flooring
Selecting bathroom tiles, designing pattern and installation
If you are planning to tile a bathroom by yourself, this article will help you plan your bathroom tiling installation in the best and cost effective way as well as giving you some tile design ideas. We will guide through your new bathroom tile design and installation planning step by step.
Attention – Note that planning your tiling installation properly is the most important step for smooth, easy going and problem free bathroom tile installation.
Remember a DIY bathroom tiling installation isn’t a quick job, so don’t miss the point and plan it right. All the time spent planning your tiling installation will save you money and headaches.
You have to plan your bathroom-tiling project carefully; choose the tile design and tile patterns, what materials you need and which tools you require.
Choose your Bathroom Tile design & Tile patterns
The tile patterns that you can create with different tiles are limited only by your own Tile design ideas. A large variety of standard tile designs, ideas and tile patterns are available. Some tile manufacturers may make special custom tile designs for you.
Choosing the tile design is obviously the first thing you need to do, without deciding this you cannot start planning your bathroom tile installation.
You can find a few basic bathroom tile design ideas & tile patterns, check it out.
For some Inspiration you can check Google pictures for some Bathroom Tile design ideas, there are over a million bathroom pictures here.
Tile suitability – Tiles are made in porous and non-porous varieties. When planning a bathroom tile installation, you should choose the non-porous ceramic tiles.
If your bathroom is small and the tiles have designs on them, you may have to go for smaller sized tiles as they have smaller designs. Too large tile designs may not suit small bathrooms so choose a smaller tile design for smaller bathrooms.
If you go for a plain color, the size isn’t that important, however try to follow the rule above anyway.
A good tile design idea is to choose contrasting colors for the floor tiles and wall tiles. Then have a skirting line the same color as the floor tile.
Another tile design idea is changing color at chest level, which will change the look of your bathroom.
Try to choose bathroom accessories that compliment the color of the walls.
Materials – How much will you need? – To calculate the quantity of materials that you need, you must take precise measurements of the total area that you wish to tile.
From the total area and the size of each tile, you can calculate the number of tiles required (you must know the size of the tiles you have chosen).
You must also remember to take into account the gaps between tiles when calculating the number of tiles needed, so make sure you include spacers appropriate to the tile size chosen.
If this equation becomes a little complicated, you can always use the table “Calculating your Tile needs” (link here) on this page.
When calculating consider more than half a tile as a full tile and less than a half tile as a half tile. If you have chosen a multicolored bathroom, calculate each color separately and note down the tile requirements.
Ordering tiles – Order the tiles on the basis of the measurements taken. Note that tiles are packed in boxes and the supplier is unlikely to sell tiles individually.
Remember to order extra tiles as you can be sure that some tiles will break during installation (even the best professional breaks tiles). In addition some of these extra tiles could be used in the future if any tiles need replacing. This is not only good but an advisable practice.
Always order additional tiles since the tiles you have ordered may not be available in future, and if you require replacement tiles, you will have difficulty finding a match.
Best tools for a good job – Make sure you choose the right tool for the job. It’ll make the job easier and safer too. You probably have a basic toolbox however for tiling installation you need special tiling tools.
Some of them are expensive but don’t waste your money buying professional tools that you won’t use enough to pay for themselves. Instead hire them. For some $$ you can have the best tools for a few days. And if you’ve done your planning properly you’ll only need them for a few hours.
Remember, that planning your tiling installation properly is the most important step for smooth, easy going and problem free bathroom tile installation.
Carpet | tips on how to clean carpets
Keeping carpets clean is quite simple if you follow a regular maintenance schedule for vacuuming and deep cleaning, and ensuring that all spills are blotted up and stains attended to immediately. If you have bought a new carpet, you are more fortunate than old carpet owners, as the new fibres have the ability to reflect light rays and to offer resistance to soiling and staining.
If you follow a strict vacuuming schedule, you can easily retain the original look of the carpet and also extend its life by quite a few years. Some manufacturers recommend that the number of times you clean your carpet in a week should be equal to the number of persons residing in your home. For example, if you have three persons staying in your home, you need to vacuum your carpet at least thrice a week. Vacuuming at least twice a week is the least you can afford if you want to safeguard your carpet.
