We had a lot of rain over the past fall and winter, and that can take a toll on a lawn, especially if you have drainage problems and standing water. However, we are on the cusp of lawn care season so staying on a schedule means you can revive your lawn by summer! Step One: Get Your Soil Tested First things first…you need a soil test. We get that you’re excited and want to buy every lawn care product under the sun! And as much as we’d love to sell all of that to you, we don’t want you buying products that you don’t need. So go outside and take three small scoops of soil from three separate areas of your yard and place them in three separate plastic baggies. K&B True Value will test them for free and let you know what your soil actually needs to improve its… Read More

Put the finishing statement on your paint color of choice by selecting a sheen that enhances the look of the surface. Sheen, or paint finish, is a measure of how much light reflects off a painted surface, resulting in gloss—or a lack thereof. Consider some of the common sheen uses listed below, or break from tradition and get creative with sheen. While some types of paint finishes may work better in certain areas than others, selecting a quality brand, such as Benjamin Moore, ensures that our portfolio of products delivers premium performance across the sheen spectrum. Sheen and Gloss 101 Sheens and glosses range on a scale from no shine to high shine. Different levels of sheen can affect how colors appear and add dimension to rooms. While there are many different types of sheen, you are most likely to see these seven key interior paint finishes during your painting… Read More

In our area of the Mid-Atlantic, many species of birds fly south in fall as the days shorten and their food sources becomes scarce. However, other species such as cardinals, woodpeckers, blue jays, and goldfinches will stay around through the winter and will be eager to visit feeders where they find a steady supply of food. Even though we haven’t had a particularly harsh winter so far, this is the time of year when food starts to dwindle for our non-migratory, backyard birds. Many of them rely on the spent seed-heads of perennials or berries left over from fall, but it doesn’t take too long before those food sources begin to dwindle. And as the temperatures begin to drop in January and February, birds will need high-energy, high-protein foods to maintain their body temperatures. That means birds need food the most when it is least available in the wild. That’s… Read More

Respirators or face masks are an incredibly useful tool to use around the house, but there are several different kinds, which can make it a bit confusing. It really comes down to the task you’re performing. The obvious projects where respirators are useful are painting, sanding, refinishing furniture, cleaning up aggressively smelly messes, or using cleaners such as bleach or ammonia. There are also some jobs that you never thought to use a respirator, such as shredding leaves or mowing the lawn…those allergens can be sneaky! The point is, you need the right mask for the right job. There are essentially two kinds of respirators…one to filter gas and another to filter particulates. We carry an extensive line of 3M respirators that have several products that fall into both of these categories. Although neither are expensive, particulate masks are especially cost-effective, so it makes sense to have a bunch of… Read More