What is PLM and Why Should You Care? Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) software isn’t just…
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2 mins read
Repairing Gouges in Terrazzo or Polished Concrete Floors
There are a few tips and tricks that you can follow in order to repair any minor marks or gouges in your polished concrete or terrazzo floors.
Cracks in flooring:
There are a few methods depending on the size of the crack in your polished concrete. If you have a pneumatic needle scaler for cleaning up small cracks with a little dust it can be beneficial to help repairing cracks in your polished concrete floors. Another method is with your own do it yourself “sand” formula.
For small cracks
A� aluminum oxide
A� local fine washed river sand
For larger cracks
1/3 aluminum oxide
1/3 local river sand
1/3 local fracture rock
Gouges:
Repairing gouges in your concrete flooring is really pretty easy. However you want to make sure the old concrete bonds to the new concrete or your repair could last you less than a year. There are a few necessary steps to follow in order to repair gouged concrete flooring.
Make sure you clean out the noticeable gouge. This means you will want to remove all the dust, stones, and dirt. You will need to do a good portion of this by hand. Once you have the larger stuff out you can use a bristle brush to clear out the remaining.
Mix up concrete paint. This is really considered to be watered down concrete. Mix a tiny portion of concrete in a 5 gallon bucket. Usually you will keep adding in water until it is very thin.
Make sure the surface is lightly damp. Paint the inner portion of the gouge and the area that is located around it with water. Just get it damp, don’t try to soak it.
Paint the inside of the gouge and around the outer edge with the concrete paint. This will create something for it to attach to.
Mix up your concrete using the 5 gallon bucket. You will want to add in water and stir it up.
Fill in the gouge with the concrete. The concrete mix will stick onto the concrete paint which creates a firm seal between the new and old. Spread it evenly with the original concrete.
You can see that the entire process of repairing gouges within polished concrete is really fairly easy and can be done with a few ingredients and tools. Polished concrete flooring is really beneficial all around, and requires little to no upkeep.…
2 mins read
How Does Laminate Flooring Stack Up Against Real Wood?
There are both advantages and disadvantages when comparing laminate flooring with hardwood flooring. Both of these materials are excellent for any home, however they are also very different. First, let’s examine wood floors and why you might want them in your home. Wood floors are classic, traditional, beautiful and with the right maintenance, can last a lifetime. The problem is that wood flooring requires buffing and refinishing to maintain its beauty.
On the other hand, laminate flooring does not require this kind of maintenance. And, when compared with how difficult it is to install wood floors, laminate definitely comes out on top. The majority of laminate floor choices can be snapped together like puzzle pieces, without the need for glue or nails. Even if you’re not handy with tools you can lay one of these floors in a matter of hours. And, you can walk on your new floors immediately after they are put down, you don’t have to wait. These floors are durable, and are coated with space age crystal clear finishes for strength and shine.
You’ll be amazed at how authentic these floors appear when made to look like wood, stone and other flooring materials. Some laminate is textured and even sounds like the actual material it looks like when walked upon. And with a good installation job, no one but you will realize your floor is laminate, it might for example look identical to exotic teak or sophisticated mahogany.
There are just so many different choices. Whether you like wood, stone, cork, bamboo or some other material, your floor can look exactly as you like. Many flooring choices are made to appear seamless. Some are tiles, some are strips and some are planks. What you should choose depends upon your particular household needs.
Laminate flooring is easy to clean and care for. All it requires is a sweep and damp mop. There are affordable cleaning products made for this type of material. Another benefit is the vast selection you’ll find when shopping around for this type of floor. There are hundreds of different laminate flooring choices from numerous manufacturers, many of which are household names.…
3 mins read
Wood Flooring – Types and Caring For Your Floor
Wood flooring has continued to be the most popular choice of flooring for a house. This is because it gives a feeling of warmth and adds value to ones home. There is a wide range of wood flooring options available for you to choose from.