Using doormats and rugs in strategic spots like entry and exit doors, entrance to corridors, bottom of stairs, etc, can reduce the amount of soil brought into the house. Use pads or rugs for resting feet near desks and sofas. Dry soil has an abrasive quality that can badly damage carpets if it is allowed to be ground into the carpet. Try to remove the soil when it is still on top of the carpet instead of letting it be walked on.
Buy a vacuum cleaner that has a dual motor to power the suction and the rotation brush. A good rotation brush can loosen up soil that has been ground into the carpet, and can suck out all particles even from the backing. Also check that the brush height can be correctly adjusted to the height of your carpet fibres. It should have good filtration and a top loading bag is preferable to a bottom loading bag for ease of use. And make sure you change the bag when it is half full, as the efficiency of the cleaner reduces as the dust bag gets fuller.
Using a rotation brush whenever you vacuum easily brings out the soil so it can be sucked up by the vacuum cleaner. Slowly push the vacuum cleaner forward in the direction of the pile and then in reverse as many times as needed. But, if you have a thick pile carpet, do not use the rotation brush as it can damage the fibres. Instead use only suction. Run the vacuum at least three times over heavily trafficked areas, in slow, deliberate back and forth strokes.
Sprinkling salt one hour before vacuuming will make the carpet look brighter. flashy shirts . If there are indentations in the carpet, fill them with ice cubes. Once the ice has melted, the fibres of the carpet will stand upright again. After vacuuming, you will notice that your carpet has a flat look. To revive the fibres, hold a hot steam iron just over the carpet taking care not to let it touch the carpet. This should bring the fibres up.
Keeping your vacuum cleaner in good shape is also very important. Clean the brushes, hoses, and other attachments on a regular basis and replace all worn out parts immediately. Change the dust bag frequently.
With these measures, and calling in professional carpet cleaners at least once in three months for deep cleaning through hot water extraction, you can keep your carpet looking as good as new.
Persian carpets | reasons why someone would decide to buy Persian carpets
There are many reasons why someone would decide to purchase a Persian carpet. There are normally two types of buyer: the investor and the collector, although there are those who will buy a Persian carpet simply for the appreciation of its beauty.
Let’s look at the buying Persian carpets for an investment purpose: Persian carpets have an extremely high value, and even more importantly, this is recognized throughout the world. Persian carpets can be sold and purchased at high prices in all developed countries making them a currency in their own right. Unlike other investments like property and stocks, Persian carpets can be moved and stored anywhere that is safe and convenient. Besides having a high resale value and having a high value as an asset, Persian carpets are also an art work, which is an attractive addition to any home. This is an investment that adds more worth and beauty to the property.
A collector may also very likely be an investor too, but his first interest will lie in the rugs themselves. Collectors appreciate acquiring rugs with an important history and meaning. Most collectors will have an extensive knowledge on Persian carpets, and will have read and sourced a lot of information before his purchase. A collector will focus on one subject at a time, reading up and researching perhaps a certain tribe or design of rug. They will then eliminate the specimen of rug belonging to that tribe and purchase the best rug. These collectors would need to become well acquainted with a Persian rug dealer in order to have assistance in seeking the particular carpet that they are looking for. In this way they are building a valuable and sought-after collection, one which will please them in the same way an art collector treasures the art pieces of his favorite artist. It is also an added bonus that this Persian carpet collection has a high intrinsic value, which is an investment in its own right.
Many people do not have the time or inclination to buy Persian carpets for investment purposes. They may not even have an interest in them as collectors’ items but simply enjoy having them around their home. People who are buying Persian carpets only for decoration will probably need advice on which carpet to purchase to suit their particular need. Should they want the carpet on the floor, they would need a heavier rug, or if they would prefer to hang it, they could look into purchasing a lighter rug. Oriental rugs add a lot of warmth and beauty to the home, and many people are interested in them for this purpose only. Of course the value is important too, and would therefore add a new depth of worth to the home.
Persian carpets are a beautiful addition to any home, and need not break the bank, especially if being bought for purely decorative purposes. Many Persian rug dealers will have different rugs of various ages and qualities that can be purchased to suit your particular need, at a cost that will suit your particular budget.