Home improvement

Floored By Design Trends

Trends come and go, but they may well leave some good home designs along the way.

 

Dark Timber Flooring Sydney

Near black or dark chocolate can work well will light walls and furnishings; it is contrast that works here. Everything dark looks like a horror film. Stark contrasts look vivid and clean.  Th

Almost any wood can be stained dark, but you would want to start with a good quality products.

If you do have dark flooring any decor options must fit in with this look. Else, floors can be partially covered with a lighter rug.

 

Dark Tiles Flooring Sydney

Alterantly, tiles and vinyl work well with dark colours.

Dark colours do hide imperfections well, but some scuff marks and scratches are occasionally an issue.

Bamboo Flooring Perth - Westlake Flooring

Gray Laminate Flooring Sydney

Gray is being recognized as the great new neutral colour. If you want the floor to be a pleasant background so that the furnishings and wall décor stand out, then gray proves extemelty versatile.

Gray laminate floors are neat and reliable, and look quite open and spacious. But you will need the décor to have a certain something lest the whole effect be dull.

 

Bamboo Flooring Sydney

Bamboo floors are not a new trend, but there are an increasing number of options with bamboo. Engineered bamboo planks make installation easier than ever before, and planks can be made far wider than previously, which gives a different décor look.

As always, bamboo has many colour options, and can look very much like traditional timber.

Environmentally Friendly Floors and Wood

It is too simple to believe that cutting down trees is bad for the environment. A growing tree does absorb a lot of CO2 gas; but a fully grown tree neither adds nor takes much CO2 to the atmosphere. The best option if to constantly grown new trees, replacing them when they are fully grown.

If we arrange to grow trees that produce suitable building timber, and constantly replace these trees as they mature and are harvested, then we are helping to take a lot of CO2 out of the environment. We are taking considerably more Co2 out by this method than by just letting the trees stay idle. Using the trees productively, as a building material, prevents any significant CO2 loss. As long as the timber is not burnt the CO2 remains stored and does not impact the environment.

Timber flooring Perth

Using timber is more environmentally sound, provided that the harvested trees are constantly replaced. Other building materials, such as metals and plastics, use a lot of energy in production. As such they are far more harmful to the environmental that responsibly harvested wood.

Bamboo flooring Perth

One other useful and environmentally friendly building material is bamboo. Bamboo is a grass rather than a tree, and is much faster growing.  It only takes about 5- 7 years for bamboo to reach maximum hardness, and sometime the material can be used before this time if optimal hardness is not required. Bamboo might be seen as timber’s similar cousin.

Laminate flooring Perthlaminate flooring perth

Laminate floor has the appearance of wood or stone, but is an artificially manufactured product. It is quite cheap, and can be made in an environmentally sound manner.

Tiles flooring Perth

Tiles are by far the most popular floor material for areas that get wet. They are extremely durable, and the range of design styles means there are always many suitable options.

Super Gloss Mirror Finish

Painters Sydney

A high gloss mirror finish is found on a few wooden items like grand pianos, musical instruments, and some sculptures and fine furnishings. This type of finish requires more than the standard painting technique, which required a fair amount of skill in its own right. But the effort required can be justified for a few expensive items.

 

A mirror finish requires an extremely smooth surface. This smoothness is a combination of physically flattening the wood and then filling in the inherent gaps and imperfections. The filling in is done with a primer/filler, a more specialized version of normal wood primer that simply give a very flat surface.

 

The wooden surface need to be sanded flat, or to the required shape, and then primed. The surface should be left to dry for a least 24 hours. Check for any surface imperfections.

 

Paint the surface with super high gloss enamel. Avoid brush strokes.

 

Once dry, wait an additional 24 hours and very lightly roughen the painted surface with a green scouring pad. Be a light a possible, and avoid taking the paint off the edges.

 

Repeat the process and give several layers of enamel paint.

 

Do not use a scouring pad on the last coat. Instead use a cutting compound to give a satin finish. Porcelain cutting compounds (Kitchen Scrub) can work well for this. Do not polish! The cutting compound should give a slightly rough surface for the next step.

Make sure the surface is clean and spray with a high gloss clear coat. Use short, even, light strokes.

 

When dry, the result should have a deep mirror finish.

 

Painting Services Sydney

Painting services can recommend the best type of prime, paint and clear coat. Hardware stores are also a good source of advice. While we recommend professional house painting we realize that home have many furnishings that need painting too. Live in a home that make your life a better experience.

Environmental wood

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We hear a lot about climate change and CO2 in the atmosphere. What many people don’t realize is that wood is of great benefit for tackling this problem.

 

Environmental Timber flooring Perth

Growing trees absorb a significant amount of CO2 from the surrounding atmosphere. Once the tree is fully grown the amount of CO2 absorbed and the amount released falls into an equilibrium (or close to it). Subsequently, it is beneficial to constantly plant new trees to absorb CO2. Once grown, the harvested trees can be used for building purposes. Most of the CO2 absorbed when the tree was growing remains in the wood. The wood effectively stores the CO2 where is can do no harm. The CO2 remains stored so long as the wood is not burnt.