You may use wood in almost all parts of your home except for the kitchen and bathroom where wood is not advisable to use due to moisture retention. If you are searching for the type of wood that you will use, you should consider the overall decor and theme of your home.
Choices in Wood Flooring
The most common choice of wood flooring is the hardwood. Some popular hardwood choices are hickory, oak, maple, cherry, Bella wood, and walnut. They come in different colors and shades. Cherry and walnut do not need to be applied with artificial colors as they have natural rich tone.
After you have chosen which type of wood you will use, you have to decide on the floor finish that you will apply. You may opt to buy pre-finished wood with clear coating as protection. Purchasing pre-finished may require you a huge budget but you will definitely save a lot of time and effort.
If you do not want to buy pre-finished, you may choose to do the finishing yourself. After installing the floor, you need to apply urethane as protective coating. You may need to apply several coats of urethane for a more durable floor. After every coat, you should sand the floor for a smoother surface. It takes several days for this process to complete.
Another option that you may consider is distressed or reclaimed flooring. Though this type of floor does not have smooth feel, it is naturally beautiful and has a unique character. One advantage of this type is that scratches do not easily manifest unlike in urethane flooring.
Aside from the traditional flooring choices, another option is laminate flooring. It looks like real hardwood and can be bought at cheaper price. Armstrong Flooring is one company that offers laminates of high quality. Bamboo and cork flooring are also other options.
Proper Care of Wood Flooring
Whatever type of flooring you choose to have in your home, you can make your wood flooring durable and last longer by giving it the proper care and maintenance. Below are some care tips for a long lasting wood floor.
1. Remove dirt and dust by regularly sweeping or vacuuming the floor. Do not let your floor accumulate dirt and dust as this may cause scratches on the floor.
2. Put mats at the entrance doors to minimize dirt from entering your house.
3. Gently clean the floor with mop when needed. Use a nearly dry mop instead of wet one. Water may be retained in the floor causing it to wear out over time. Molds may also grow in between the slats of the wood, which will eventually damage your floor.…
3 mins read
Water Butts For Septic Tanks Are Affordable and Easy to Find
Water butts for Septic Tanks are containers used as storage for rain harvesting. It is 200 liters in capacity and made of lightweight material. It can be carried easily anywhere you would want to place it. Most often it is situated at the back of the house near the garden where stored rain from the butts is used for gardening. Instead of using hose getting water from the main water line water butts are useful source of watering the garden. You can install one or more containers connected together by storage connector available at the hardware store. Connecting five 200 liters water butts is much cheaper than building 1000 liters storage tank capacity.
Water storage are useful especially in arid areas for storing rainwater and used for domestic purposes. Rainwater from water containers can be used for washing the clothes, watering the plants, flushing the toilet, cleaning the cars and other household use. Butts must be covered to prevent it from breeding ground for larvae since any clean water is what mosquitoes prefer for their breeding grounds and also to prevent it from being contaminated. Water are usually installed above the ground and the material is usually opaque to prevent sunlight exposure thus decreasing the bloom of algae.
Butts have been around for some time. They are durable and dependable. Installation of butts in other areas is mandatory especially if there is a community wide program for conserving water. Since it is affordable and simple to install any household can easily have it. They position the butts in houses’ downpipes for collection of rainwater. Water butts are provided with taps and they will give you direct access to all the rainwater you harvested. The complete kits for water butts include water butts itself, stand for water butts and rain diverters. These are all easy to fit and once the butts are connected to your downpipes they are ready to use and to collect rainwater right away.
Water storage is really essential for small to medium scale storage for rainwater harvesting. They are compact and will not require a large space. They are also durable since water containers are made of high grade quality materials and can be used for long life. This is a good remedy if you have a small patio and you need to save on water. Recycling water for future use is a great solution when there is shortage of water and butts is the simple obvious answer. Water butts are hard wearing and resilient that is why it is most desirable for storage of rainwater.
