Mix two parts masonry cement and one part sand, adding just enough water for a firm mortar mix. Apply the mortar to all sides of the block using the top of your trowel. Stagger the joints and place the open end of the block to the closed end of the next allowing 3/8 inch for mortar joint. Finally, check for level.

Bob is joined by Tom McNealy of Blue Haven Pools as the crew forms, sprays, and shapes a gunite cement pool. McNealy explains that the excavation was simple, but the crew found some groundwater at the bottom that must be removed with a line that is run and remains in the crushed stone at the base. McNealy shows how the form is established first by the two by fours that are driven and set with outriggers to establish the shape and hold back the soil. The crew then runs steeltex or paper-backed steel mesh to define the walls and floor and hold back the earth. The batch trucks bring the gunite -- a mix of cement and sand -- and pump it through a hose where the sprayer mixes it with water at the nozzle. The walls and the floor have six inches of gunite blown at them. The crew has about 30 minutes to form, shape, and smooth the cement before it sets. The steps and the swim out are sprayed in as a pile then cut and smoothed by hand.

Hardiplank, a product made of fiber cement, will be used for the siding. The planks are made of a mix of wood fiber and cement, which work well together. The planks are durable and hold paint well. The siding being used is prefinished, so it is installed with a final factory-finsh coat.

Bob meets Larry in the master bathroom, where he is installing a cement backerboard to the walls and floor of the shower stall and tiled floors. Larry explains that when combined with the latex mortar mix it essentially becomes waterproof when the tiles are installed. Larry�s assistant Kenny then shows Bob how to cut the cement board and attach it to the walls with galvanized screws.

The EdenPURE Infrared Portable Heater can cut your heating bills and save you money. With over 1,000,000 EdenPURE heaters sold EdenPURE is #1 in both savings and reliability. Remember not all heaters are the same. There are many imitators on the market but only one EdenPURE.

Getting a Dremel® Multi-Max Oscillating Power Tool is almost like getting 5 tools in one. With it you can cut, grind, remove grout, scrape and sand. Powerful and heavy-duty, the Multi-Max is just the tool to help you tackle a wide variety of do-it-yourself projects.

Sustainable materials, non-wasteful practices and energy efficiency are hallmarks of eco-friendly housing efforts. Now, one organization and a federal program are looking more directly at how these efforts can make homes healthier for their occupants.

you and your family stay comfortable the entire season while protecting your investment. The good news is that it doesn t have to be expensive. There are a surprising number of easy things you can do at minimal cost that can maximize energy savings this winter. BobVila.

BEFORE. This washed-out fireplace has no pizazz. Faux painting and a refinished mantle subtly enhances the bricks, offering more depth and character. Photo courtesy of Brick Transformers.

Oklahoma City-based kitchen designer Karen Black-Sigler appreciates the texture that stone and brick veneer can bring to a room. She s incorporated both into her own kitchen. Photo courtesy of A Karen Black Company.