:Where Worklife Matters

If you are thinking about getting wooden flooring for your home it’s a good idea that you have an understanding what the various wood terms mean. There are huge array of online flooring retailers, and its important to understand there are multiple factors which determine how wood looks, and makes each wooden floor look different from another. It is very unlikely that the wooden floor you saw in the showroom or on the internet will look exactly the same as the final product in your home.

The reason people like hardwood floors is that they are all unique. One factor which effects how the wood looks is how close the wood is to the bark of the tree, this is named sapwood. The closer to the outside of the tree, the paler the wood will appear. The grain of the wood is another major factor, this can vary is direction and also varies in appearance depending on the colour of the wood fibers. The growth rings of the tree are also an important factor which effect how the wood looks. Tightly packed layers of wood are likely to result in a darker colour, these are formed when only a marginal layer of wood is added per year during a growing season. Other factors which can have an effect on the wood are mineral Streaks. These occur when trace elements are in the water, resulting in grey and olive markings. Knots are also a big factor in the appearance of your flooring, and are produced where branches of a tree have been encased, as the tree has grown. Often lower grade flooring will have more knots in it than higher grade.

One of the main benefits of wooden flooring is its durability, and also the ease with which damage can be repaired. But as a natural product, as opposed to synthetic, it is also prone to expand and contract during changes in the weather or season. This needs to be taken into account when your floor is fitted.

Comments Off

Most of the time when you move into a new home or decide to remodel, you forget one of the most important decorating rules. Decorate from the ground up. Since what sits on the floor is most important, then maybe you should consider inexpensive area rugs.

What is so great about inexpensive area rugs?

Inexpensive area rugs allow you to have the styles, designs, patterns, and colors of the more expensive rugs without having to pay the price. If you don’t care that you don’t own the ‘real thing’ and would rather have a cheaper flooring solution, the inexpensive area rug should be your first choice.

Many inexpensive or wholesale rugs are cheaper because of the fibers they are made of. Many cheaper rugs are not made of New Zealand’s finest 100% wool but rather made with synthetic fibers such as olefin, polypropyline, and nylon. What’s really great is that these fibers can last just as long and don’t cost as much.

There are a few items to consider when buying an area rug for your floors. What are you going to use the rug for? Is it going in the kitchen, living room, outside, dining room, bedroom, or maybe even the playroom? This is something you need to decide. Obviously, if you are going to buy a rug that will endure much use, such as in a playroom, you don’t need the world’s finest.

Secondly, how big does the rug need to be? Most rugs don’t need to cover the entire floor to add to the look of the room. Most of the time a simple 4′ x 6′ rug will do great. If you do want to cover the entire floor, be sure to leave at least one to two feet between the rug and the wall. This look much better.

Thirdly, what colors or patterns do you want in the rug? You might want to get a rug that draws attention to itself. These rugs need to have sophisticated patterns and bright colors. On the other hand you might want a rug to draw attention towards another piece of furniture or object in the room. These rugs need to be simpler and match the room’s overall look. Don’t be afraid though to mix and match rug styles with the rest of the room. For example, modern rugs with their bright colors and outrageous designs can go well with a traditional look. All in all make sure that the colors and patterns match and you will be fine.

Last of all, don’t forget the rug pad. Rug pads will add a bit of cushion while holding the rug in place so it won’t slip beneath you. The best part about the rug pad is that it makes the rug easier to vacuum.

Remember, inexpensive area rugs are a great solution to give your rooms a new look. Look for them the next time you are shopping or surfing the net and will be surprised at the amazing rugs you can buy for such cheap prices.

Catherine Franz is a contributor to Area Rug Insights. Be sure to check out the informative rug articles updated almost daily.

Comments Off

If you were looking to make a unique statement or enhance the attractiveness of a home’s exterior appearance then French doors would be the popular way to go. Some homeowners elect to install French doors in the interior of their home and use them to provide access to a formal dining or living area. French doors installed for exterior access usually overlook a garden or yard/deck area. In home and garden magazines, it’s common to see French doors overlooking a colorful garden populated by wildflowers, exotic plants and garden furniture.

Lanai doors utilize a similar approach, which is designed to bring the outdoors in. This provides a sense of artistic loveliness that one might associate with a picture. Lanai door craftsmanship is a reflection of the care put into handcrafted materials. The doors can be shaped, cut and measured to fit any opening, which include the corner of a house.