Water butts for Septic Tanks are a good way to save money. People nowadays are aware of the importance of saving and you can start it by saving water by means of butts. This is very practical approach and also time and energy efficient since you will only need to place the water butts from the source of your rainwater. This is also a very good solution in preparing especially if …
2 mins read
How To Choose A Wheelchair Accessible House Plan
Nowadays it is very easy to get handicapped accessible house plans online from different architects and home designer websites. However, with so many options available, it is important to know how to choose the ideal house plan to meet all your needs, both physically and financially.
Firstly, the wheelchair accessible home plans should be designed by professional and experienced architects preferably ones trained in universal home design. Get professionally designed home plans for the sake of safety and value for money.
Secondly, get all the little details about the house plan’s accessible design. Look at how the home is designed from the front porch space to the master bedroom features. If possible, view the house design in 3 dimension, either as a physical model or CAD software. A 3D view will enable you to have a better sense of how the home will look like when complete, along with how the design is adapted to the handicapped or elderly individual.
Thirdly, do find out from the designer whether it is possible to customize the default handicapped accessible house plans. Remember that the home is designed with a general idea of a handicapped individual’s needs, but only the person in need of the accessible design knows exactly what they require. Maybe the ramps are curved and you prefer them straight, or the placement of the laundry area needs to be changed. Suit the home design for the highest efficiency and convenience to the residents, not simply stick with the given house plan as it is.
Fourthly, get as many copies of the home plans as possible. The standard practice is to get about five to eight sets of the desired home plan: A copy for the home owner, the contractor, the mortgage lender, the local building department, and the sub-contractors. Get these important documents in different formats, including PDF files for soft copies. You should also get a list of the building materials required for the plan from the architect since it will give you a good idea of the cost of building the home.
Keep in mind that once you purchase a home plan, along with its blueprints, you will not be able to return it. Copies of blueprints can be made quite easily, so to avoid losses, designers and architects do not allow returns for any dissatisfied customers. This means that you have to be absolutely sure about your choice of wheelchair accessible home plans before purchasing.
Do your research and learn all you can about universal home design for handicapped or elderly individuals. Use these tips to choose the best wheelchair accessible plan with the best features and best value for your investment.…
2 mins read
The Importance of Erosion Control in Mitigating Environmental Damage
One of the greatest pollutants affecting public lands and places is sediment. Although most people are unfamiliar with the ways sediment harms bodies of water and recreational spaces, sediment can have a big impact on the fertility of the soil, bioactivity in lakes and streams, and structural integrity of infrastructure. Sediment is one of the products of erosion. If you are considering erosion control Southern California here are some things to consider.
Erosion: What It Is and How It Works
Erosion is the process by which different environmental conditions— water, wind, and ice—removes soil, rock, or other material from one location to another. While erosion is a natural environmental process, the rate at which areas experience erosion can be greatly impacted by human activity. Human processes that exploit lands such as, deforestation and agriculture can accelerate the rate of erosion in a given area.
Erosion Control and Why It’s Important
Erosion control is the practice of preventing or controlling the effects of erosion across various industries. In areas that have a concentrated amount of agriculture or land development, control measures are vital in diminishing the detrimental effects of erosion. Proper erosion control techniques can help mitigate the runoff, soil loss, and pollution that can occur from a high erosion rate. Some erosion control measures include:
- Soil stabilization
- Hydroseeding
- Cellular confinement systems
- Reforestation
Erosion is a natural process in which different environmental forces displace particles of the Earth’s crust from one location to another. Water, wind, and many other elements cause erosion to occur naturally; however, humans can have a tremendous impact on the rate of erosion by exploiting various lands. Processes that society relies on for different products, such as agriculture and logging can accelerate the rate of erosion to a harmful level. In order to mitigate the effects of human-caused erosion, it is important to practice appropriate erosion control techniques.…
2 mins read
Home Warranty Plans For Home Sellers
The uncertainty of purchasing a home that isn’t new can be a bit unsettling. Is everything working? Will it all keep working? Even with a thorough home inspection, you don’t know how long the appliances or systems will last. More and more home sellers are turning to home warranty plans to persuade buyers to buy, and this is why:
To Avoid Disputes
Once in a while, after the sale of a home from seller to buyer, something will break soon after. This may or may not be the fault of the seller, but often times, the buyer assumes it is. It then turns into a dispute over who has to pay for it. Purchasing a warranty plan helps avoid this because the plan covers the costs of most repairs and replacements.
