General Article

Tile Flooring – Practical Solutions for Home Building

One of the biggest concerns of anyone building a new house is how the interiors will look. And the biggest challenge lies on the floor – literally! Gone are the days when a clean floor is enough to warrant compliments from guests. It’s all about design these days and people are always on the lookout for the best materials to use in terms of aesthetic appeal. It’s why tile flooring is always on top of every home owner’s wish list – it’s practical and offers a ton of design possibilities.

Why it’s Practical

Tiles offer design flexibility and great value for money. Owners and designers can choose beforehand the type and design they want to use. They can visualize how things will look in coordination with other parts of the house like walls and ceilings even without installing them.

This is a very practical approach in trying to solve the problem of the house’s theme and appearance. In addition, with tile flooring it’s possible to use two or more designs to avoid a monotonous look. It can also be used either indoors or outdoors with specific tiles for every purpose. There is virtually no limit to the design concepts if one is using such a flexible material.

Which Tile Flooring is for you?

Tiles come in different sizes and designs. Picking a pattern is entirely up to the designer or the owner of the house. But knowing what kind is suitable for a particular application is another thing. Tile manufacturers create tiles according to their specified use and that’s really important for people to remember. There are generally two categories tiles fall under: wall and floor tiles.

Tile flooring or floor tiles are much stronger than wall tiles. The logic behind this is very simple. People walk on floors and majority of stuff inside the house rest on them too so it’s really crucial to make them durable. There are smooth and rough floor tiles. Smooth surfaces are often used in areas of the house where guests are usually received like the living room and dining area. Rough tiles are usually used in parts that are often exposed to water or the weather elements like outdoor patios and walk ways.

Wall tiles are much lighter compared to floor tiles because they are generally used for aesthetic purposes. And they also need to fight off gravity with just adhesives making them stay in place so they need to weigh less. And that’s why owners need expert advice from construction shops since interchanging the use of these tiles can lead to accidents and unnecessary damage that might cost more to repair.

Tile flooring is a practical solution that anyone confronted with design problems can use in their home projects whether building a new one or doing some remodeling. It’s easy to install and maintenance is relatively easy to do.…

Decorating the Bedroom With a Solid Wood Wardrobe

A solid wood wardrobe is a basic bedroom necessity.A� It not only looks great, but also acts as storage for all the essential clothing and accessories.A� With this as their fundamental purpose and assuming their supposed permanence in the bedroom, it is just fitting to accord them some flair.A� Solid wood wardrobes are now designed as if they are room decorators that merely stand to inspire.A� And any homemaker would be delighted with a sleekly designed armoire.A� It greatly adds character to a room because of its commanding presence.A� Armoires are usually tall and wide because it serves as home for one basic human essential – clothing – which eats up a huge fraction in the list of home items.A� However, the terms “solid wood” would be a little off putting in a certain way.A� This will automatically spread the notion that it would curtail homeowners’ options because it is definitely expensive.

There is a huge jump in quality between solid wood wardrobes and those made from inferior materials such as particle board.A� Solid wood furniture will last many, many years, but cheap imitations that just have nice exteriors can quickly get ruined if they come into contact with water or even too much humidity.

If budget is greatly hampering one from deciding, Home Decorators Collection has Mission Style Wardrobes with two or three doors that retail for about $500 and $800, respectively.A� It may be a tad pricey but not quite astronomical either.A� Besides, a wardrobe is meant to stay in the home for a long time – even for keeps.A� For such a price, one can savor the charm of hardwood and hardwood veneer with their satin smooth hand finish that give them considerable points in terms of physical appeal.A� The two-door would perhaps be enough for a daughter’s room while the parents can go for the three-door which offers more space for hanging and storage.

But if one is willing to put their money on the table, then something as exquisite as the Bradshaw Kirchofer Williams Cottage Wardrobe would fit their category.A� For a whopping $2600, it comes with a beveled mirrored door and adjustable shelving – now this is huge in terms of flexibility as it can be moved to accommodate clothes of different lengths.A� The collection takes pride in manufacturing furnishings with distressed looks that would definitely be favored by the antique lovers.A� Finely crafted hard or soft wood is transformed into a behemoth that exudes static elegance as it assumes its position against a plain white wall.…

What to Expect When Taking the IICRC Carpet Cleaning Technician Exam

IICRC stands for Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification. Carpet Cleaning Technician, S100, is a designation that a carpet cleaner needs to prove that he or she is compiling with the most prevalent standards in the carpet cleaning industry. It has become increasingly important for a professional who is performing carpet cleaning services to have the “CCT” designation. There are some new carpets manufactured where the certification is not only suggested, but required. In other words, if you are cleaning carpets that require you to have the certification and you are not certified then the warranty on the carpet is void and you become liable.

I took my first class about 19 years ago and took my first test soon after. The material and the test have evolved greatly since that time. A new addition arrives this year. The CCT community has been working diligently on the new material for the past few years and it looks better than ever before.

