

Assemble the birdhouse

Remember to assemble the birdhouse with the cedar rough side out and the smooth side in. Dry-fit all pieces with clamps first to ensure they are flush.

• Stand the back (C) with the beveled edge up. Place the left side piece (B) on the inside of the back piece. Flush the edges and clamp. The slope of the right side (B) and the bevel of the back (C) piece should be aligned.
• Use a nail gun with exterior-rated 1-1/4-in. 18-gauge Brad nails and nail the back (C) to the side (B).
• Place the front (A) so the left side is sandwiched between the front and back. Ensure the bevel on top of the front piece is sloped the same direction as the back and side piece. Clamp and nail together.
• Insert the floor (E), recessing it 1/4-in. off the bottom edge of the front (A), back (C), and left side (B) to keep it dry. Clamp and nail through the front, back, and left side.

Make the hinged door

• Insert the right-side piece (B). Make a mark 1-1/2-in. down from the top edge of the front (A), and 3/8-in. in over towards the entry hole for placement of the pivot screw.
• Use a speed square to transfer the mark from the front (A) to the back (C), ensuring the pivot screws are aligned. Mark this location 3/8-inch in from the back (C) edge to match the mark on the front(A).
• Predrill and insert two 2-in. deck screws. Don’t over-tighten, as they act as the pivot point.
• Finish the assembly by aligning the roof (D) with the beveled back edge flush with the back piece. The roof (D) will lay in the direction of the slope. Nail it to the front (A) and back (C). The 1/4-in. gap between the roof and the sides helps with ventilation.
• Attach a panel clip to the lower back edge of the back (C) on the right side of the birdhouse to keep the door closed. Pre-drill the hole before securing it with a 1/2-inch screw to avoid splitting the wood.

 Attach a mounting bracket

• Turn your bird house upside down on its head.
• Center the mounting bracket on the bottom of the floor (E). Mark and pre-drill four shallow holes, then secure the bracket with 3/4-in. screws
• When all is done, install it on a T-stake outside and watch the birds fly in.

For added protection, you can add a baffle to the T-stake to prevent predators from getting close to the birdhouse. If you don’t like the look of a T-post, you can mount it on a pole or a wooden post as well.

FAQ

Where do you put bluebird houses?

You want to place bluebird houses in sunny, open areas with large expanses of grass. Set them on a birdhouse post four to six feet high to make it harder for predators from entering. Avoid placing them in shaded areas and too close to feeders.

What direction should a bluebird house face?

Ideally, you would want to face the birdhouse east, southeast facing away from the prevailing winds and rain from entering through the entrance hole. Facing it east, southeast helps warm up the nest as the sun rises and shades it from the afternoon heat.

How to keep sparrows out of a bluebird house?

To keep sparrows out, regularly monitor the birdhouse. If you notice sparrows entering and leaving, they may be making a nest inside. If that is the case, remove the nesting materials to push them away. You can also remove the birdhouse or plug it up until sparrows lose interest.

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Why Some Stop Signs Have Small Holes — And What Drivers Should Know

A road sign with holes can be alarming at first glance. You’re not alone: it’s a natural reaction to an unusual look for a common item you’ve likely seen intact thousands of times. But before you assume the worst, there may be a good reason why that stop sign looks the way it does: sometimes those holes are intentional.

Engineers design some traffic signs with perforations to hold up in rough conditions to prevent wear or irreparable damage. Learn about what those holes actually do, how to tell the difference between damage and design, why they matter for safety, and where you’re most likely to see them.

Why Some Stop Signs Have Intentional Holes

Small, evenly spaced holes on road signs reduce wind resistance by allowing air to pass through rather than pushing directly against the sign. It might not sound like a big deal, but that small tweak goes a long way toward reducing wear.

Solid signs block wind, stressing the post and hardware holding the sign together. Perforated signs ease that pressure, helping them hold up better in strong winds or open areas where gusts hit harder. That means fewer repairs and replacements. In fact, research backs that up.

“The optimized perforated traffic sign can not only improve the wind load resistance of the sign board but also reduce the strength requirements of the supporting parts to some extent, making it easier to design and install the structure,” according to a National Center for Biotechnology Information study on the wind load of the perforated traffic sign board.

Even slight warping makes a sign harder to read, especially in inclement weather. Perforated signs also help with visibility over time, as wind can bend the sign enough to affect how headlights reflect.

