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Flooring Supply | Flooring Supply Shop Blog - Part 2

Windows Not Just a Piece of Glass

Windows, Home remodeling, DIY, exterior remodeling, Flooring Supply, do it yourself, home improvement

It’s early in the morning and you’ve just opened the curtains to bring in the bright new day. Or perhaps the snow is falling softly outside as you snuggle up with a cup of hot cocoa at your window seat and take in the view. Windows have been around for hundreds of years, and while their basic purpose has not changed, they have gone from being a necessary “hole in the wall” to a significant element of design.

What is the definition of a Window? According to Webster’s dictionary, a window is an opening, usually framed and spanned with glass, built into a wall for light and air. We still use windows for this fundamental purpose. Properly placed windows can provide cross ventilation and eliminate the need for artificial lighting during the day. Most people have at one time or another been in a dark, dreary room that simply needed the light of a window. Current national code requires that the glazed area of the windows (that is the glass itself) equal 8% or more of the square footage of a room.

Windows can range widely in style and cost. If you prefer contemporary styling, you may choose to go with a casement style window (a unit that either cranks out to the left or to the right). A more traditional style is the double hung unit (a unit that slides up and down). Other styles include horizontal sliders, awnings, and transom windows. A window manufacturer can provide detailed descriptions of the various styles available. The styles are as plentiful as the prices are varied. Of course, you can mix and match units. For example: in your kitchen you may desire a casement unit above the sink because they are easier to open reaching over the counter; however, adjacent to the kitchen, in a gazebo shaped breakfast area, there is no reason you should not consider using double-hung units.

Let’s take a closer look at the two most popular units, the casement and double hung window. There are pro’s and con’s to both. The casement offers full ventilation when opened where the double-hung only gives about half. However, if you have a group of casements units overlooking your deck or patio, be aware that casements take up exterior living space. So be careful at parties; open casements can be very painful when walked into. Probably the best part of double-hung units is many new models tilt in for easier cleaning, where as the casement does not offer a similar feature.

Whether you are building new, adding on additional space, or renovating a room in your home, the windows you choose should play a major role. When looking at windows for your new project, look carefully at the hardware, is it well manufactured? Plastic hardware may provide a more contemporary look, but also tend to break sooner. Open the windows at the showroom, do they operate easily? Do they offer a good warranty on the unit as a whole? Most manufactures should cover the windows for at least ten years. Check the energy efficiency (insulation value) of the particular units you are interested in. I recommend a minimum insulation value of R-3. Most units nowadays carry an insulation value of at least this, and very often it is higher. Overall, examine the quality of the unit on the interior as well as exterior.

You will find that the cost of windows is quite significant, but you get what you pay for. You want your windows to last 30 to 50 years, therefore they need to be constructed from good quality materials and made to last for long time. If you skimp on quality, you may have problems in as little as 5 years. Depending on the number of windows your project calls for, you should plan to spend approximately 5%-10% of your entire building budget if you are adding on or building a new home. This percentage is higher for smaller renovations.

Windows provide much more than light and air today. A properly designed window can make or break the mood of a room. Today’s windows should be treated as an integral part of the design and NOT JUST A PIECE OF GLASS.

Article provide by
designconnection.com

 

Get the Right and Balanced Home Improvement

clean white themed living room with a fireplaceclean white themed living room with a fireplace

Home Improvement scenarios have appreciated excellently over the years. The need for balanced home improvement has insured great levels of professionalism in the process. As a house owner you need to make certain considerations before even starting a home improvement process. The time at hand, the budget and the technical specifications play a major role in home improvement procedures. You need to maintain equilibrium in all aspects to ensure that all the criteria are met. So, let us discuss certain key areas and elements that need to be looked into for a balanced home improvement.

The Budget: Undoubtedly, the budget plays a huge role. You must always keep the monetary considerations in mind before you decide on the home improvement process. This helps you get a clear cut perspective on the key areas of your home that need improvement. The budget justification of these areas is also the key. Firstly, you can always specify a gross budget. Then you can specify the vital aspects of home improvement. Lastly, cross check whether the budget fits your home improvement demands. Such thorough analysis will help you eliminate the unwanted home improvement needs that might arise out of random sampling.

Use of Resources: Effective and efficient use of resources is the key. It is important that you know your house well. You must have good knowledge of your household goods and the durability factor involved with them. A reasonable analysis helps you know the actual need for change or make over in all the relevant areas.