These are some items you should know about the test:

Get the manual from your Instructor prior to attending the class (if possible). Read a few pages everyday. Usually the highlighted parts in the manual are extremely important to know and will probably be seen on your test. The test has a total of 160 multiple choice questions. The correct answer is not always the only right answer, but rather the best answer. Currently the answers need to be filled in on a Scan-tron sheet with a #2 pencil. There is no time limit for you to complete the test. You need to get 75% to pass. It may take up to six weeks to get your results and they are mailed directly to you. It is also available in Spanish if you request to take it Spanish when registering. The certification you get is a personal certification and stays with you regardless of who you work for. The cost of the test is currently $50. Cash, personal check, business check and credit cards are accepted. Checks need to be made to the IICRC.

Although I can’t tell you the questions on the test, I can give you a good example of what you will see on the test. Answering the questions below will also help you in figuring out how well you’ll perform on the test.

IICRC Test Examples:

1) Which of the following fibers are protein based: (A) Olefin (B) Wool and Silk (C) Polyester (D) Cotton and Jute

2) The temperature at which a dry solvent will ignite is called: (A) Explosion (B) Ignite (C) Flash point (D) Emulsion

3) When the primary backing and the secondary backing separate, what is it called? (A) Messed up (B) Delamination (C) Separation (D) Fluffing

4) What percentage of soil is insoluble in water? (A) 43 to 45% (B) 74 to 79% (C) 22 to 26% (D) Varies

5) Where should you empty your waste tank? (A) Storm drain (B) Street (C) Sanitary sewer (D) Your fresh water tank

6) TACT is an acronym for what? (A) Time Act Clean Truck (B) Time Agitation Chemical Temperature (C) Tufted carpet (D) 4th generation carpet

7) The process of drying is called? (A) Wicking (B) Capillary Action (C) A and B above (D) None of the above

The purpose of the test is to make sure that a technician learns as much as possible to do his/her job well. If you need carpet cleaning supplies or just want to talk, you are welcome to contact me. I would be happy to help you in your endeavor to learn. You can also find answers to these questions there under Articles Tab and then Test Answers.…

Exploring Wardrobe Styles

If you want to acquire wardrobes for organizing not only clothes but other things in your home, you will be able to come across different styles that you can choose from to make the furniture fit to the style of your very own home. You may look into the following styles to see which of these options fits your excellent taste.

Fitted Wardrobe Style

You can definitely find a lot of benefits from fitted wardrobes. There are several types which comprises this type of wardrobe and mostly, you will have to choose which suits you best. Either if you opt to make use of a sliding door wardrobe, carcase built or a frame construction built wardrobe. These styles are built to benefit you in different ways. Like for instance if you go for a more simple look and for easy use you can opt for a carcass built wardrobe. If you like to get enough storage space and high versatility, a frame construction will work for you. On the other hand if you opt for a manageable option, sliding door are the best.

Corner Wardrobe Style

These corner wardrobes are also termed as standalone wardrobes. These type of wardrobe more likely can be used on certain corners of your house which haven’t been filled yet. This will benefit those homes which have more space but to do not have enough furniture to make the home look more lively. This wardrobe style is for a double purpose where you can use it for styling your home as well a storage space to keep the clutter away.

Freestanding Wardrobe Style

Freestanding wardrobes are storage units which best fits your bedroom. It is designed to adapt to your bedroom accordingly and allow you to give more storage space for those things you need to be scattered around the bedroom. This style of wardrobe have two major types which are the ready-made ones and the customized units. If you opt to make use of this kind of wardrobe, you will definitely have a lot of options to look into when it comes to designs and colors for a freestanding wardrobe.…

My Home Idea: Tile Flooring Vs Carpet Flooring

Prefer a plush wall-wall carpet to a crisp and clean ceramic floor? Stumped between earthy granite designs or Persian themed floors? Do you crave a metallic porcelain feel or a velvety touch underfoot? Decision, decisions. But do not fret, after reading this you will be equipped to make a well informed decision about your choice of flooring.

Both carpet and tiles remain popular choices for household flooring. Let us get down to the basics and see if either of them emerges the clear winner. We need to keep a few factors in mind, such as cost, comfort, style, maintenance and the like, to kick start our journey of pitting pros and cons against one another.

Cost: Both carpets and tiles come in a diverse price range. From the inexpensive to the priceless, the options are many. Since, carpets tend to be worn out easily; you will want to invest in a more expensive carpet which lasts longer. On the other hand, regardless of the type of tile used, they tend to be more durable and do not need to be replaced often.

Comfort: Carpets have tiles beat by a mile in terms of comfort. Tiles tend to be hard and cold, especially in winters. Prolonged standing on tiles while performing household chores can have adverse effects on the feet. Though tiles retain less heat and stay cool in summers, the same property can have a negative effect in winters resulting in a higher gas bill to heat up the house.

Carpets are soft to touch, keep the floor warm and have a welcome feel to stand on. Carpets with close weaves have a plush feel to them and are delightful to walk on.

Design: Carpets and tiles come in a wide variety of colors and shapes. For wall to wall carpeting, choose a uniform color, which does not take the attention off your interiors. Extensive and elaborate carpet designs certainly lend a very luxurious feel to your home, but might contrast sharply with your furniture.

