Ceramic tiles provide a decorative and practical finish to walls, worktops, and fireplaces. They come in so many different colors, surface textures, and shapes such as plain ones to charming rustic designs or multi-colors ones.
Because ceramic tiles are long-lasting, you will need to be sure of your decisions on your tiles selections. Tiles usually have smooth, glossy surface finishes, but if you have chosen rustic appeal tiles they will have an uneven or embossed surface.
Always measure accurately because ceramic tiles are expensive. Multiply the height by the width of the area to be covered to find the number of square yards and divide by the area of one tile to find out how many you need and you need to add at least 10 percent in case for breakages.
I usually will need to cut some of the tiles in order to get the area to fit exactly. Do not put the cut tiles in the middle, but always put them on the edges.
The walls need to have careful preparation done to it so it is easier to fix the tiles and prevents problems that might come up later on. Strip off wallpaper if you have wallpaper on your wall and fill cracks and holes with interior filler and remove flaking paint. Then sand smooth, then follow up with a coat of stabilizing solution to provide a good surface for the adhesive. TOOLS 1. Adhesive 2. Trowel or spreader 3. Grout 4. Grout finisher 5. Measuring rod 6. Spirit level and a plumb line and lob 7. Marking tools- Chalk, felt, pen, ruler, and sponge 8. Tile spacers 9. Batten 10. Hammer and masonary nails 11. Tile cutter 12. Tile file 13. Tile nibbers 14. Frame saw
Starting To Tile 1. Plan on the position that you want to put your tile. 2. Use a plumb line or spirit and draw a vertical line in the center of the area that is to be tiled. Put a mark where the top of each tile will be so you can check the finished positioning of rows. 3. Use the notched spreader and apply the adhesive working on the area that is the size of six tiles. Take the spreader and draw the spreader firmly across the wall so to be able to get the adhesive even. Do not put adhesive at the ends of the rows where the cut tiles will be. 4. To position the first tile, you will need to use the basin or both for support to position the bottom edge of the tile against the wall first, and then press flat. Use the spirit level to check to make sure the tile is horizontal and if it is not then you will need to adjust it. 5. Continue laying the tiles along the first row. If you are using standard tiles, you will need to position tile spacers at upper corners, beading them down below the level of the tiles so that the grout will cover them. Always leave gaps at the ends where the tiles need to be cut. 6. Cover the rest of the area with tiles, row by row. Use your spirit level at regular intervals to make sure that all the tiles are straight. Use a clean sponge and wipe off any excess adhesive from the surface of the tiles. 7. To fill gaps at edges, place a title in each gap, put glazed side down, and mark the tile at the top and the bottom with a marker pen, always allowing room for grouting. On the glazed side, then you have to join the marks with a pen and a ruler. Check to see if the tiles fits the gaps before you do only cutting. 8. When you are cutting tiles you need to firmly score once along the marked line using a ruler to guide the blade. Now position the jaws of the snapping tool on either side of the marked line and squeeze to make a clean break. Then smooth down cut edges with a file before fixing. If a tile only needs to be trimmed then score the tile, then you need to use pliers or nibblers to remove the excess. 9. When you have all of the tiles laid, you will need to wipe them clean and allow 24 hours for the adhensive to set completely. 10. Mix the grout and use a slightly damp sponge and spread it over the joins betweens the tiles, forcing the grout into the gaps as you go. Wipe off any excess before it sets. Then smooth down the surface with a blunt end of a pencil. Then take a soft cloth and polish them. 11. Use a seal strip instead of grouting where the splashback meets the sink or both to prevent water penetration. Apply sealant directly from the nozzle of the tube then smooth with the back of a spoon dipped in water. Remove excess immediately with a damp cloth. SUMMARY The use of tiles to make a splashback can be easy if you have all the tools to do it with and all the instructions. There are so many different kinds of tiles, some plain and some have designs on them.
Wood stain really brings out the beauty of the wood. It can enhance or changed the color of the wood.