Other building materials such as metals and plastics are labour and process intensive, something which uses a lot of energy and produces a lot of CO2. Wood requires far less energy to produce, making is a better option for the environment. Wood also tends to have less chemical processing, though this does vary with laquours, polishes and finishes, meaning there are less harmful chemicals in the home than with some plastics. Formaldehyde is processing chemical used in many products, especially plastics. But it is not too difficult to obtain quality wood that is free from formaldehyde.

 

Building and Timber Floors Perth

Wood is also the most cost effective building solution for frames and floors. This is a rare case of something being a short term and long term saving. Wood is a stronger material, by weight, than most materials, and being cheaper it is a short term financial saving. It is also beneficial for the environment, which is a long term saving.

 

Bamboo Flooring Perth

Bamboo also looks to be environmentally beneficial; it also soaks up CO2 form the air. As it grows at a very fast rate, taking only 7 years to harvest, it may prove to be the most popular option for future use. How much CO2 is absorbs is still being studied; the shorter growing time may mean that it absorbs less Co2 over the course of its shorter lifespan. Yet even the most minimal estimates would still be quite beneficial.

Do and Don’ of Hydrosupply Floor Heating

With Hydronic underfloor heating always:

  • Make sure there is a lifetime warranty. Whether it is water or electrical heating the system should work for the life of the house.
  • Before anything, look at the type of flooring you have, or intend to have. Underfloor heating is suitable with almost any surface, but some are more suitable than others.
  • Look at underfloor heating DIY kits. These are custom designed and include all the Hydronic controls and valves needed for your particular home situation.
  • Consider Solar hydronic heating, which will be a huge saving in the long term.
  • Give preference to a wet back boiler, which expose more water to the heating surface, subsequently proving more efficient.
  • Check the level of technical support. It is good to know that expertise and Hydronic supplies are there in the unlikely event of an emergency.
  • Consider whether you want an advanced system that automatically adjusts to your lifestyle the seasonal conditions or just some controls for basic heating.
  • Always get advice and an estimate beforehand.

 

Never

  • Never Compromise on quality, or make the mistake of thinking you can add more in the future. Underfloor heating is a permanent part of the house – install the system you will be wanting to use for decades ahead.
  • Never exceed 27 degrees calcium on the Underfloor heating thermostat. This should be more than worm enough.

Laminate and Engineered Flooring

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Laminate and hardwood flooring are more processed than hardwood options and some types of bamboo, though all modern flooring does have a fair amount of processing done. But the advantage of this is how the end result can be modified to suit our situation. Engineered flooring can be made very resistant to warping, and laminate can have any decorative pattern that we wish.

 

Sydney Engineered Flooring                      

Engineered flooring is a plywood; it is comprised of many different woods in several layers. This multilayers approach not only allows greater strength, with the grains running at 90 degree angles, it also means the top layer can be a wood chosen for aesthetic appeal alone. This makes for a wooden floor that is both unlikely to warp over time and quite resistive to damage, all with a pleasant appearance.

 

Engineered wooden flooring is also environmentally preferable to solid hardwood. There is far less wood wasted in the cutting process for engineered wood, and only the top veneer needs to be from the expensive, slow growing trees. This means the wood from expensive hardwood trees goes much further.

 

Of course a veneered floor cannot usually be sanded, else the layer of less attractive wood underneath will be exposed. Some thicker veneers can be sanded once, effectively doubling the life of the floor, but unlike hardwood they will not last several centuries. Nevertheless a decent engineered floor will last many decades, and can be installed at a medium cost.

 

Sydney Laminate Flooring            

Laminate is a rather like plywood, but instead of veneering with real wood the top layer is a photographic image. Because it is a photograph almost any type of decorative surface is easily reproduced, including stone or tile. And as this surface image is protected by a hard plastic coating a decent laminate floor is quite scratch resistant. The disadvantage is that the top image on the floor will eventually wear away with steady traffic. But this is offset by the lower cost or replacing such a floor, and the many different design options.

 

Sydney has fairly stable weather, so moisture conditions are never more than a minor issue. Problems with floor stability are quite rare. This allows home owners a fairly wide range of flooring options. Floors can be chosen for their appearance alone, and last for many decades.

Considerations for A Wooden Floor

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Timber Floors Perth

Room décor may not concentrate on the floor; it is often something else that is the centre of focus. But flooring is always important, and the wrong floor will certainly ruin the look of a well-designed room. Consider this when making your decision.

 

Solid Timber Flooring Perth

If the Room tends to have heavy traffic it will benefit from hardwood floors. Few other materials will take the type of abuse that a solid hardwood floor will withstand.

 

Floor sanding Perth

Solid, heavy duty wooden flooring will last for decades, but it will need a sanding every 10 years or so if you want to keep it looking optimal. Hire a floor sander Perth has known for many years and you be guaranteed a good result.

 

Overall Room Decor

If you value appearance there are many flooring options. Few people design the décor around the floor, so it is best to put in a floor that suit the décor you like. Often this can simply be the right colour. Else, you might like surface patterns or a softer feel underfoot.