Integration of the Elements: Integration of certain elements can bring a sense of uniqueness to the home. A good balance of the elements can help any room feel more inviting. Try wood and houseplants to invoke the feel of earth and air. Plants are especially good because not only do they look nice, they actually improve the quality of the air. Candles are great to bring fire’s warmth into a room, as is a fireplace. And a gorgeous fish aquarium or tabletop fountain provides the soothing energy of water. This is one example that presents a blend of exceptional budgeting and efficient utilization of resources.

Renovation: “Renovate” is the key to any home improvement project. You should always know the longevity of all our home belongings. This helps you judge the span of your home improvement project and the time specification you can have. The thin line that separates the need to renovate and the need to change can make a vital difference to the cost of any home improvement project.

The Exteriors: With all the potential improvements you can make to the interior of your home, it’s easy to neglect the outside. But the outside of your home is the first thing people see. If you live in a wood home, make sure the paint is fresh and un-chipped. Paint the shutters a new color to give your home renewed interest. Flower plantation and tree swings can add a great charm to your garden. Installing a pool or hot tub is also a good idea. Not only will you get the benefits of having your own place to splash around in, your home will be worth more if you ever decide to sell it.

Flooring: The flooring or the baseline of the homes makes a lot of difference. These days you have options to choose from. You can always try the new eco-friendly floor heating options available in the market. These not only keep your floor warm in winters but make sure that the heating is balanced in accordance with the outside temperature. They also serve as the best home improvement tasks when it comes to balancing. The amount of energy saving that they do as being substitute to floor heaters is phenomenal.

I hope these details help you get the right and balanced home improvement.

Copyright © 2010 FlooringSupplyShop.com

Why Should you Choose Brand Name Flooring

living room with hardwood flooring

One of major decisions that every homeowner needs to make is to choose the right flooring material for their home. The wide variety of flooring options, make the decision all the more daunting. However, choosing brand name flooring material, over generic flooring options, proves beneficial for homeowners in several ways. Although, homeowners may have to pay little more for these branded products but it is worth spending the extra money as brand name flooring products are durable and cost effective. Once installed, homeowners can enjoy the benefit of good durable flooring, for years to come.

Branded products are beneficial in every way, as it offers better quality, guarantee and material which is durable. The leading brand names offer customers a wide range of options, including different materials such as marble, hardwood, tiles and laminate flooring. These are available in wide choices of colors, patterns and styles, which make it easier for the buyer to choose from. Moreover, the brand names ensure quality. Whatever branded flooring material you buy, would come with assured quality, which is worth all the investment. In addition, one of the biggest advantages of branded products is that all these flooring options are durable. With proper maintenance and care, the branded flooring options are long lasting which increase the overall value of the house. A company becomes a brand only when it offers quality and durable products, which eventually earns them a broad clientele. Hence, if you choose a brand name, you can be rest assured that the product is of high quality which will be long lasting.

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The leading brands in the field constantly carry out research & development, in order to produce new and innovative products. The options available to the customers increase manifold with the introduction of new & useful products. Companies also offer customized solutions to incorporate the specific requirements of their customers. Moreover, with the increasing competition, companies strive to offer better quality products at lower rates, which eventually saves customers significant amount of money.

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In addition, branded products last longer, and the flooring does not demand frequent repairs. Good quality branded products makes the flooring strong & durable to withstand greater foot traffic without fading and staining. With the use of branded products the maintenance cost for flooring decreases, which add on to the savings for the customers. An important reason why customers should opt for branded products is because these products come with a warranty. For the sake of their reputation, big brands of the industry ensure to provide quality products that prove beneficial to the customer.

Owing to all this certain companies have become household names and leading brands, whose products can be bought by customers with surety of quality and durability. Hence, in case you are contemplating with the idea of purchasing flooring for your home, consider buying brand name products. Though you may have to pay a little more for these branded products; it will save you time, effort and money as these lasts longer and offer value for your money.

Copyright © 2010 FlooringSupplyShop.com

Tips for effective floor buffing

well maintained hardwood flooring

Like other parts of the house, hardwood flooring also requires maintenance. Over the years, with constant wear & tear the floor starts losing its luster. Though, a lot of people resort to changing the flooring when it starts to wear down; this however is not an advisable option.

One of the most effective ways of dealing with worn out flooring is by buffing it. One can easily use buffing for refinishing the floor, so that it looks as good as new.