Wood stains come in many different colors and finishes, so it definite change how the wood look. Transitional types that you use will need a final coat of varnish,, so it will come out as a good sheen, but if you use more convenient finishes, colors, and the seal are done in one paint [seal] job. Materials Wood stain or all-in one wood stain Clear varnish [fusing ordinary wood stain] Lint-free cloth [if using ordinary wood stain] Paintbrush Fine sandpaper Medium sandpaper White spirit Rubber gloves [optional] Protective plastic sheeting or old newspapers
1. Preparing the surface old wood- take a proprietary stripper and strip off any existing paint or varnish by rubbing over the surface with sandpaper. Clean the wood with white spirit and let it dry. New wood- always make sure all of the surface is dry clean and dust-free. Take the white spirit over the resin knots and let it dry. 2. Applying the stain- Put the newspaper or protective sheeting before you start staining. Apply the stain with a brush or a lint free cloth. Stain the wood following the direction of the grain. Allow the stain to dry completely. After the stain dries, you will need to run over it gently with sandpaper. If the stain is not what you want you will just need to redo the process again until you get the color that you want. 3. Applying varnish If the damp wood stain raised the grain, you will need to lightly sandpaper it. Brush on a very thin coat of clear varnish going along the grain. Let it dry and apply another coat. Using All- In-One Stain Apply the stain, with a brush work it in the direction of the grain. Let the first coat dry, rub it down lightly with sandpaper than apply one or two more coats.
When I have somebody visiting me, the front entrance of my house, apartment, or trailer is what they will see right off the bat.
The front entry is going to be the most traveled space in my yard, if I have one. Living in an apartment will keep everybody from having a yard, but that does not keep a person from being able to design a welcoming entrance to your apartment. For example, I can plant some flowers in containers according to what season I am in. Another way is I can have a wreath on my door, and always change my wreath out as the seasons and holidays changes through the year.
Living in a house ot trailer if they are your own a welcoming entry can be done to suit the person tastes. I live in a house so I have a wreath up on my door. I also have flowers around my front entryway and I like to plant different flower plants in different containers. I like to use different flags for different seasons. to make my entry nice.
My front entrance is the most traveled space in my yard and a lot of people make a first impression on how my yard looks and how the front entrance looks. Now, with some attention to plants and path design, I can make this a very welcome front entrance.
A good way to do this is to put your ideas down on paper and work with it until it is what you or I want for my front entry. After this I will be ready to get my front entrance project started.The entry is a passageway from the street to the front door. and this pathway would be the area that my company will be coming down to see us.
Backyards are usually secluded where the front yard are not, but this can be done by doing different plantings of either trees or shrubs and by doing this it will help with privacy. The amount of space that a person have, will be the rule over this matter. If a person lives in town, there will not be much room to work with, whereas if a person lives in the country like I do we have more space so we have more possibilities of what can be done.In the country ,there is one way that can be done and it is a courtyard can be done to make it for a place for entertaining.
Another way that can be done is by building a fence around your whole property or the front part of your property. A fence can be build out of many different types of materials, such as boards, wire, bricks, and much more. Another way to fix up the front entrances is by having a front porch and this will be able to use it to welcome your friends. I have a front porch and I use my porch to welcome my friends and family by putting different flowers in different containers. I keep changing them as the year goes by. Another way is by using stepping stones or a concrete walkway. When I was growing up we had a concrete walkway from our front door to our driveway. We would always have flowers planted down on both side of the walkway.
The path to your front door needs to be wide enough so that two people can walk on it at the same time and always have enough space on each side so nobody will have any problems walking on the path. Different plantings provides personality so having evergreens such as, Himalayan pine, camellia, rhododendron, and so many more.
By having gold, silver and variegated leaves on your plants will make your entry look very colorful and this is done without one blooming flower. If you have senecio greyii planted, you will have silver..Maculata leathery, khaki leaves will be splashed with gold. 'Sundance'Mexican orange will provide yellow leaves in a beautiful pattern . Wintercrepper is one plant that you can plant to get variegated leaves. Another type of plants that would be real good to use is plants that are fragrant, the more the better. These two are winter-blooming and they can really change a winter day. These two are sweet box and pink winter daphe. These are evergreen. You also have evergreen perennials that you can use for your entry. Some of them are Lenten rose, wester flisk, begonia, ciliata, and geranium machorrhizum. Along with your evergreen perennials , you can add a few deciduous trees, shrubs, vines, as well as herbaceous perennials. In spring, you can use smoke tree, lily-of-the-valley and some yellow daffodils. When you are planting the different kinds of plants for your entry way, always remember how big and high these plants are going to get. Summary In your entry garden or yard, you definitely have to consider the relationship of your plants and your house. Always try to pick trees and shrubs that will go with your house. Plant trees and shrubs to hide the corner of your house as well, to hide the downsprouts and put the house and garden together. By planting evergreens and other plants through all of the seasons will be a welcoming haven for those that comes to visit, as well as, you and your family that lives there.