To Reassure Buyers
Buyers don’t know if they can trust the seller. They don’t know the history of the home or what’s inside it. Home inspections can help with this, but there’s still the uncertainty of how long everything is going to last and if the buyer will be able to afford the cost of maintenance for the home-which can be expensive. Warranty plans can resolve all of this and give the buyer peace of mind, knowing they’re covered in the event of maintenance problems.
To Protect the Seller
It’s not too common, but sometimes things break during the listing and escrow period. Then what? The seller then has unexpected and unwanted extra costs-on top of the costs of selling a home. It’s an unnecessary stress that can easily be avoided by getting a warranty plan. Do yourself a favor.
To Give Buyers Confidence in Buying a Previously Owned Home
When buying a new home, everything is new, and buyers aren’t so worried about breakdowns and maintenance. This is an extra appeal for new homes. But what about homes that aren’t new? For a seller with a previously owned home, you want to give buyers every added confidence you can give them that your home is the right home for them. Home warranty plans are the way to do that. That way, buyers can trust that even if something does break, it will be okay. Home warranty plans are a great option for sellers and buyers.…
3 mins read
Wastewater and Sewage Treatment – For Residential Properties
Most of us flush the toilet without a second thought, but what happens to the wastewater if the property’s not connected to mains drainage?
There are several options available to homeowners:
Cesspits and cesspools
A cesspit or cesspool is simply a holding tank for receiving and storing wastewater from a property. The wastewater enters the cesspit where it remains until it is emptied by a vacuum tanker. As the cesspit merely holds the wastewater rather than treating it, the tanks tend to fill quite quickly resulting in the need for frequent emptying which can be costly.
Cesspits are usually only used as a temporary measure until the property is connected to mains drainage or because the Environment Agency doesn’t allow the property to discharge. Cesspits are typically viewed as the least desirable wastewater treatment system due to a number of unfavourable factors. As the cesspit receives all the waste from a property they have to be large enough to cope with this; the sizing criteria is based on a loading of 180 litres per person per day and must have the capacity to hold 45 days’ worth of effluent which inevitably leads to a large tank.
Septic Tanks
Septic tank systems store and minimally treat sewage and usually consist of a storage tank with two or three chambers to separate the solid and liquid waste. The chambers within the septic tank hold the sewage solids long enough to allow the solids to form sludge at the bottom of the tank and are designed to retain any floating matter.
The sludge is partially broken down through anaerobic digestion and the remaining liquid passes through the outlet to a soakaway drainage system. A soakaway system disperses this partially treated liquid (known as effluent) into a drainage trench where the pathogens, nutrients and organic material are dispersed into the gravel and are removed or neutralized as the liquid moves through into the soil.
The remaining sludge in the septic tank needs to be emptied regularly; the frequency of septic tank pumping depends on the amount of waste entering the septic tank and its size.
Sewage Treatment Plants
A sewage treatment plant is by far the best method of wastewater treatment. In a sewage treatment system, the wastewater enters the plant where it is treated, producing final effluent that is of a high enough standard, as set by the Royal Commission, to be discharged to a watercourse or groundwater.
Most home sewage treatment systems comprise a primary settlement chamber, biological zone and final clarification. Depending on which make and model you choose, these components could be in separate units, or enclosed in one.
