Scaling the bathroom down for little ones

Scaling the bathroomdown for little ones
Tall toilets can be a daunting obstacle for little kids.
For parents who have a bathroom used primarily by children, American Standard introduces a line of fixtures scaled for the smaller ones.
The Baby Dovoro toilet ($345) is perfect for little ones through grade-school age, with a rim height of 101/4 inches. It can be replaced with a full-size toilet easily, as it's compatible with standard plumbing.
A lower sink supplemented with a step can help kids get into the habit of regular hand-washing.
The Sebring self-rimming countertop lavatory ($141) is a stylish choice.
To find an American Standard retailer near you, visit www.americanstandard-us.com on the Web.
La-Z-Girl? New chairheeds women's requests
La-Z-Boy just screams "guy," doesn't it?
Well, the company decided it'd had enough of that and teamed up with international trend forecaster Faith Popcorn to create the Faith Popcorn Cocooning Chair. Popcorn interviewed thousands of women about what their ideal reclining chair would be like.
The chair is laden with features, including hidden reclining mechanisms (research indicated that women wished to avoid a handle on the side of the chair), an optional attached work table that swivels to provide a surface for snacks and includes a built-in bud vase, and a tailored pocket on the side for storage.
To find a retailer near you, visit www.lazboy.com on the Web or call (800) 625-3246.
Replacing hardwoodin the event of stains
Black stains on a hardwood floor usually mean there's need for replacement.
If the planks are square-edged, removal with a hammer and chisel followed by nailing down new replacement boards is as complex as it gets.
If the damaged material is tongue-and-groove, use a circular saw to rip and remove about one-half inch of the center of the plank to be replaced.
With the center of the damaged plank out of the way, pry the remaining pieces toward the center and away from their respective tongues and grooves.
To install a new piece, simply remove the lip below the groove, insert the new tongue into the old groove and hand-nail into place. Sanding and staining and a clear protective finish are all that are needed to complete the job.
Thicker panels increasestrength of greenhouse
Winter is here, but that doesn't mean gardeners have to pack away all their tools for the season.
Juliana America, producer of a wide range of hobby greenhouses, has bulked up its line of Premium greenhouses.
The models are now available in a "strong as a house" version, with 10 mm polycarbonate panels (instead of the usual 4 to 8 mm thickness) that are designed to keep plants better protected from severe weather.
The houses range in price from $2,625 to $3,650, and upgrading to 10 mm panels adds $399 to $599.
Juliana also offers a variety of smaller houses to fit just about any budget -- including lean-tos and minis as well as cold-frame boxes.
To order, visit www.greenhousekit.com/juliana.htm, www.littlegreenhouse.com/juliana.shtml or www.gardenstyles.com.
Select Lowe's home-improvement stores also carry the line.
Water temperature test
Ulster Scientific has come up with the ScaldSafe disk to test the water for babies to make sure it's not too hot.
Just drop the disk in the water; if it's too hot, the disk turns bright pink.
The disk comes in three temperatures: Baby/warm, 93.2 degrees; standard warm, 102.2 degrees; and extra hot, 116.6 degrees.
For more information and price, call (877) 206-3225.
On the cutting edge
Sharksaw has come up with a folding saw that can be used for small pruning and shaping jobs.
The FineCut Pruning and Multi-Purpose Saw locks in three positions: closed, regular cut and extra wide.
It cuts very fast and with minimal effort.
The Japanese-made blade also cuts PVC and lumber.
The 71/2-inch blade is replaceable.
Price is $19.99.
For more information, visit www.sharksaw.com on the Web.
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