French doors cannot compete with the unique ability of a wrap around Lanai door. Glance at your breakfast nook; imagine the rare experience of a wrap around glass door that fits right into that nook. Lanai doors have the added benefit of their bi-folding application. Opening the Lanai doors can meld the patio and dining area into one. The transition from interior to exterior is seamless.

Fill Your Home with Light

Unlike French Doors, Lanai doors are not limited by the space availability or thickness of the walls. Installation is reasonable in most areas of wall space including around corners. Therefore, Lanai Doors are much more versatile than traditional French doors.

Typical exterior access on the rear of the home often comes from the dining or kitchen areas. Most exterior rear entrances look out over a backyard, a deck or a garden. Because typical French doors swing inwards or outwards, they create a usable space reduction. In the dining area, for example, a set of French doors may inhibit the placement of a dining table and other dining area furniture.

Lanai doors are not similarly inhibited by such special requirements. The bi-folding aspect of the doors allows them to be opened without sacrificing interior or exterior space.

Modern Elegance

Lanai doors offer all the modern elegance of the French door with the unique space considerations that will not limit their decorative options. This becomes even more important in the rapid spread of housing developments, which often feature cookie cutter houses. Lanai doors will make a house stand out in contrast to the details of the surrounding neighbors. French doors are considered an upgrade in most housing developments - the Lanai doors will be an upgrade above and beyond what the French door can offer.

Ultimately, French doors cannot compete with the Lanai doors. This does not make the Lanai door better than the French door - because this is a subjective choice that must be made by the homeowner. Lanai doors offer more in the way of flexibility for both interior and exterior space requirements. They also offer a look that is different and unique. Mixing exterior beauty with interior design is part of the Lanai door.

Homeowner’s Choice

Which door is the best choice for the modern home? Only the modern homeowner can answer that question. Efficient use of space that provides a seamless transition from the inside to the outside is one of the design features of the Lanai doors. A standout home is one that the homeowner invests time and energy into - Lanai doors provide an ideal investment for the homeowner that wants to make their home stand out.

Lanaidoors.com is a new professionally designed site. Lanai Doors is one of the leading providers of high quality bi-folding door and window systems. www.lanaidoors.com

Comments Off

By now, everyone should have at least one smoke detector somewhere in the home; and most folks have at least one on every level, including the basement.

But did you know…

* Pushing the test button only verifies that there is battery (or AC) power present. It DOES NOT PROVE that the detector is capable of sensing smoke.

* To test a smoke detector, hold a lit candle 6 inches below it. If the alarm doesn’t sound, blow out the candle and let the smoke drift into the detector. If it still doesn’t sound, check the power source.

* Homes with wired-in detectors should have a battery-powered unit as a back-up.

* Rechargeable batteries are NOT recommended for smoke detectors.

* When installing a smoke detector, avoid dead-air spaces in corners and at the very ends of hallways. Centre your smoke detector on a ceiling, keeping it at least 6 inches from any wall. Locate a wall-mounted unit one foot below the ceiling.

* Smoke detectors should be kept away from drafts at vents, doors and windows.

* The tops of stairwells and any hallways leading to bedrooms are the recommended locations, the latter being the most critical, and the site recommended by the National Fire Code.

* Carefully (gently) vacuum your detectors annually.

About one quarter of all the homes we inspect have improperly located or non-functioning smoke detectors, or none at all!

CHECK YOUR SMOKE DETECTORS TODAY!

Copyright Gil Strachan - All rights reserved.

Gil Strachan is a professional home inspector, representing Electrospec Home Inspection Services in east-central Ontario, Canada since 1994. Visit http://www.allaroundthehouse.com to learn more about home inspections.

“The Home Reference Book”
You can probably find a home inspection for a little less than what we ask, but you probably won’t find the Home Reference Book. A $60 value, this solutions-oriented reference tool comes free with every inspection we perform.
It’s the first tool you should have around the house!

Comments Off

That drab concrete balcony is often the last area to be addressed in any apartment makeover. Maybe it’s just too small to justify a procession of tradespersons traipsing through the apartment day after day to lay ceramic or terracotta tiles, grout them and then polish them. Maybe you live in a rental property and don’t want to spend money on something you can’t take with you. But if you really want to brighten up that valuable exterior space without spending a fortune or employing tradespersons, what are the best options?