“While many bent signs can be read in the daylight, some bent signs, even signs with minor bending, are difficult to see at night because they no longer reflect the light from the vehicle’s headlights back to the driver’s eyes,” according to the US Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration. “Minor bending like this may be repaired by removing the sign from the post and straightening the sign face.”

Where Are You Most Likely to See Road Signs With Holes?

Perforated road signs are more likely to be seen in high-wind areas. Those could be areas that often have high winds or have frequent strong storm potential, like hurricane or tornado areas.

That includes rural highways, coastal regions, plains, etc., that tend to experience stronger, more consistent winds.

Urban areas don’t need perforated signs as they don’t have the same wind risk. Tall buildings block high wind flow, so the signs face the same stress.

Engineers adjust sign design based on local conditions, which doesn’t just include adding perforations. Other alterations can include using different mounting systems or more intense hardware.

Are Road Sign Holes Ever From Damage?

Of course, road signs with holes aren’t always intentional. They could be a result of damage from natural elements, accidents, vandalism, or other crimes. The difference should be obvious to untrained eyes.

Intentional perforation will be in a more uniform or symmetrical pattern with even spacing and identical hole size. Conversely, holes from damage will be sporadic, and the areas around the holes might have peeling paint or rust as the area was not prepped.

The Federal Highway Administration notes that local municipality, state or federal crews repair or replace signs once visibility drops due to damage or natural wear. However, notifying local authorities of damaged signs can get signs replaced quicker, possibly preventing future accidents.

So next time you see a stop sign with holes in it, check to see if they’re clean, consistent holes or scattered holes, which would indicate wear or damage.

SOURCES

National Center for Biotechnology Information, “CFD Simulation Study on Wind Load of Perforated Traffic Sign Board”
Federal Highway Administration, “Repair and Replacement of Sign Panels”

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New Study Reveals Link Between Drivers Who Speed and Use Their Phone While Driving

Whether you’re the parent of a new driver or just someone who is cautious when they’re on the road, you hope that the other drivers around you are utilizing safe driving practices. But when the rise of new technology meets impatient drivers, you can’t always guarantee that. Insurance companies found a link between speed practices and phone usage.

How Was the Study Conducted?

Nowadays, many insurance companies offer different apps. These apps “promise cost savings to drivers who opt in and exhibit what the insurer deems safe driving.” According to The Drive, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) was able to look at the data that these apps provide.

To run their study, they focused on trips that were “18 minutes (with at least two minutes on an Interstate highway).” The apps utilize phone sensors and GPS to log most of their data. In order to determine if a driver was speeding, the GPS data was matched to a speed-limit database. Meanwhile, “phone use was determined based on ‘significant rotation’ registered by the phone’s gyroscope while the screen was unlocked.”

What Were the Findings?

The numbers were slightly different for highways versus regular roads. However, in both cases, speeding and phone usage showed a positive correlation. The Drive reports that on limited-access highways, IIHS “researchers found that phone use rose by 12% for every 5 mph drivers went over the speed limit.”  When it came to other roads, the researchers reported that “phone use rose by a smaller amount—3%—for every 5 mph over the limit.”

Faster roads also saw an increase in phone usage. For limited-access highways where the speed limit is 70 mph, researchers found “a 9% larger increase in phone use per 5 mph over the limit than on similar roads with a 55-mph limit.” For other roads, researchers noted that the “increase in phone use was 3% larger (again, per 5 mph over the posted limit) on roads with a 45-50-mph limit than on roads with a posted limit between 25 and 30 mph, and 7% larger on roads with a 55-mph limit.”

While the idea of using a phone while speeding feels dangerous, the overall findings make sense. People who speed are taking a risk while driving, as are people who use their phones while behind the wheel. It makes sense that risk-taking behaviors would fit together. That’s not to say that all drivers who speed also have high phone usage while driving. Rather, it means that the odds show that risky behaviors tend to go together.

Source

Drivers Use Their Phones More When Speeding, IIHS Says, The Drive, 2026.

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I’ve Lived in the Redwoods for 20 Years — Here’s What the Forest Taught Me

For a kid from slushy Southern Ontario, sunny California seemed like the promised land, and when I finally arrived there in 1985, it didn’t disappoint. Palm trees lined the highways, the blue Pacific stretched out forever, and the majestic, mysterious and ancient redwoods covered the mountains in Santa Cruz County, where I eventually made my home. In my wildest childhood dreams, I never saw myself living in a forest dominated by these iconic behemoths, but somehow, that’s what happened, and now I’ve been living in a redwood forest for a little over 20 years.