Tiles were once restricted to use in bathrooms. Now, they are ubiquitous. With a diverse range of colors, textures, shapes and designs, tiles are fast becoming a choice flooring for many and are widely used in kitchens, living rooms and patios. It is a good idea to limit carpeting to the bedrooms and experiment with tile flooring in your living, kitchen and bath rooms.

Installation: Carpet installation is easy and quick. Wall-wall carpeting can be done in a few hours and can be accomplished by placing a pad onto the floor, placing the carpet on top and nailing the whole structure in place.

Tile installation is a much more elaborate process, involving a thorough cleaning of the old floor, grout spread evenly, tiles laid and grout applied between each tile. This takes up to a few days to complete, especially if you have an elaborate design in mind.

Maintenance & Cleaning: This is one area where tiles clearly trump carpets. Tiles are easy to sweep and mop, are stain and spill resistant and require less vacuuming. They are non-allergenic as well.

Carpets on the other hand, require constant cleaning, frequent vacuuming and steaming to break down dust and dirt. The accumulated dust and dirt if not removed regularly, tends to break down carpet fibers. They also accumulate pollen, animal dander and other allergens.

Carpets stain easily, tend to be musty in humid areas and can also accumulate high amounts of mildew.…

Coronet Carpet

Carpet is a cloth, like the other fabrics. The only difference is that carpet is cloth used to accessorize the floor. Since it has to bear a lot of wear and tear as we walk over it, a carpet must be durable along with being stylish, color matched with the environment.

Carpets are found every where from formal commercial buildings to kids bedrooms. Among millions of carpet manufactures, coronet carpet are known for its advance technology, which supplementary detonation of styles featuring loaded patterns and numerous colors. A coronet carpet is outstanding among all others available in the market because of its wonderful hand work and its reliability in manufacturing designer styles for residential purpose at affordable price.

Coronet carpet is a benchmark as America’s standard for class and reliability and is known for its grace and elegance. It is a mark of excellence and reliability worldwide. Beaulieu produces and distributes a large selection of carpeting styles in every price range. Some of it best know styles are waverly, laura Ashley, Value-Tex, SoftScape, Generation II, Ecotek,E3Link.

Though it is well recognized that a new carpet can enhance the look of any room, it is not easy to purchase a new carpet every now then so we have to keep the carpet that is walked on every day persist looking new. It is essential to keep your carpet clean, so we must vacuum clean it frequently. But most often these efforts are in vain, as the carpet fibers certainly become dirty, and look dull due to traffic, children, pets and normal wear. This will necessitate finally calling a professional cleaner. Carpet fabrics can also be your style statement with the drive to make choice from traditional, contemporary, classic, post-modern, or any other type of carpet.

For both exterior and interior of the house with perfect color or texture, the wide-ranging product line of carpet features a style statement. Coronet carpet is the America’s most desired carpet because they manufacture fashionable and durable carpets especially created by the artisans to meet their client’s need.

To give the customers more comfort coronet stain master carpet are gaining popularity. It gives you a wide range of styles and colors to choose from, you can feel positive that it will be tailored to your lifestyle.

Coronet carpets are now available in a stunning variety of colors and styles. You can be sure about creating a tempting and pleasant setting with choosing it that will perfectly merge with the fabrics and furniture style in the room.

So whatever be your style, need and lifestyle, there is a coronet carpet to decorate your living space and be your friend for years to come.…

Complete Wardrobe Makeover Consultant and Personal Stylist

Many fashion consultants suggest color choices in their clients’ fashion selections. They also help a client to determine a color palette that is attractive with his or her skin tone and personal choice as well. Many fashion consultants help clients enhance their professional image too.

Wardrobe makeover consultants or image consultants or personal stylist as they are often called are professionals who help people to develop a “personal image” or “look” that in some way helps them to achieve their goals. A good wardrobe consultant will take into account the sensitive and personal nature of the way people dress. The services they provides are not only fun, but also informative, creative and actually save client’s money by ensuring they only buy pieces that suits them.

The image makeover consultant can give you a surprise when you feel just how much money you have saved buying the right clothes and how much better you are feeling wearing beautiful clothing that impressed others.

Wardrobe consultant can diligently help you choosing the right color scheme for your complexion, body type and temperament and you can feel a lot more confident, especially when I was complemented by others on how elegant you’re looking.

It is very much important to feel confident in the way you present visually through your grooming, your hair cut, and through the cut and style of the clothes you wear, also it is just as important to understand how your image comes across to others, what they thought about your personality etc. It feels much better when someone looks very close to you and appreciates your style and dresses you wear.

As these impressions are made instantly, so it is important to get it right every time. You can develop the traditional or dramatic look you want to achieve. Of course it will require a lot of work, yet the dream could be closer than it was.

Becoming a successful Personal Stylist has become more and more popular as a dream career for many people. Now anyone can find a personal stylist service and get the celebrity treatment in no time. By consulting a wardrobe consultant, the client doesn’t have to worry about picking the wrong set of outfits or wearing inappropriate makeup.

As these impressions are made instantly, so it is important to get it right every time. You can develop the traditional or dramatic look you want to achieve. Of course it will require a lot of work, yet the dream could be closer than it was.…