Blog : Do It Yourself | Flooring Supply Shop Blog - Part 27Flooring Supplies

The most effective way of achieving a lippage free floor

Marble and stone flooring are widely used by people to enhance the aesthetic appeal of their house. While installing marbles or stones on the floor and on the walls a common problem faced by many is that of lippage. Lippage refers to a situation where adjacent marble or stone tiles are not on the same level. This uneven surface level brings about an irregular finish, thereby affecting the aesthetics of the house. Further, marble tiles that are not evenly laid out are more likely to crack.

It is always better to eliminate the problem of lippage while laying out a tile or a stone floor to prevent any expenses on repairs later. In case of a marble floor, eliminating lippage would require extensive grinding, which would consume a lot of your time and money. Further, you would be required to polish the marble once the grinding work has been completed.

To avoid this problem one needs to take care of lippage at the time of laying out the floor. If you are facing the problem of lippage, the ‘Tuscan Leveling System’ can help you. This is a revolutionary product that can help you lay out a lippage free stone or tile floor in a convenient and affordable manner. By using the Tuscan Leveling System you will be able to ensure that there is no settling from shrinkage, thereby eliminating the need to re-lift the tiles in order to level them. The easy to use mechanism of Tuscan Leveling System is so convenient that one does not need to hire external help to fix the problem. This further helps in reducing your repair costs.

A major factor that produces lippage is the spacing or the grout joint between the tiles. A narrow grout joint significantly accentuates lippage; it is therefore advisable not to keep the grout joints too close to each other. The Tuscan Leveling System straps will automatically create a grout joint of 1/32”, and will ensure that the problem of lippage does not occur due to grout spacing. Further, the Tuscan Leveling System is highly flexible and can be used along with all common spacers. This ensures that you are able to set stones and tiles in an even manner and with the desired distance between them.

When you are installing tiles that are significantly larger in size the chance of lippage increases. The Tuscan Leveling system works ideally with tiles that are 12 inches or more, thereby ensuring that you easily and conveniently are able to use large tiles without worrying about lippage. Although lippage is not a very serious problem and can be fixed, it is still recommended to eliminate it during the initial stages to avoid any troubles later. It is for this reason that products such as the Tuscan Leveling system are constantly gaining popularity. Not only does the Tuscan Leveling System eliminate lippage, but it also reduces the installation time significantly, ensuring high utility and value for money.

Ready To Tile Shelves Bear Everything

One of the most personal spaces in your home is your bathroom. Here you can spend some quality time and feel completely relaxed. Bathroom accessories can go a long way in helping you to provide an elegant appeal to your shower. The ready to tile shelves have emerged as one of the most fascinating bathroom accessories which fit easily into your shower to create an organized look. You can customize the shelves as per your requirement to create a magnificent blend.

With a rapid increase in the exciting range of shower products, you surely need some extra space in your bathroom. The shelves serve this purpose perfectly as they are designed to offer you sufficient space. The shelves allow you to store all your favorite shower stuff in one place. The shelves can blend perfectly with your surrounding walls and create an effect which is simply beyond words. The shower seats can also be an interesting addition to your shower which will help you give yourself a royal treatment while bathing.

The shower shelves have evolved as one of the most effective tools for managing space in your shower and lend a fresh and bright appearance to it. The shelves can be easily installed in your shower and blend perfectly with the interiors. The shelves can be used for storing your shower stuff and also for enjoying an extended session in the shower. Available in a variety of materials these seats and shelves are perfectly suitable for your shower and will add a new dimension to your bathroom.

The shower shelves have a tremendous load bearing capacity and can withstand heavy weights. This means you can sit on your shower shelf and enjoy a relaxed shower without having to worry about your safety. This capability is achieved through the engineering of shear force instead of tension loading. The shower benches can be easily installed in your shower area to enjoy an uninterrupted experience. The benches and shelves are very user friendly and do not require any additional waterproofing or structural reinforcement. Following proper installation procedures will ensure that the shelves are fixed in the best possible manner.