Redwood trees have to be big and strong to survive the unpredictable conditions of their mountainous coastal habitat, which is prone to natural disasters. Since arriving in coastal California, I’ve seen significant property damage from gale-force winds, wildfires, excessive rainfall, lightning strikes — even a major earthquake — and the trees simply shrug off these disasters.

In more serene times, redwood trees — which often grow in clumps surrounding a mother tree (known locally as fairy circles) — form natural cathedrals. Redwoods are huge and awesome, but they can also be dangerous. Here’s what I’ve learned by living among them.

Watch Out Below!

Redwoods form massive trunks as they grow to heights of several hundred feet, and the branches that spring from these trunks are also massive. And, yes, they do break off and fall. If one hits a person falling from a height over 100 feet, it can easily be fatal, which is why locals call these branches widowmakers.

The tops of redwood trees can also break off and fall during high-wind events. We lost power and were stranded for days when a treetop fell onto a power line during a storm, snapping the power pole in two and sending it across the driveway. Consider the damage an entire tree can do to a house if it falls.

The trees are so tall that one growing 100 feet away is a potential hazard. During a series of storms a few years back, a redwood fell through the roof of a neighbor’s house and into the living room while he, fortunately, was in the bedroom.

Understanding the potential for damage from falling trees and branches has necessitated certain precautions on our property. Cars need to be parked out in the open, and people stay inside during high-wind events. We had to build a roof over our well pump because if a branch fell on it, we’d be out of water.

Redwoods Are Protected

That’s a good thing, right? Regulations that prohibit the removal of old-growth trees and require permits for removing younger ones save the forests for future generations. That’s true, but they also prevent property owners from managing their own forests. When a forest official inspected our property to sign off on a zone change, he recommended thinning the redwood clumps to promote healthier growth. Unfortunately, that’s easier said than done.

In Santa Cruz County, Coastal Redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens) are considered heritage trees, and to remove one, you need to initiate a process that involves assessments by arborists and strict permit conditions, and you need to give public notice. This can all get expensive and time-consuming, and considering what a major job it is to take one down even if you successfully obtain a permit, it’s a daunting proposal. So the redwoods on our property continue to crowd each other out and drop branches that have to be collected and burned every year during burn season.

The Redwood Environment

Redwoods form a towering canopy that shades everything underneath it, and that can be both a plus and a minus. On the plus side, it makes for a cooler environment in the summer, and on the flip side, it makes things downright cold in winter. Winters tend to be rainy, and the moisture lingers in the shade and creates mold problems.

A haven for wildlife

Wildlife doesn’t care about mold and thrives in the redwood forest’s sheltered environment. Our property hosts birds like owls, jays and woodpeckers; deer, bobcats, foxes, coyotes, squirrels and what seems to be a million mice, which we catch in live traps and release in the state park three miles away. We also get occasional visits from mountain lions (cougars). They prey on house cats, which have to be careful. Of the nine that have lived here over the years, only one has been canny enough to survive.

I once came face to face with a large cougar. It snarled at me from about 20 feet away, but luckily, I was by the door, so I just went inside. It hung around, though, and later had to be chased away. My intrepid landmate soaked it with a garden hose, which turned out to be pretty effective.

Resistance to wildfires

The wildfire that devastated our mountain community in 2020 spread mostly among the tan oaks and smaller trees, brush and bushes that grow in the clearings. Redwoods also burned, of course, but they didn’t necessarily die; many of the ones that were blackened when the fire was extinguished have sprouted new growth six years later.

The fire may have actually helped the trees reproduce, because their cones open more readily after fire exposure, but research shows that most new growth came from the bases of existing trees. When sprouts get established, they grow surprisingly quickly and with impressive vitality.

A few years ago, I had to cut a young tree that was blocking our view (it was too small to be protected as a heritage tree). The stump quickly turned into a large bush, and in three short years, a new tree had grown to about 10 feet tall. That had to go, too, and now a new one has sprouted.

What I’ve Learned

To anyone who is attracted by the romance of living in the quiet chaos of a redwood forest, I say go for it. It’s a unique and rare environment. Just be sure to keep your head covered and to stay out of the way when the wind blows.

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Thermos Recalls 8 Million Jars Linked to Vision Loss — Here’s What to Know

If you’re trying to save money or eat healthier, packing your own lunch is a solid plan. And when you’re on a long trip, it’s almost a necessity. So it’s unfortunate when food storage containers turn out to be faulty or dangerous. No one wants a recall, but that’s exactly what’s happening right now as the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (USCPSC) has announced a Thermos recall for millions of their containers.