Wooden floors are among the most naturally attractive forms of flooring To meet the growing trends where a lot of people like to have wood flooring in their home. There is a practical solution which is long, narrow strips of wood which is 1cm [3/4 inches] thick which are in a kit form which are easy to lay on any sub-floor. It is made from solid wood or with a pine, oak, or beech veneer on a particle board core and the strips are tongued-and-grooved on their edges so they simply slot together. They can be secured by nailing to a wooden sub-floor, fixed with clips set in a groove on the underside of the boards or glue firmly with PVA or wood glue if your floor is concrete. The wood strips comes in a variety of lengths and widths. The next thing you need to do is to measure the area that you are going to do and then figure out the amount that you need to get. Good Ground works First, check on the condition of your sub-floor. On wooden floorboards, if your floor boarding are sound the only thing you will need to hammer home projecting nail heads and then you will need to sand smooth any raised areas. Now if your sub floor is poor, you will have to put plywood to create a smooth, level surface. If you have PVC or linoleum floor coverings can remain in place. If you have a concrete sub floor you have to make sure that there is no dampness found. You can check this by taping a piece of glass to the floor for several days. If you find moisture collecting on the underside, you definitely have a problem and this requires specialist attention. Filled all of the irregularities and clean the floor surface thoroughly. Then give it a continuous waterproof coating either with a polyurethane sealing compound or sheets of thick plastic foil. Before you lay strip flooring down, you should put a layer of insulating material in between. When you are laying your new floors, you need to take off all your doors of their hinges, because the new flooring will raise the floor level up. Wood expands and contracts with changes in temperature and humidity. Before you start laying your flooring down you need to store them in unopened packages at room temperatures for at least 48 hours before you start laying your wood floor. MATERIALS Hammer, chisel and a small crowbar, fine-toothed saw and fretsaw. A tamping block which is made from a piece of softwood. Spacer blocks of wood about 1 cm thick., pencil, ruler and adjustable template, PVA or wood glue, clips, or nails, depending on the fixing method Laying Wood strip Flooring 1. You will need to place the first board with the grooves edge to the wall. Then place spacer blocks, cut to the size of the expansion gap required, between the board and the wall. 2. Keep laying the boards, end to end, to complete the first row. Fit them dry first and trim the end planks so that it falls 1 cm from the wall. You will need to place the last board so that the tongue lies next to tongue, with the end butted to the wall and a spacer block in position. Then mark where you need to saw and cut to the length. 3. If you are using secret nailing, you need to hammer the fixing pins at an angle of 45 degree down through the tongues into the wooden sub-floor, but make sure you do not over hammer or overdrive the nails so the tongues do not split. Nails should be spaced 12 inches apart. Always punch the heads below the surface. 3B. Now if you are using fixing clips, the method of fixing depends on the system. One way is you tap the clips into the grooves in the underside of the boards at whatever the intervals are, and lay them against the spacer blocks. 3C. If you are using gluing, you need to glue the ends as they butt together and PVA adhesive is what you need to use. Apply a little amount of the adhesive to each plank and tap them into position. Wipe the excess adhesive away with a damp cloth. Use a string line to check to make sure the boards are straight and if they are not, then adjust. Remove, or add spacer blocks. 4. Keep laying the subsequent rows, with the joints staggered which means they should not be any closer than 12 inches apart. Start the sector row with the piece of board left over from the first one. Then tap into place with your hammer and then tamp block and secure them as before . 5. When you get to the last row, you need to measure the plank of the wood strip to fill the gap that you have remaining by placing one board on top of the one before and another with the tongue butting against the wall. 6. When you are easing a plank into place, you need to use your ruler and a pencil and mark along the cutting line. Then saw it where you need to and ease into place using the bolster and hammer the boards in tight. 7. To replace the skirting board, you have to remove the spacer blocks, then replace skirting or fit beading strip to cover the gap. SUMMARY Natural wood is a practical and a good-looking choice of flooring for any room. Wood strip is easy to clean, so this makes it very hygienic. This flooring can hold up to non-stop household traffic. So with the way wood flooring looks is the way wood flooring looks is another good reasoning to have it.
