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JUDY STARKBriefs and news of note
Walking the plank
Natural stone planking is the talk of the flooring industry these days, a new alternative to squares of tile. This is a fairly new product: planks made of marble, granite, slate, limestone, sandstone and cross-cut travertine. The planks are 6 inches wide, 3/8- to 5/8-inch thick and from 1- to 4-feet long. They can be used as exterior decks, walkways and patios, interior flooring, fireplaces, wainscoting, countertops and vanity tops. Cost is about $5 to $7 a square foot, competitive with materials such as wood, ceramic tiles and solid-surface products such as Corian. View it at www.coloradostoneplanking.com call toll-free 1-888-810-8133.
Parade of products
More than 1,000 exhibits will be on view Friday through Nov. 2 at Florida's Largest Fall Home Show, at the Florida State Fairgrounds, U.S. 301 at Interstate 4. Expect everything from cooking demonstrations and replacement-window booths to the latest technology and countertops. Hours: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Nov. 1; 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Nov. 2. Tickets: adults, $7; seniors (55 and older), $6; children younger than 12, free with an adult. Information: (813) 677-6925.
Replace those batteries
Tonight's the night! Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. Sunday, so when you go to bed tonight, turn the clock back an hour to return to standard time. (Remember: Fall backward.) You get an extra hour to enjoy October's bright blue weather. When you reset all the clocks around the house, replace the batteries in your smoke alarms and carbon-monoxide detectors. And if you don't have those alarms and detectors, there's no better time than now to protect yourself and your family. Go get 'em.
- Compiled by Homes editor JUDY STARK