Instead of replacing the old hardwood flooring with a new one, most homeowners prefer buffing the flooring, which saves them time as well as money. Using harsh chemicals is not advisable as it will actually harm the floor by either staining it or affecting its natural sheen. Buffing on the other hand is safer and can help keep the fresh look of the floor, as if it was new. Moreover, buffing can be easily done on every type of flooring, whether it is marble or hardwood, with the help of a buffing machine. In case of carpet flooring, one can use the brush attachment instead of pads in the buffing machine; which effectively cleans and scrubs the carpet thoroughly.

It is a process, which can easily be accomplished by DIY enthusiasts. Whatever may be the type of floor you wish to buff; it should first be dust mopped and cleaned thoroughly. Next, you need to install the buffing pad and set the speed of the machine at 1-2 ft. per second. Move the machine in a straight line, overlapping each pass by 2-4 inches. You need to buff the floor till the required gloss is achieved. Similarly, repeat the whole process in other areas of the floor as well. Check the pads, and change them in case they have become dirty or worn out. After buffing is complete, dust mop the floor and follow it by wet vacuuming. Make sure to clean all the equipment, before storage.

Although it is easy, there are certain things that one needs to take care of while buffing the hardwood floor. Replace worn out pads as it can cause scratches on the floor. You need to select the appropriate pad and solution for the type of floor to be buffed. It is advisable that you evenly spread the solution over the particular section of the floor, and buff the area two to three times for best results. While buffing the floor, you must ensure to start from the end of the room, moving backwards, so that you do not step on the cleaned floor.

You will need to apply three different solutions, namely stripping, wax and polish solution. Though using a floor buffing machine is not very difficult; it is advisable to exercise caution since the buffing machine is quite big in size.

Flooring is the most essential part of any house and hence, requires utmost care. By just following some of the simple measures mentioned above, you can have a clean, shiny and durable flooring.

Copyright © 2010 FlooringSupplyShop.com

Easy solutions for hardwood floor repair problem

ceramic tiles, Hardwood floor. Laminate flooring, stone, marble, granite, travertine

Hardwood floor is increasingly becoming one of the most preferred flooring choices amongst homeowners; as it greatly enhances the appearance of the house. Along with adding to the aesthetic appeal of the house, it also increases the value of the property. Hardwood flooring is durable as well as easy to maintain and install. Moreover, this versatile flooring option easily blends with any kind of décor, whether traditional or modern. However, just like other flooring options, hardwood flooring comes with its own set of assets & setbacks. Some of these problems can easily be rectified by homeowners themselves, while others may require professional assistance.

Many hardwood floor surfaces develop cracks or splits after few years which make it unpleasant to look at. This can easily be repaired with the help of angled nails, which secures the two pieces together. In order to hide the blemishes, you can cover it with some wood putty. The DIY enthusiasts can accomplishes this task easily within no time. Another common damage caused to the hardwood floors is the development of gaps between the wooden planks. This is mainly because of the nature of wood, which tends to expand in case it gets wet and shrinks when it dries. Over a period of time, this expansion and contraction causes gaps. Generally, this process is seasonal, where the change in weather and humidity causes the opening and closing of gaps. However, in case the gap is much and does not close on its own, you can take help of a professional who can tighten up the hardwood floor and solve this problem completely.

Moisture can also lead to another problem, sagging or warped hardwood floor, which needs to be addressed immediately. Another problem which may bother several homeowners is the cupped floors, also known as wash-boarding. The edges of the planks rise up across the width of the wooden strip, while there is a depression at the center. This is also caused due to moisture imbalance and the center of the board sinks down if the humidity is more on the bottom of the wooden strip than on top. All these problems require you to solve the humidity problem and balance its level to help the surface return back to normal.

In addition, many homeowners face the problem of buckling, which happens when the hardwood floorboard warps and lifts up from the subfloor beneath. There are several reasons which may cause this; hence it is advisable that one calls a professional for opinion so that the actual cause can be identified and appropriate measures can be taken to fix the problem.

Hardwood flooring may also experience minor problems such as scratching, staining or loose planks. In case of scratching or staining, you can easily find a solution in several touch-up kits that are readily available in the market. In case of major scratching, which can spoil the appearance of the floor; it would require refinishing. In case of loose planks the problem can be rectified by nailing it to the subfloor, which is quite easy.

Hence, these simple measures along with regular sweeping and cleaning helps in easy maintenance of the hardwood flooring.

Copyright © 2010 FlooringSupplyShop.com

Flooring Supply | Flooring Supply Shop Blog - Part 2