Some systems have a primary settlement chamber where the raw solids separate from the liquor; the solids need to be periodically taken away by a tanker (tankered) and the liquor is then biologically treated. Other systems don’t have a separate treatment chamber, and the solids are continuously mixed in an aeration chamber with bacteria and oxygen to allow aerobic organisms to …
2 mins read
Consider These Three Timeless Ways To Make Your Money Work for You
Most people have some motivation to succeed financially and ensure they have plenty of money to last the rest of their lives or beyond in the form of inheritances. Of course, it seems that there are countless recommended options in achieving this goal. For that reason, individuals often find the process convoluted and needlessly complex. Instead of becoming lost in the noise by those attempting to sell you on the latest fads or gimmicks, it is probably best to start with the basics. If you or someone you know is looking into ways to maximize their income and savings, keep the following guidelines in mind.
Research Real Estate
One of the oldest and most reliable places to put money is in property. Not only is it useful in the meantime, it often increases in value over time given the right circumstances. Anyone hoping to pursue this opportunity should seek out real estate investment companies Clifton Springs NY, or a professional in any community across the U.S.
Scour Stock Tips
Another area ripe for potential profit is Wall Street. Of course, there is far more risk involved in this type of investment. Make sure any exploration in this realm comes with expert advice and plenty of diversification to absorb an unexpected blow to the stock market.
Visualize Valuable Property
In addition to major investments like land or buildings, smaller items of value can also bring about a lot of financial security. For many people, this coincides with an existing hobby or passion. Collecting watches, artwork, or baseball cards are a few common ways individuals keep and enjoy what they love while saving for the future.
For anyone preparing to enjoy a lengthy retirement, it is important to make sure every dollar is working toward that goal. The guidelines above will help making those choices a little easier.…
3 mins read
Define Your Style – Home Design Ideas
Leonardo Da Vinci once said, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication” and when it comes to interior design this can often by the best route to take if you don’t trust your own design instincts. There is a danger however, that your house will blend into every other Magnolia drenched, carbon copy home that we see cloned on every street in Britain today. Why do we practice such safe design? Is it because we suffer from a lack of imagination, or are home owners up and down the land just not brave enough to experiment? Maybe in this difficult economic climate we cannot risk straying from that safe colour palette of cream and white?
I say, why create a ‘blank canvas’ (just in case you move home), for someone else to put his or her stamp on. Look for inspiration everywhere and don’t fear your own style. There are several ways in which you can experiment without breaking the bank and below are a few ideas and tips, which could inspire you to create your own unique groove. Firstly, do a little research. Websites such as housetohome have a fantastic gallery of pictures and suppliers that can inspire you and are less likely to be found in the house next door.
Create a mood board. Collect images, colour swabs and fabric samples in order to focus your ideas and inspire you. This way you will be able to see which colours and styles go together and it will also help you commit to only buying what you need. Steer clear of the plain and create simple elegance by choosing a simple colour palette but also experimenting with different textures of paint and fabrics. B&Q have a paint colour mixing service, which can match any of your favourite items.
Add a splash of colour by adding cushions and throws or curtains. Cushions, and more surprisingly curtains, are easy to make if you have a bit of time on your hands and you can get quality designer fabrics at greatly reduced prices online. Stores such as sell designer fabrics at £10 a meter instead of the recommended retail price of £30 to £100 a meter. If you don’t fancy making curtains yourself, Digby & Willoughby can get these made up for you. Alternatively breathe life into a favourite chair with new upholstery with Fabrics from Digby & Willoughby.
Accessorise with one or two unique pieces such as a beautiful free standing mirror or a piece of artwork. To save some pennies you could visit auction houses such as lotsroad or criterionauctions. I recently found a fantastic seascape oil painting in a charity shop and a beautiful art deco bedroom suite on so keep your eyes peeled. Love the traditional? Experiment with mixing the traditional with the new to avoid being old fashioned. Choose classic wallpapers with a funky twist from companies such as Cole & Sons and Zoffany to create a feature wall. Visit reclamation yards such as wellsreclaimation or sites such as …