The shower seats are also a great addition for your bathroom as they can add an element of elegance to your bathroom. The shower seats will offer you a personal seating space in the bathroom and help you to rejuvenate yourself. These seats are also very helpful for physically challenged people as they can sit comfortably on them. The seats are designed to be water resistant which makes them anti corrosive and saves you the hassles of water proofing. The seats are generally made from granite and marble and a few also have marble flooring on the top. A few seats may also have ceramic tiles on the top. It is important to ensure that you use only certified chemicals to clean the seats.

Unlike the traditional shower seats which required hours to install, modern seats can be installed in a matter of no time. The present shower benches come with a one piece frame that can be installed easily with the help of fasteners which are supplied with it. This eliminates the need for any structural reinforcement and makes installation very simple. The high density Polystyrene shower seats are also gaining in popularity today. These seats are extremely light weight and can be installed without any hassles. Proper care of the shower seats will enhance their life and ensure that you enjoy a comfortable shower.

Choosing the perfect accessories and following the proper installation techniques will help you create a shower which stands out in all respects. Accessories like shower seats and shelves will enhance the appearance of your bathroom and also offer various capabilities. It is a sound investment which will help you enjoy each and every minute under the shower.

Select the right contractor for your home improvement project

If you are planning to make renovations to your house, you need to be careful while selecting the contractor for the job. A hasty decision in such a situation can lead to extra repair or maintenance expenses.

Although there is no dearth of contractors, you need to select the one who can fulfill your specific requirements, just the way you desire. Before finalizing a contractor you need to take into consideration some important factors.

Though you may find numerous listings of contractors in the yellow pages or on the internet, it would be advisable to do some reference checks by consulting your friends or relatives who may have got their homes renovated. If you are unable to find any recommendations from your family or friends you can resort to any of the contractor referral service websites on the internet. Selecting the right contractor is highly crucial, since only a well experienced contractor will be able to execute your home renovation project with perfection.

Once you have shortlisted the contractors, it is advisable to do some reference checks from their previous clients; getting a background on the kind of work they have done will give you a clear insight on the quality & skill of their work. You will also be able to assess whether the contractor understands your requirements or not.

Checking the credentials of the contractor is an important step and should not be overlooked. You can contact your state’s licensing agency to determine the validation of the certificates and licenses held by the contractor. Another important aspect that you should look for is the liability insurance coverage held by the contractor. Carrying adequate general Liability Insurance and Worker’s Compensation Insurance is essential to avoid unnecessary claims of negligence arising against you.

Get estimates and compare contractors on the basis of what they are charging for your particular project. However, one word of caution to people who want to select contractors solely on the basis of their price; a low priced estimate could be due to the fact that the contractor uses low quality material to complete a job. Although such a deal will cost you less it is generally not recommended to opt for it.

Finally, after you have shortlisted and finalized a contractor you should get all the agreements in writing. Carefully review this written document and sign the contract only if everything is satisfactory. A contract should contain various details such as the starting and completion date of the project, the payment terms, detailed job specifications as well as a ‘right to cancel’ clause that would allow you to cancel the contract within a specified period of time in case you are not satisfied.

Although the task of short listing and selecting a contractor for your home renovation project can be quite complex, by following the above mentioned points you will definitely be able to select a contractor who will execute your home improvement project as per your requirements for the best price.

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Space management for your showers

Don’t you think that a bathroom can prove to be the best refuge to escape the fury of your wife and spend some quiet and peaceful moments all by yourself? It isn’t a bad idea to equip your bathroom with everything you need to keep yourself occupied. The ready to tile niches will provide you with additional space in your bathroom and also bring a dash of lively color. These niches are a perfect tool for space management and will make your bathroom highly functional.

With the increase in personal care products available in today’s market, you may find unused space a rare commodity in your bathroom. You need a lot of space to store those shower gels and aroma candles without making your bathroom look cluttered. This is where the shower niches step in. These niches provide you with undiscovered space in your bathroom while giving it a customized look. The niches can be easily tiled which makes them even more functional.

Because of the prevalence of water in your shower area, you want a niche that is corrosion free and not prone to degradation. A waterproof niche ensures that these products can handle the challenges of a modern bathroom in a better manner. The shower niches should also have an insulator which prevents condensation in the wall cavity. Both of these features will ensure that the niches never rot or degrade and enjoy an extended life span.