Today there are several different surfaces that I can put in my bathroom. Ceramic tile used to be the only type of surface that was put in bathrooms, but now I can also choose from stones, wood, glass, and concrete. If I used stone in my bathroom I will have a dizzying array of colors. Concrete can be dressed up in different ways. This is a lot to think about when it comes down to it. There is a big assortment of colors, materials, and treatments in the synthetic category which includes solid surfacing material, quartz composite, and plastic laminate. The Top Ten Surface Trends 1. Natural materials is where I have stone as an addition, wood is being used a lot in the bathrooms. 2. Glass is being used in the form of accent tiles and it is used in mirrored surfaces. This makes glass a more popular choice for bathrooms. 3. Quartz composite is a surfacing material that is 93 percent natural quartz. It is stain, crack, scratch, and heat resistant. It is also resistant to most household chemicals and it is mold and mildew resistant, nonabsorbent, and nonporous. 4. Porcelain tile is a type of ceramic tile that can look like stone. It can be glazed or unglazed and water does not hurt it so it can be used in a bathroom. 5. Mosaic tile is used because I can get a lot for my money because I only need to used a small amount as a mosaic tile accent in glass or stone. 6. Integral surfaces is counters and sinks that appears to be made from one seamless, solid piece of material which looks like a clean sleek look. 7. Texture such as pebble-tired floors and walls which shows a natural looking theme. 8. Some synthetic materials that has antibacterial agent that will not washed away. 9. Heated floors are ideal with stone or ceramic floor installations. 10. Green products is Eco-friendly materials, which would be like bamboo and recycled glass, which is used for walls, counter tops, and floors. Nature stone which consists of granite, slate, marble, and limestone can be very expensive material that I can choose for use as a floor or a counter top. Stone is a quality choice for either a counter top or floor, because it is a very durable material. Stone is beauty because of its natural colors. Stone is also porous and this means they have to be sealed. Wood can be used in a bathroom, as long as it is seal properly with a high tech finish and I will not have to worry about any mildew, mold and warping. Wood is better to use as a flooring for a bathroom because it is warm and resilient. Some kinds of wood, such as cedar, teak, and redwood, will hold up better than porous softwoods, such as pine. All wood that I am going to used in my bathroom has to be installed and protected properly. On walls, floors, or counter tops, wood needs to be seal with polyurethane finish or watershed protectors. Ceramic tile offers the best opportunity to bring style and personality to any bathroom. Ceramic tile is use to add pattern, color, and texture to the walls, counter tops, and floors in a bathroom. I can enclose a shower or tub with it. It is versatile, and it comes in many sizes, shapes, and finishes. For long-lasting wear and easy maintenance, I will need to apply a grout sealer in parts of the bathroom that are exposed to water, such as the shower, counter top, tub surround. Glass is impervious to moisture glass does not have to be sealed. The grout has to be sealed. Glass tiles are not shatterproof if something heavy gets drop on them. Glass tiles comes in many colors and sizes. They are luminous and gorgeous. Concrete's surface can be colored inlaid or etched. It can be formed into different shapes. Concrete can be use on counter top, the walls or the floor. Because concrete is porous, it has to be seal. Quartz is the beauty and durability of natural stone and the easy maintenance of a laminate. Quartz comes in more colors than stone. This material can be clean easily and is heat and scratch resistant. It is nonporous, so it does not need to be sealed or polished to resist stains and retain its finish. Solid surfacing material can be repair any dents or abrasions with a light sanding I can used it as a counter top. Plastic laminate is made of layers of paper, melamine, and plastic resin and they are bonded under heat and pressure and then they are glued to pasteboard or plywood. It is easy to instill and they come in many colors. Summary As you can see that there are many different types of surfaces that can be put in a bathroom. The best way I think you need to redo your bathroom, is to put down and go through every type of surfaces, then make a rough draft of what you have chose for your bathroom.
There are many elements that goes into making a bedroom. Today there are so many different ways to tailor a bedroom to everybody's likings. The bed is going to be the largest piece of furniture that will be putting in the bedroom. The other furniture such as a bedside tables, dresses, chairs, and armoires. Also there are floor finishes, wall colors, and window treatment that will go with the style that I have decided on being in the bedroom. The Bed The style of the bed I choose will definitely play a big role in my design of my bedroom. I can either go very espensive on my bed choice or I can go much less expensive way in picking out my bed for my bedroom. Now if I was one that likes to go to flea markets or antique stores, this would be a good place to find a bed. If I do find a bed that I like I will need to know that antique bed frames are made for smaller matteresses, so I will have to make adjustments to allow for today's standard mattress sizes. In my hunt, If I find a old wood headboard that I like because I like the design, but not how it looks, I can change it with using stain, paint, paper, and stencils. If I like to have a brass bed in my bedroom, always keep in mind that the rails and joinery will require a lot of rubbing to keep the rich luster of the brass. If I do not want to do all of that elbow grease I can buy the brass clear-coated. Always try out the mattress before you buy it because you spend one-third of your life lying on a mattress.