One of the main considerations is that whatever materials are selected, they must be sufficiently heavy or securely fixed in place so they will not blow away in strong winds. Also you should check with the building owner or letting agent to ensure there are no special restrictions on what can be placed on balconies. You also need to ensure that any drainage holes or channels on the balcony are not obstructed.

If your balcony is only narrow and not normally used for entertaining or relaxing, one idea is to simply place large porcelain or stone tiles on the surface and just butt them together without any adhesives or grout. You could also leave out the odd tile and fill the space with some large polished stones for a more interesting arrangement. But you must use tiles of at least 12″square and ensure they could not slip or blow off the edge of the balcony.

If it’s a concrete balcony you could of course either stain the concrete with commercially available products or paint the concrete with products specifically designed for concrete.

But perhaps one the best and easiest solutions is to cover the balcony with interlocking wood decking tiles (see for example http://www.ezydeck.net). These tiles can be laid directly on the existing balcony. As each tile is constructed with inbuilt connecting tabs, once they are clicked together, they are held firmly and securely in place, unaffected by normal wind gusts or from slipping off the edge of the balcony. If the balcony has down-pipes, posts or other obstructions, you may need to cut some tiles to fit around such obstructions or to fit the tiles flush against the balcony wall, but the tiles can be cut quite easily with a conventional handsaw or jigsaw. And as the tiles are constructed with a open mesh base, water can drain away from under the tiles quickly and easily. If you have an outward opening door on the balcony however, you need to ensure that the height of the tiles will not prevent opening of the door as the height of the wood tiles is typically about 1 “.

Some manufacturers have more than one style of tile so you can mix and match to make your own unique pattern. If you get tired of one pattern, just lift up the tiles and move them around to make another.

To keep the attractive wood colour, you will need to apply a decking oil at regular intervals, once or twice a year depending on the weather conditions and degree of exposure.

In areas prone to particularly high winds or hurricane prone regions it would be advisable to fix down the tiles more securely. If the building owners permit, tiles could be secured to the concrete base by screws drilled through the tiles in every fourth tile or so. Alternatively, a good quality, UV resistant adhesive could be used.

Porcelain interlocking tiles are also now available which expands the options for covering the balcony. These tiles are designed to interlock precisely to the wood tiles, so it’s possible to create for example, a central patio area paved in porcelain tiles where tables and chairs are situated, surrounded by wood tiles.

To further enhance the balcony you could leave out a few tiles and fill the gaps with some funky polished stones or maybe some chunky bark nuggets. And of course some bushy plants in attractive pots team exceptionally well with any wood deck.

About the author:
Malcolm Kay is the CEO of Intex Pacific Pty. Ltd. an international supplier of landscape materials including modular decking tiles. For more information see http://www.ezydeck.net.

Comments Off

A steel garage is said to be a perfect addition to one’s house. It becomes a shelter not only for your vehicle, but for tools and equipment as well. It can be a perfect place for creating a workspace. These steel garages are flexible, easy to build and very affordable. There are many garage-building plans available that can help decrease the cost by nearly 40%. With the steel garage, one can add their own roof and install doors and windows as per their choice. People can also choose their own material in accordance to the budget available.

An individual should determine his needs before building a garage. As there are many choices, one needs to decide on a two-car garage or a simple tool shed. One need to find a suitable space, and make sure that the garage has an accessible driveway and a connection to the house for water and electricity. One should avoid damp areas, as this might damage the vehicle that would be kept in the garage and can be a great obstacle while building it. Most of the garages are attached to the house, but one needs to check the local building codes so that one does not violate the norms set up by the government.

Steel garages are easy to assemble, but with the simplest plan available one needs to consider the time they are going to allot to build the garage. One would also want to consider hiring experts to help them finish the job. Expert contractors recommend having all the tools ready on site before beginning construction. Steel garage building starts with the precise marking of an excavation area, and one would need to get help from a contractor to excavate the area and build the garage foundation with anchor bolts enclosed.

Steel garage building plans allow an individual to build a garage as per the structure they have in their mind. The best way to complete the construction is to walk through every stage of the formation.