Which Thermos Jars Are Included in this Recall?

Thermos is recalling over 8 million jars and bottles. Nearly 6 million of these are Thermos Stainless King 3000 and 3020 Food Jars. Another 2 million are Thermos Sportsman 3010 Food & Beverage Bottles. The dangerous Stainless King bottles in question were manufactured before July 2023. So, if you have a newer one, you may be safe. But all of the Sportsman jars are dangerous. Regardless, it’s best to refrain from using your Thermos jars until you know for sure.

Why Are These Thermos Jars Dangerous?

Per the brief, “the stopper of the recalled Food Jars and Food & Beverage Bottles does not have a pressure relief in the center.” Most food storage containers of this type have some kind of pressure release. This is to prevent a violent build-up and release. But in these containers, “if perishable food or beverages are stored in the container for an extended period of time, the stopper can forcefully eject when opened, which can result in serious impact injury and laceration hazards to the consumer.”

So far, the USCPSC reports that there are “27 reports of consumers who were struck by a stopper that forcefully ejected from these containers upon opening.” These reports included “complaints of impact and laceration injuries requiring medical attention.” And in three instances, “consumers suffered permanent vision loss after being struck in the eye.”

Is There a Fix?

According to the brief, if you own one of the jars in question, you should stop using it immediately and “contact Thermos to receive a free replacement pressure relief stopper or replacement Bottle, depending on the model.”

If yours is one of the 3000 or 3020 jars, you “will be asked to throw away the stopper and send a photo of the disposed stopper to Thermos.” On the other hand, if you have one of the 3010 jars, you “will be asked to return their recalled Bottle to Thermos using a prepaid shipping label.”

If you have further questions, you can check the USCPSC site; their number for this recall is 26-444.

Source

Thermos Recalls 8.2 Million Stainless King Food Jars and Bottles Due to Serious Impact Injury and Laceration Hazards, United States Consumer Product Safety Commission, 2026.

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Smart Meters Explained: Will They Raise or Lower Your Energy Costs?

Last year, our electric company began installing smart meters in our neighborhood. They’re handy for tracking home energy use, but they come with potential pitfalls, which is why our neighbor opted to stick with his old-school meter.

“The hesitancy and skepticism surrounding smart meters is likely rooted in fears about privacy and exploitation,” says electrician Tim Hodnicki. “People see them as yet more devices scooping up all kinds of data, and they fear that data will be used to nickel-and-dime them in ways that weren’t possible with analog meters.”

Here’s how to sort out the pros and cons of smart meters, why utility companies are switching to them and what that means for your electric bill.

What Are Smart Meters?

Smart meters are digital devices that record the real-time usage of electricity in a home, and then electronically send that data to the utility company. They’re installed on the meter box on the outside of a house, replacing the original meter.

How Do They Differ From Traditional Meters?

Old-school meters are analog devices, which means utility workers must visit homes to read them. Conversely, smart meters electronically send usage data to the utility company, plus allow the company to remotely turn on and off the power to a home.

“Smart meters provide a constant stream of data, which not only shows how much energy is used, but also provides insights into when usage peaks and dips throughout the day,” says Hodnicki.

What Data Does a Smart Meter Collect?

Smart meters record how much energy is being used, plus when it is being used. Depending on the system, that happens every 15 minutes to an hour, says home energy efficiency expert Martyn Fowler. “There’s also communication from the energy provider to the meter for things like system updates and detecting an outage,” he says.

Which Utility Companies Are Rolling Out Smart Meters?

Many of the larger utility companies are implementing smart meters, including Pacific Gas & Electric, Duke Energy, Southern Company and Xcel Energy.

Why Are Electric Companies Investing in Smart Meters?

It saves them money, since they no longer need to send technicians into the field to read meters. It also helps them improve grid management. “The more data they have on energy demand throughout the day, the better they can respond to meet that demand,” says Fowler.

What the Customer Gains

For customers, the biggest benefit of smart meters is the ability to understand how and when they use electricity. That often encourages less power use, plus helps reduce use at peak hours, when electricity often costs more. Also, for those with solar, smart meters give insight about when to pull from the grid versus battery storage.

“Used correctly, smart meter data is one of the most powerful tools homeowners have to take control of their energy costs,” says solar expert Andrew Hoesly. “With utility rates rising across the country, smart meters give homeowners their first real tool to fight back with data.”