These shower niches can be tiled to match the surrounding walls thus helping them to create a perfect blend. These niches are ready to tile which makes the installation process a matter of minutes and not hours. During installation of niches, the first thing you would need to decide is the height of the niche. You will want to use poly-urethane sealant to adhere the niche to the studs. In order to provide maximum support for the niche on the wall it is imperative to install a horizontal cross bracing, regardless of whether you are installing it on an existing wall or a brand new one.

These niches will provide you with a lot of space and enable you to lend an organized look to your bathroom like never before. The shower niches are available in a wide variety of dimensions allowing you to choose one which blends perfectly with the interiors of your bathroom.

Another bathroom accessory which can help you explore new dimensions in your bathroom is the shower shelf. Tempered glass shelves can add a completely new dimension to your shower and create space out of thin air. The unique thing about these shelves is that they make your bathroom look larger. The shelves can be easily installed on a vertical wall and can be used for storing shower products. They can also be used in the living room to hold your stereo or home theater speakers. You could even combine these two uses and have a personal stereo to listen to in your bathroom as you relax with a nice aroma bath.

Nowadays showers are becoming a style statement and a personal recreation space. Adding a shower seat can help you create a waterfall inside your bathroom. Yes! Just sit on these seats and let the warm water cascade over your entire body. This is surely the best way to pamper yourself and make you feel completely rejuvenated. The shower seats have a tremendous load bearing capacity thus making them absolutely safe.

Bathroom accessories will help you lend a customized appeal to your bathroom and create an effect which is not only pleasing to the eye but also offers a lot of functionality. Designed by some of the most competent people in the world, the scope of bathroom accessories is evolving by the day. This gives you many options for giving your space that magical touch. So just forget all your worries and enjoy a comfortable shower which will surely touch your soul.

Design an elegant and effective shower area

The shower area, for most people, is their own private space where they can refresh and rejuvenate themselves. It is due to this reason that a shower area should be designed and constructed with extreme care and precision. One of the most important components of a shower area is the shower pan. Shower pan is the area between the tiled floor and the sub floor, and is crucial to maintain the integrity of the shower area.

In case your shower pans area is such that water accumulates there, you could face serious problems of mold growth. Further, in case your shower pan leaks, there could be damage to your shower floor. One of the most effective solutions to this problem is ProPan, which is an easy to install shower pan floor. ProPan is a waterproof shower pan that can be ideally installed in shower areas of different sizes, thereby ensuring high utility.

Although ProPan is available in different standard sizes, one of the biggest advantages of using ProPan is that it can be modified, cut or extended according to the specific size of the shower area. This feature ensures that your contractor can cut the Pan at the job site as per the requirements.

ProPan is a ready to tile shower pan that eliminates the need to set up a separate layer of pan liner. Although a pan liner is widely used to prevent leakage to the sub floor, there are chances of water accumulating over this pan liner, thereby resulting in the growth of mold. ProPan comes with a pre-formed pitch of ¼” per foot, thereby ensuring that there is no water accumulation below the shower floor. This standardized slope makes sure that any water that seeps through the tiled floor is directed effectively towards the drain opening.

Another benefit offered by ProPan is that it comes with a full foam curb assembly, which can also be customized as per the shower size area. Two of the most time consuming and crucial activities related to building a shower area are constructing a shower curb and waterproofing the sub floor. By installing ProPan, you will be able to effectively take care of both these activities, thereby ensuring a perfect shower area.

The ease of installation and high utility of ProPan systems have ensured that they are widely used for flooring and tiling activities. As compared to traditional mud beds that took 2 to 3 days to set-in, ProPan can be installed in a matter of hours. Further, its ready to tile feature ensures that you are able to design and construct an effective shower area within a short period of time and without the assistance of professionals. ProPan is manufactured using rot proof material to ensure that it remains effective for a long period of time.

An improperly built shower area will require regular maintenance and additions from your side; therefore, it is essential that you get it right the first time. This has been made possible through the use of a ready to tile shower pan such as ProPan.

Category: Do It Yourself

The most effective way of achieving a lippage free floor

Ready To Tile Shelves Bear Everything

Select the right contractor for your home improvement project

Space management for your showers

Design an elegant and effective shower area

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