Comments Off

So your child wants a bedroom makeover. You know it’s time, your daughter has had the same fairy wallpaper on her walls since she was three and now she’s eleven. But where’s a parent to begin?

My experience as a parent and as an organizing consultant has taught me the importance of pre-planning.

The best place to start is with your child. Talk to her about her current likes and dislikes. Knowing ahead of time what she favors and what she doesn’t will save a lot of time and unnecessary purchases later on.

My daughter’s best room makeover was inspired by a trip to a local ice cream shop where she fell in love with the shade of her lemonade flavored sherbet.

The sherbet was just the right motivator to get us started. We then had lots of fun shopping for coordinating accessories.

We were able to incorporate other pastel shades into her room by selecting a comforter, sham, bed skirt, and a window covering that co-ordinated well with her new lemonade sherbet walls.

When the room was completed we had managed to pull together about five pastel shades which added to the warmth and personality of her new space.

We were also surprised to discover that once the room had a fresh coat of paint and new bed coverings and window treatments that everything worked well with her existing furniture, flooring, and basic white storage containers.

For very little money we were able to transform her space from a little girl’s room into a stylish room fit for a pre-teen. And all without buying new furniture, getting new carpet or having to purchase new storage containers.

The basis of any bedroom makeover plan should be flexibility. If you’re starting from scratch it’s a good idea to give some thoughts to how long the current bedroom makeover will appeal to your child.

As children grow and change so do their interests. A wise parent stays clear of the latest trends and focuses instead on creating a space that will carry the child through for a few years.

That said, if you really enjoy redecorating and have no problem giving your child’s room a bedroom makeover every couple of years then go to it!

Either way I would suggest that you use quality bedroom furniture that will grow with your child through her teen years. Quality furniture really is the backbone of a good bedroom makeover.

So once you have decided on the most appropriate furniture for your child’s room its time to focus your attention on flooring, paint and/or wall treatments and window coverings.

Flooring

Flooring can be basic or jazzed up with a throw rug (even on top of wall-to-wall carpeting). It’s just another way of bringing all the colors in the room together.

Once you have a general bedroom makeover plan in place it will be easy to pull the room together using a variety of accessory items. Liberal use of lamps, posters and/or framed prints in an otherwise basic room scheme makes for quick updates as your child’s interests change.

If your child does favor a bold and trendy color you feel she will tire of easily consider painting only one wall. This way, she can still be in style but you won’t have to repaint all her walls in a couple of month’s time. The rest of her walls can be painted in a subtle more toned down shade or in a complimentary color.

To learn more about color meaning, color psychology and color therapy visit http://www.decorating-kids-rooms.net/painting-kid-rooms-and-colors-to-paint-a-room.html

Sometimes all you need to do to update the look of a room is to add a fresh coat of paint on the walls and a limited number of decorative accessories many of which may be available through a dollar or discount outlets.

Window Treatments

When it comes to window treatments they need not be elaborate. A basic shade with complimentary curtains or a window topper works well. Get the maximum benefit from any fabric by using it for curtains, on lampshades, as pillows coverings etc.

You often get to a point with a child’s bedroom makeover when you know that enough is enough. Sometimes simple is best and yet other times all you need is just one more idea to complete the look.

Sherrie Le Masurier is an organizing consultant who helps parents organize and decorate their children’s rooms. She is a member of Professional Organizers in Canada (POC) and co-owner of http://www.decorating-kids-rooms.net - Copyright.

Comments Off

Imagine leaving a window open all winter long - the heat loss, cold drafts, and wasted energy! Well if your home has a folding attic stair, a fireplace, and/or a clothes dryer, that may be just what is occurring in your home!

These often overlooked sources of heat loss and air leakage can cause your heat pour out and the cold outside air pour in - costing you higher heating bills, causing cold drafts, and wasting energy.

Air leaks are the largest source of heating and cooling loss in the home. Air leaks occur through the small cracks around doors, windows, pipes, etc. We apply caulk and weatherstripping to these areas to minimize heat loss and cold drafts.

But what can you do about the three largest “holes” in your home - the folding attic stair, the fireplace, and the clothes dryer? Here are some tips and techniques that can easily, quickly and inexpensively seal and insulate these holes.

