Month: May 2016

Tips For Picking The Right Flooring For Your Home

Everyone dreams of living in a beautiful house. Once you have the house, you’re often bewildered with different decorating ideas. It’s a good idea to start at the basics. Good flooring forms the foundation of any decorating theme. So it’s vital to get the flooring right. One aspect is selecting the right materials.

The various rooms in your house may need a different kind of flooring. You have to pick the flooring depending on the use for the room, your lifestyle and your finances. Before you get floored by the number of choices available in the market, it’s a good idea to know what you’re looking for:

Your location

The location of your house is an important ingredient in your purchase decision. Do you live in a warm or cold climate? Do you have flooding or fires near your area? For instance in Raleigh, we have a significant temperature swing from winter to summer and have high humidity. These are very important considerations when choosing a flooring option.  Studying these factors will help you make the right decision. Here’s an example. Knowing that your house is situated in a moist area will give you a wide choice of flooring to choose from. You should probably pick material that will not rot away like stone, granite or marble. However, if you live in colder climes, then you can use a carpet or plain linoleum for the kitchen.

Your tastes

Your house should reflect your style and tastes. One of my favorite things to do is walk through a flooring provider with a showroom and check out their selection. Do you like contemporary designs or a more traditional look? If your budget allows it, a hardwood flooring goes with almost any interior decorating idea. Bamboo floors or laminated floors are a cheaper option. You’ll find it easy to clean a laminated floor as a good wipe will take care of it. You don’t have to use oil or excessively scrub it.

Check the foundation

You need to check the foundation of the house before you buy the flooring. You will want your flooring to remain firm and stable and not cracked or chipped. Firstly, fix the foundation of any defects. Only then will the new flooring look good. If there is going to be quite a lot of family traffic you will want to ensure that it is resistant to wear and tear.

Garage flooring

This is one room in your house that is most neglected. The right flooring can change this room completely. If your concrete flooring is unprotected, you will end up doing repairs pretty often as it will crack. Moisture can be disastrous for your garage flooring. Well laid out flooring can be a pleasure to look at. Further, you will want your garage to be safe and clean.

Your budget

It’s always best to stay within your budget but look for quality material. If you’re looking for a good discount go to a materials wholesaler. They usually sell in bulk so you get to save in the bargain. Remember, don’t count the pennies as compromising on quality can cost you later when you need to spend on repairs. Do you homework prior to going to a hardware store as you need to know what you’re looking for.
You can take your pick amongst various materials for your flooring. Let’s take a look at some popular flooring options:
a. Hardwood floors- These are ideal for most homes but these floors are sensitive to climatic conditions. Wood tends to contract and expand depending upon the weather. They are also prone to water damage and require maintenance.
b. Marmoleum- This is made from material that is organic. As an environmentally friendly option this is easy to take care of. Not only is it durable but it is warm and comfortable to walk on.
c. Bamboo flooring- This is one of the most durable in the market today. It looks good and comes in different designs. Your rooms will look elegant and beautiful. Bamboo flooring can be dyed to look like wood. This is environmentally friendly and is commonly found in nature.
d. Rubber flooring- If you are into sports or if you have a toddler at home who is just learning to walk, then rubber flooring is ideal for you. This reduces the pressure on your heels and knees. You will not get hurt if you fall on rubber flooring. Interlocking rubber tiles are easy to assemble on the floor.

Picking the right flooring is very important. You can use different kinds of flooring for different rooms. For example a children’s room can have a rubber floor while you can pick wood for the main living room. By customizing the flooring, you get the right fit. Any room requires a good floor to act as a foundation to the rest of the décor. So keep your interior design in mind, while selecting the right flooring. The design should not clash with the floor. Keep your house beautiful and elegant and most importantly let it reflect your unique style and personality.


Useful Landscaping Tools To Boost The Image Of Your Home

For the avid do-it-yourself landscaper, the right tools are important. After all, if one wishes to save money on the expenses associated with having a well cared for yard, it is best to make sure that he or she has all of the tools necessary to create an attractive landscape. By understanding some of the most common tools used for basic landscaping needs, you can ensure that you have everything you need to keep your lawn in the best possible shape, bringing delight and distinction to your grounds, be they large or small.

A beautifully landscaped yard can increase the image and value of your home.
A beautifully landscaped yard can increase the image and value of your home.

Shovels, rakes, trowels, and hand cultivators. These are the most basic of tools when it comes to landscaping. Every home should be supplied with these basic implements. They make just about every landscaping endeavor possible. Shovels to remove sod and turn soil, as well as dig the holes necessary for fixtures like trees and hardscapes, Rakes are essential to smooth out planting beds and prepare ground for things like sod without packing the dirt. Trowels and hand cultivators allow you to perform minute work that requires more attention to detail. All of these tools are necessary to the proper functioning and care of a landscape.

Pruners and shears. These tools are used to improve the appearance of woody plants and trees. They keep plants from encroaching in other areas, and they also promote the overall health of the plants. They help maintain a neat appearance, and if you have topiary concerns, they are indispensable in maintaining a set shape. There are hand pruners, tools that help with the smaller branches and are easier to use, loppers for getting thicker branches that are to large for pruners, and even pruning saws that can help you with the toughest of branches. Hedge shears provide a way for hedges to be trimmed more conscientiously than with electric or gas-run trimmers (although these are widely available and can make maintaining hedges much easier).

Lawnmower. This is perhaps one of the most common and most obvious of landscaping tools. It is meant to keep the grass at a reasonable level, and to keep the lawn neat and healthy. Related to lawnmowers in the trimming department are things like weed trimmers, which are very useful in keeping edges that can’t be cut by a mower nice and neat. Additionally, the use of some special machinery, designed to eliminate thick brush is useful to have on hand, even it is only in the form of a machine rented once a year.

Other tools of interest. Of course, there are specialty tools that may be needed depending upon on the features of your landscape. If you have a water fixture, it is important to make sure that you have the proper pumps and filters, and that you have little skimmers that can allow you to remove larger pieces of debris from the water. Automatic sprinklers can make watering the lawn and your other plants much easier, and you should have a garden hose for special watering needs. Make sure the sprinklers remain well maintained to avoid leaks, water waste, and high water bills. Regular household tools such as hammer and nails, levels, and drills can be helpful if you have built landscape features like patios, decks, pergolas, and trellises. They can also be useful in building things like containers and creating raised beds.

Wheelbarrow. A wheelbarrow will always be of infinite use for the avid landscaper and improver. Wheelbarrows are very useful for moving debris as well as bringing needed implements to their proper places. They haul dirt and bring in plants. They make it possible to for one person to carry a load that otherwise she or he would not be able to handle. For the serious landscaper, a wheelbarrow is indeed necessary.

Chainsaw. A chainsaw is a very useful tool but can also be quite dangerous. Take the time to learn how to properly operate a chainsaw before using one. A chainsaw can be used to cut down and remove old brush and trees. If a tree seems tricky or possibly threatening your home or other structures, it may be more appropriate to hire a tree removal expert like Arbor Lawns, Inc.

When you have all of the tools necessary to take care of your landscape, then you are well rewarded for your hard work. Acquiring the more common tools can also save you money in the long run, as they can be used over and over again. Additionally, many of the more common landscape tools are fairly small in size and easy to store in a garage or a shed. As long as they are kept neatly arranged in place, they are easy to get to when needed, and not hard to find. Proper maintenance of you tools is important: keep them from becoming rusty, and make sure your lawnmower and other gas or electric implements are well oiled and always have plenty of gas. Proper care of your tools ensures that you will be able to properly care for your landscape.