Smart meters also guarantee customers are billed on their actual energy usage, instead of estimated usage. “This could go both ways, though, depending on whether a customer was previously billed according to inaccurate estimates,” says Hodnicki. “It may mean more savings in the future, or it could mean adjusting to a higher energy bill.”

What the Company Gains

Smart meters save on labor costs, make grid management easier and help utility companies plan infrastructure and forecast demand. They also enable companies to collect customer data to design new rate structures, including time-of-use and demand charges.

Companies also benefit by harvesting and selling aggregated usage data to third parties for advertising and market research, and targeting customers for additional programs, says energy analyst Arif Gasilov. “Opting into a smart meter often means opting into a data collection regime,” he says.

Will Smart Meters Lead to Higher Electric Bills?

Probably. Smart meters enable companies to enact dynamic pricing, like increasing rates during peak-use hours. That means your bill will likely rise if you don’t adjust your habits. “The flip side is that off-peak rates are often significantly cheaper, and homeowners who shift usage accordingly can come out ahead,” says Hoesly.

But, many people’s lives don’t allow for that, which means their bills do go up once dynamic pricing is in place, says Gasilov. Also since smart meters are a capital expenditure for utility companies, they’re likely to raise rates to cover the expense of switching over to them, he says.

“There is no reason for a for-profit corporation to invest in something that doesn’t have a ROI,” says Gasilov. “A $500 million smart meter deployment earns the utility roughly $50 million per year in guaranteed return, funded through your bill. It is electric companies increasing rates on customers in order to buy smart meters to charge the customers even more.”

FAQ

Can you opt out of getting a smart meter?

Usually, but it depends on your utility provider. If you do, you’ll also likely be charged a monthly opt-out fee.

Can the electric company limit your power remotely with a smart meter?

Yes. With smart meters, utility companies can remotely disconnect and reconnect meters. “This is for safety reasons, or if there is an issue with billing,” says Fowler.

How can you use smart meter data to lower your bill?

If your utility company has higher rates for peak-use times, a smart meter can help you realize how much electricity you’re using during those times, so you can then reduce it. “You might also be surprised to find how a few small adjustments, such as turning off unnecessary lights in your home or changing when you run large appliances, can make a difference,” says Hodnicki.

About the Experts

• Tim Hodnicki is an experienced electrician and president/owner of Electrical Experts in Massachusetts.
• Arif Gasilov is partner for climate and environmental reporting at Gasilov Group, where he advises on energy regulatory analysis, sustainability strategy and utility cost allocation.
• Martyn Fowler is founder of Elite Renewables, where he helps homeowners improve energy efficiency and reduce energy costs.
• Andrew Hoesly is general manager of SolarTech, a residential solar installation company serving California and Arizona.

Sources

• Dean Mahmoud is CEO of EcoGen America, which helps homeowners understand the costs associated with energy and financial decisions regarding their utility setup.

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Buy It For Life: 10 Products That Will Last a Lifetime

Cast Iron Cookware

Cast iron skillets are classic products that last for life, since they’re nearly impossible to ruin. Even if you come across one that’s a century old and all rusted-up, chances are it’ll clean up just fine. But, cast iron does require a little care to stay rust-free and stovetop ready. Simply hand wash it, dry it over low heat on the stove, and then wipe it with a thin layer of cooking oil.

Step Ladders

A good step ladder should survive a lifetime of home projects. Whether you choose fiberglass, or aluminum, most pros agree that you can’t go wrong with Werner or Louisville brands. For maximum longevity and safety, choose one with a rating of at least 300 pounds. Also, store fiberglass models horizontally to prevent warping at the bottom, says Branden Wells of Truecraft Construction Wells. “Storage damage causes more ladders to be thrown away than what occurs in a job,” he says.

Estwing Hammers

For more than a century, Estwing has been making hammers that are so dependable they often stay in the same family for generations. “The entire head and handle are made from a single block of metal, with no junction to break, no wood handles to splinter and no core of fiberglass to wear,” says Wells. To maintain them, simply dry them at the end of the day, plus periodically wipe off surface rust with lightweight sandpaper, then lightly oil.

Shop Vacuums

Once you realize the glories of shop vacs, which are great for cleaning up everything from furnace filters to water leaks, you’ll want yours to last forever. And it probably will. “They tend to last a long time,” says Kelly Russum of KC’s 23 ½ Hour Plumbing and Air Conditioning. “If they break, it’s usually just from neglect, like running it with a clogged filter or sucking up stuff it wasn’t meant to handle.” RIDGID and DeWalt brands are particularly hailed for their reliability, but Russum is also a fan of Vacmaster.