Attic Stairs:

Do you have a folding attic stairway in your house? When attic stairs are installed, a large hole (approximately 10 square feet!) is created in your ceiling. The ceiling and insulation that were there have to be removed. And what is installed to cover this opening? A thin, unsealed, un-insulated sheet of plywood!

Did you know that your attic space is ventilated directly to the outdoors? In the winter, the attic space can be very cold, and in the summer it can be very hot. And what is separating your conditioned house from your unconditioned attic? That thin sheet of plywood!

Often a gap can be observed around the perimeter of the door. Try this yourself: at night when it is dark, turn on the attic light and shut the attic stairway door - do you see any light coming through? These are gaps - which add up to a large opening where your heated/cooled air leaks out 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year! This is like leaving a window open all year round!

An easy, low-cost solution to this problem is to add an attic stair cover. An attic stair cover provides an air seal, reducing the air leaks. Add the desired amount of insulation over the cover to restore the insulation removed from the ceiling.

Fireplaces:

Approximately 100 million homes in North America are constructed with wood or gas burning fireplaces. Unfortunately there are negative side effects that the fireplace brings to a home especially during the winter home-heating season. Fireplaces are energy losers!

Researchers have studied this to determine the amount of heat loss through a fireplace, and the results are amazing! One remarkable research study showed that an open damper on an unused fireplace in a well-insulated house can raise overall heating energy consumption by 30%!

A recent study showed that for many consumers, their heating bills may be more than $500 higher per winter just due to the air leakage and wasted energy caused by fireplaces!

Why Does a Home With a Fireplace Have Higher Heating Bills? Hot air rises! Your heated air leaks out any exit it can find, and when your warm heated air is drawn out of your home, cold outside air is drawn in to make up for it. The fireplace is like a giant straw - sucking the heated air from your house. This is like leaving a window open all year round!

An easy, low-cost solution to this problem is to add a fireplace draftstopper. A fireplace draftstopper is an inflatable pillow that seals the damper, eliminating any air leaks. The pillow removed whenever the fireplace is used, then reinserted after.

Clothes Dryer Exhaust Ducts:

Have you ever noticed that the room containing your clothes dryer is the coldest room in your house? Ever wonder why? Your clothes dryer is connected to an exhaust duct that is open to the outdoors. In the winter, cold air leaks in through the duct, through your dryer and into your house, while your heated air just pours right out!

Dryer vents use a sheet metal flapper to try to reduce this air leakage. This is very primitive technology that does not provide a positive seal to stop the air leakage. Compounding the problem is that over time, lint clogs the flapper valve causing it to stay open. This is like leaving a window open all year round!

An easy, low-cost solution to this problem is to add a dryer vent seal! A dryer vent seal will reduce unwanted air infiltration, and keep out pests, bees and rodents as well. The vent will remain closed unless the dryer is in use. When the dryer is in use, a floating shuttle rises to allow warm air, lint, and moisture to escape.

If your home has a folding attic stair, a fireplace, and/or a clothes dryer, you can easily, quickly and inexpensively seal and insulate these holes. At Battic Door, we have developed low-cost, green solutions to these and other energy-conservation related issues. For more information please visit our website www.batticdoor.com or send a S.A.S.E. to P.O. Box 15, Mansfield, MA 02048.

We manufacture and distribute low-cost, high-value, air-leakage control energy conservation products for the three largest intentional openings in the house - the fireplace, the clothes dryer exhaust duct, and the pull-down attic stair.

Our customers are homeowners, weatherization firms and programs, municipals, utilities and contractors. We also sell our product at a wholesale discount to distributors.

Comments Off

Having a garden or a nice backyard can be refreshing and relaxing to many families. Having a properly ordered garden will allow you to enjoy the nice weather with your family, friends and acquaintances. Those spring and summer times spent in the garden were probably the best memories of your life. Having a nice B BQ party out in the garden can be quite refreshing. However the most important aspect is the garden furniture in your garden. With having the proper furniture in your garden, your guests can sit down and enjoy the amenities along with the refreshments you like to have.

However buying the proper garden furniture can be a costly prospect. That is why you ca avail yourself of discount garden furniture. There are many varieties of discount garden furniture that can be found on your botanical market or major hardware store. If you wish you can also go online and buy discount garden furniture from the various sites on the Internet. You can easily find all sorts of discount garden furniture ranging from wood to plastic and even metal. The quality will not differ from their originally priced counterparts and thus you can avail yourself of a perfect deal.