 

Laminate Flooring Perth

Laminate flooring basically lets you have any pattern printed and used as a floorboard. Stone and timber are popular, but there are also other options; find something that suits the room. The surface above the laminate is durable enough to last for many years in the average home.

 

When it comes to Laminate Timber Flooring Perth has a climate that allows any option. We do not have to worry too much about moisture or rot. Choose anything that suits you sense of style.

 

Floating TimberFloors Perth

These floors are not permanently attached to the surface underneath. As such, they are easy to repair; sections can be easily replaced. If you consider a floating timber floors Perth supplies are often suitable for DIY projects.

 

Bamboo Flooring Perth

This has steadily become a popular trend over the last few years. Bamboo is easily renewable and can be treated to look like many other types of timber. When deciding on bamboo flooring Perth shoppers should look for products grown for 6-7 years minimum, not easily scratched, and not prone to emitting volatile chemicals like formaldehyde.

Renovation Concerns

Renovations can add value to a home, but they may not add as much value as anticipated, and might even backfire.

 

Swimming pools.

These are an expensive investment, but they don’t add value to the home. A few buyers like the idea of a swimming pool, but most consider the maintenance and cost too great. And even those who are attracted to the house with a pool will not pay much more for the facility. Only add a pool if you will use it yourself. They will not add value to the house.

 

Things that cannot be seen.

Internal heating, insulation, new air-conditioning …etc. don’t impress people. It might sound good on the list of features, and a comfortable house might make a good impression on an extreme winter or summer day. But for the most part an invisible renovation is a minor feature, and won’t increase the price by much.

 

Home Renovations

If your DIY is top notch then the price of the house might take a step up, though you need to remember the amount of work put into these improvements. But if the DIY renovations have any fault they actually work against the asking price.

 

Fancy Bathrooms

These will add value, but not in proportion to the cost. Make sure the bathroom is neat and fully functional. Beyond this you will be spending a lot of money for a minimal increase in asking price.

 

High end landscaping

Again, this will increase the asking price by a moderate amount, but you are unlikely to recoup the money you spent. Real estate Photo Editing should give your garden a nice summer day appeal, so the prospective buyer sees the potential. But anything beyond moderate landscaping will yield minimal improvement.

 

Real estate Photo Editing

Real Estate Photo Retouching Services can make you house look is best, but they cannot compensate for poor investment decisions. Real Estate Photo Retouching gets the best looking photos of a property, but a property won’t sell, or it won’t reach the asking price, if a bad renovation decision has been made.

Pipe Fittings

The piping components of hydronic heaters are the system’s main element. Hydronic heating works with fluids and without the pipes to carry the fluids there is no system. Hence, this piping must be designed to work well, carrying fluids without issues. But once designed these heating systems carry on working for decades.

 

There is a whole branch of physics dedicated to the motion of fluids, especially through pipes. These physics matters can be very complex, but the level of understanding needed for general house plumbing is hardly at the forefront of research. The techniques and technical knowledge needed for house plumbing and heating pipes had been established for many years. It is simply a matter of designing a water heating system for each individual house.

 

Some standard Pipe fittings:

Elbow – this is a 90 degree or 45 degree turn in the piping. A longer radius elbow is 1.5 times greater than the diameter of the pipe. A short radius pipe has the same diameter as the pipe.

 

Coupling – This joins to lengths of pipe together. Sometimes these two lengths of pipe are different sizes, and are termed a reducing coupling.

 

Reducing Coupling – These connect pipes of different sizes, with the different pipe sizes being necessary for meeting hydraulic flow requirements of the system. The slope of the reducing coupling is usually the average diameter of the two different pipes.  Sometime the coupling is eccentric, so that the smaller pipe does not connect to the centre of the larger pipe but is set off parallel to one side. This is preferable for horizontal surfaces.

 

Tee – A Tee will split one pipe into two pipes running 90 degrees to the first pipe. Sometimes the two pipes in the T section will be smaller than the first pipe. This might be necessary to maintain even pressure and flow.

 

Awnings Sydney

Awnings are the covering that attach to the exterior walls of a building, providing some shelter above a doorway or window. They vary in construction, some being fixed, some being retractable; materials vary from cloth over a metal frame to solid metal. The most common type of awning consists of thin aluminium over a rigid aluminium frame. This is strong enough to resist rain and snow, and is corrosion proof under most conditions.

 

Awnings date back for many centuries. They are the simplest type of shelter possible, provided that have a wall for support. In modern houses they are useful from shading windows. This is important in environmentally conscious situations as shading windows prevents any increase in indoor temperate. This allows a house to be kept cool inside with significantly lower energy expenditure. Alternately, a retractable awning can let light and at least some heat inside during winter months, reducing the heating cost.

 

Awnings can be made large enough to cover a vehicle. They are significantly less expensive than a garage, yet provide reasonable protection from the Sun and Rain. The cost of the awning is far small compared to damage a vehicle will suffer from environmental exposure.

 

Awnings Sydney

Awnings are a relatively cheap investment compared to many home renovations. Reduced heating cost, convenient shade, and protection for vehicles make awnings well worth considering.