Lifetime-Warranty Hand Tools

Quality hand tools, like wrenches, ratchets and screwdrivers, don’t often break. But many manufacturers, including DeWalt and Stanley, offer lifetime warranties which guarantees you’ll never have to buy a tool twice. “Lifetime-warranty hand tools last longer due to precision forging, and their heat treatment prevents stripping and breakage,” says Orlando Penner of South Country Sheds. To keep them in good shape, clean them once in a while and lightly oil any moving parts.

Heavy-Duty Wheelbarrows

Cheap wheelbarrows die young, but heavy-duty models can haul for decades. “Ones with a steel tray and solid rubber tire can last for years without cracking or going flat,” says Rich Lauer of Premiere Building Solutions. “They hold their shape and resist corrosion far better than plastic wheelbarrows.”

For easy pulling, Gorilla Carts also makes a wagon-style wheelbarrow with a steel frame, poly tub and quick-dump feature. To keep any wheelbarrow in good shape, regularly rinse off debris and store it out of harsh weather.

Multitools

Swiss Army knives are definitely products that last for life, unless you tend to lose them (like I do). Likewise, many of my friends swear by their Leatherman multitools. One of that brand’s best-sellers, the Wave+, was recently redesigned based on long-term customer feedback. Which brand to choose depends entirely on your specific tool needs. Just remember, with either, it’s important to keep it clean and oil it once in a while.

Kitchen Knives

The key to choosing a chef’s knife that will last a lifetime is finding a balance between price and quality. Knives with a full tang (where the blade’s metal extends all the way through the grip) are the most durable. Stainless blades aren’t quite as sharp as carbon steel, but they are easier to care for. Whichever option you choose, only hand-wash and sharpen regularly to keep the edge in good shape. A few reputable brands include Wusthof, Victorinox, Global and Henckle’s moderate to higher-end lines.

Wooden Cutting Boards

With proper care, a quality wood cutting board can last generations. Among the strongest are those made of end-grain maple or walnut, and there are a lot of great brands, including John Boos and Boardsmith. Many chefs also recommend Epicurean’s surface for meat. Just never soak any of them in water or put them in the dishwasher. Instead, wash with soap, dry thoroughly and store vertically to avoid warping and splitting. Apply food-safe mineral oil and board cream as needed.

Wool Rugs

Quality rugs, like hand-crafted Persians and those made from Tibetan wool, can last hundreds of years under the right care — though in the family living room, most won’t make it quite that far. Unfortunately, they are also too spendy for a lot of us. “At an accessible price point, jute rugs are also resilient, sustainable and age more gracefully than many synthetic rugs,” says Andrew Haltom of Rugs.com. With any rug, the keys to a long lifespan are regular vacuuming, the occasional professional cleaning and taking off your shoes before walking on it.

FAQ

Are products less durable today than they were 50 years ago?

It depends on the product, but the general trend has been toward cheaper materials and more disposability. For example, “A lot of mass-market tools are less durable because they’re built to hit lower prices and attract customers,” says Russum. But, “If you buy from solid brands that use durable materials like metal, rather than cheap plastic, they can even be better now thanks to improved materials.”

How do you know whether a pricier long-lasting product is worth it over a cheaper disposable one?

It depends on how much you’re going to use it and whether the cost per use of a high-quality product is lower than replacing it a few times. Of course, replacing products less frequently also has many environmental benefits.

“Key attributes that I look for are replaceable parts instead of sealed or disposable ones, warranty credibility and solid metals, hardwoods or reinforced composites,” says Penner.

About the Experts

• Branden Wells is CEO and founder of Truecraft Construction in Garden Grove, California.
• Kelly Russum is owner at KC’s 23 ½ Hour Plumbing and Air Conditioning in Palm Springs, California.
• Orlando Penner is a building manufacturing expert and owner of South Country Sheds in Arcadia, Florida.
• Lisa Bosio is head of consumer products at John Boos & Co., which sells cutting boards, butcher blocks and kitchen tools.
• Kevin Vander Hyde is vice president of Vander Hyde Services, a home services and renovation business in Grand Rapids, Michigan. https://www.vanderhyde.com/
• Rich Lauer is owner of Premiere Building Solutions, based in Virginia, which specializes in designing and constructing outdoor structures, including pergolas, pavilions and sheds.
• Andrew Haltom is director of customer success at the online retail outlet Rugs.com.

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