Pillows Everybody needs a proper pillow so that your neck and spine gets the support that they need. Bed Sheets The bed sheets and pillowcases are the material that touches your skin. It is very important to get the very best that you can afford. Poly-cotton blends sheets are the most popular because they require no ironing and remain wrinkle-free on the bed. Bedspreads When it is time to buy your bedspreads you will need to go by the style of the bed. Whether you have a bed skirt and pillow shaws or not this will define the style of the room. Comforters made with cluster-fill polyster and cotton are suitable for those who like a lot of warmth while you sleep. Handmade quilts and chenille bedspreads are very popular now.
Blankets Today there are so many different kinds of blankets on the market such as man-made blends, woolens, chenille and cashmere treasures.
Storage Strategies Storage is always a challenge, it does not matter what type of trailer, house or apartment, you live in there are always problem with not having enough space.
A closet organizer will make a lot of difference in your storage problems.
Armories also is another useful piece of furniture for your storage situation. If you use your bedroom in many different ways on armoires works well. Blanket boxes and old steamer trunks are very useful in storing sweaters, linens, and maybe putting pillows.
Sometimes people likes to use wicker baskets for holding handbags, reading materials, picture albums and belts. Other Furniture A bedside table is hard not having one in a bedroom. Sometimes people likes to have a window seat in their bedroom. Some people like a dressing table, and maybe a chair and a footstall in their bedroom.
Walls Walls can be painted or wallpaper can be put on the walls. Ceilings If you want to keep your ceiling just clean and simple, the best way to do this, is to paint in a lighter tone of the bedroom's wall color. Floors There are many types of floors that can be in a bedroom. Hardwood floors, marble and metal are some types of flooring you can have in your bedroom. Carpeting is another option of flooring. Curtains and Window Dressing Simple lined curtains are a real good option. These curtains will give you privacy and light which are two things that everybody wants in their bedroom. Lighting Before you decide on the lighting you will need to fiquire out how you are going to use the space. You will be needing mood lighting, reading lights, and task lighting if you are going to be putting make-up on.
Summary There are many elements that has to be done to get your bedroom the way you will want it.
There are several different items in order to create a restful bedroom. A restful bedroom should always include a bed that is comfortable with very soft bed covers. There should also have comfortable flooring, planned lighting, well-regulated temperatures, good ventilation and window treatments that you like. Another thing that you always need to have in your bedroom besides physical comfort you also need to have peace and quiet. To be about to have peace and quiet. in your bedroom you will have to be about to have sound insulated with double glazing if you are able to have. As you start to decorate your bedroom, you will need to add as many personal effects in your bedroom. Bedrooms are the most personal and private room in your home. These are rooms where we are suppose to regain our energy, as well, as let our brain to re energized. We also need to be able to obtain restful sleep. Another way to obtain a restful bedroom is to have plenty of storage space for all of your possessions to be put in proper places. This is especially true in a bedroom so it will be calm, uncluttered space. But if you are thinking about planning bedroom storage places in your bedroom, you might want to consider a small area right by your bedroom if you have this and turn it into a storage area or a walk-in-closet area. If you don't have the space or funds for a storage area or a walk-in-closet area separately then you can use free-standing storage units. Free-standing armories, chests, dressers, and wardrobe closet are great to use as storage solutions in your bedroom. These storage units can be bought ready-made, custom-built or you sometimes can find old armories, huge wardrobes, or old cupboards that have a lot of room.in thrift shops. Small items like sweaters, underclothes, and other items can be kept in dressers or chest of drawers. If you still are having storage problems, you can use chest of drawers on either side of the bed and you can use them also as bedside tables and put a chest at the foot of the bed for extra storage. Some people like to have a window seat located under their window and they can also use this for storage. Space under your bed can be use for small storage containers. The storage for your bedroom has to be able to accommodate your personal possessions and sometimes personal papers and records too. The closets fronts should be made to go with the rest of the bedroom decorative treatment, whether wallpapered, covered with fabric or painted. You also want your closets to look like objects in their own right, whether it is in trim and color. Bedroom lighting needs to be a mixture of good overall light because you need to have lighting for your closets, and for reading or studying if you are in school. If you like to read in bed like me you need to have a bedside light tall enough so you can sit comfortably in bed. Windows that are in your bedroom can have shutters or you can have curtains with sheets or you can use lowered or mini blinds. Bedrooms colors should be restful such as grays and white, blues and whites, rose and cream. If you want more accent colors, such as reds, greens, and reds these colors should be added to your bedroom by using throws, pictures frames, rugs, and so on. But if you are one that prefers having strong, dark colors then that would be just fine. SUMMARY Bedrooms should be a very soothing room where people can be able to always have a very restful sleep and be able to have a very energized sleep also.