Comments Off

It was a 150-year-old farmhouse and we were lucky to get it. The house had been well cared for, but nonetheless was showing its age. It had been more than a quarter of a century since it had been remodelled. The thing that struck us most about the two-story stone and frame structure was that it was so much different than the modern homes in a subdivision that had sprung up nearby. This house had tremendous character.

I am not a decorator and will be the first to admit it. Personally, I didn’t see what was wrong with putting an orange bean bag chair in the living room. I guess it was something about traditional styling and an emphasis on forest green. My wife is only marginally better at home decorating than me, but she emphatically threw out the bean bag.

Fortunately, we have a family friend who is a near genius with decorating ideas. She can pluck items out of the trash and put them together in such a way that Better Homes And Gardens would include them in a pictorial feature layout. Home d©cor is a hobby for her and she jumped at the chance to take on the challenge of our new old house. I asked her about the bean bag and got only a chilly stare in response.

Our goal was to decorate the house a little differently. We wanted to reflect its character. We wanted the house to be just a little different. We wanted it different, but not too different. We weren’t to the point of Japanese screens and seating ourselves with pillows on the floor. We called on our friend to help out.

When our friend got to the dining room, she suggested Roman blinds, also called roman shades. She ticked off the reasons.

+ First, they were classy and different. The fabric of the shades could be made from the same material as the table cloth and would go well with our antique dining room set.

+ Second, the dining room of the old house had non-standard sized windows. After measuring them she announced it would be hard to find curtains or blinds to fit them. Blinds, curtains or shutters would have to be custom made.

+ Third, the house has beautiful native oak woodwork. We had just finished stripping layers of paint accumulated over the past century. The wood had been conditioned, sealed and finished. It had beautiful graining. We didn’t want to cover it up with curtains or drapes.

+ Finally, she could make them and save us some money. She is very talented at making curtains and shades.

Those reasons sounded good to me. Especially the last one. When you take on the project of buying and restoring an old house, saving money becomes a real test.

A Description of Roman Shades

A roman shade is a rectangle of fabric that can be lowered at will. It rises in even folds. These folds are created by a system of rings, cords and horizontal battens. When the shade is lowered completely down it is a flat panel, although some styles have slight folds at each batten. The shade hangs from a board attached to the top of the window frame and hangs within the window framework. This board can also be fastened to the wall above the window, if so desired.

Our friend chose to line the panels of our shades. She did this to provide some additional insulation for the windows. The bitter winter winds, known to sweep across the fields and forests in our part of the world, rattles the windows and draws heat from even the best built homes. Lined shades were just one more barrier to help maintain interior temperatures.

Where You Might Use Them

Roman shades can be used in almost any room where you might consider mini blinds or some other type of shade or blind. They can be made from almost any fabric and either be lined or unlined. As sheers, they can be used in combination with drapes to give a formal dining room and special touch of grace. In a bedroom they are excellent for room darkening and privacy.

Our friend was able to make the shades for our dining room windows. They hung in folds about eight inches wide, which are about as wide as you would want. Although I did not previously know what roman shades were, I found out there were dozens of patterns available for making them. As a courtesy, I suppose, I was asked for my thoughts on which pattern to choose. (My suggestion was promptly discarded. I think it landed next to the bean bag.)

Anyone with a sewing machine and a little talent can make their own roman shades. Home decorating books, magazines and websites have patterns available, as do sewing supply centres. Talent with a sewing machine is not required, of course. There are also a number of stores and e-stores that have these shades for sale in either standard or custom sizes and in your choice of fabrics and colours.

When our friend got done with decorating the dining room and hanging her shade creations, the effect was just what we wanted. The room had a rich feel to it that went perfectly with the styling of the old house and the furniture we placed in it. The roman blinds were eye catching and different without being strange or out of place. First-time visitors always stopped for a second look and complimented them, which nice.

In the meantime, I hid the bean bag chair in the old barn. I have to admit that it didn’t go with the current home d©cor, but you never know…

The writer Peter Wilson distributed a lot of articles for the www.shades-blinds-shutters-guide.com internetsite. He is publishing on issues like roman shades www.shades-blinds-shutters-guide.com/roman-shades.html and home decoration with new curtains.

Comments Off