Gardening Tip to Make Your Neighbours Look Over the Fence (And Be Green with Envy!)

Maintaining your garden to a high standard so that it gathers admiring glances from all quarters is high on the list of serious gardeners. Take a look at these gardening hacks from Rattan Direct and make your neighbours green with envy at your gardening prowess.

#1 Know your garden, the soil and the climate

Cacti survive in arid desserts for a reason, which is why having them in a garden in a wet and windy corner of the UK will not see cacti thrive.

Knowing your patch of soil, whether it is acidic or alkaline and how you can change this, as well as making the most of the climate will help in deciding the best plants to buy and plant, as well as the best spaces in your garden for these plants to flourish. 

Camellias, for example, prefer a north-facing wall in a court yard and an acid soil, so there is no point planting them in water-logged, alkaline soil with continuous cold draughts irritating their tender stems.

#2 Water

Water is not a sustainable resource - cue downpours that last says, with flooding and horror stories, and yet we are told there is not enough of the wet stuff.

But, one of the key elements that turns drooping pansies into a flowery mass of colour is water. Whilst your neighbour’s lawn and borders become ever more parched during a drought, you can carry on watering your luscious blooms because you have water butts catching rain from all your down pipes. 

#3 Remove pesky weeds as soon as they dare pop their heads above the soil

They are a nuisance. They are everywhere. One minute, they are a tiny head, just popping above the soil surface and the next, it is running rampant across flower beds, anywhere where they can get enough of a foothold with their shallow roots. Weeds are not a gardener’s friend.

But this is the good news: it takes only a few minutes to whip these pesky weeds out of your soil before they get chance to not only become established, but turn to seed and spread them across your entire garden.

#4 Complimentary accessories

We are used to thinking of our gardens as place to be admired – from the house. We look out, admire the dancing blooms in the summer breeze and yet, we spend little time actually enjoying the fruits of your gardening labours.

This is because we don’t make it comfortable for us to enjoy. And when we do, we move back into the house as soon as daylight fades and the temperature drops. 

Make your neighbours green with envy with not only beautiful plants, but fantastic accessories;

·         Garden seating – from a practical garden bench to functional outside sofas, there are all kinds of options when it comes to garden furniture that suit all tastes and budgets.

·         Rugs, throws and cushions – ramp up the style and add splashes of fantastic colour with rugs, throws and cushions made from special material for the outdoors that don’t fade, shrink or spoil in the occasional rain shower or bright, bleaching sunshine.

·        Lighting – solar lighting has come on leaps and bounds since the first dim, last-no-more-than-30-minutes solar powered fairy lights from decades ago. There are all kinds of solar lights that make for a bright, romantic garden when the sun drops.

·         Fire pit – want to enjoy the night time garden with its scents and rustling wildlife but don’t like the cold? The fire pit is the perfect addition. Watch the flames dance and out of the corner of your eye, note the admiration in the eyes of your neighbours…

·         Water – gentle running water caresses the soul. After a busy day at the office, talk a walk in the garden and sit by your water feature, enjoying its soothing tones. Build a full-scale pond and welcome a whole new raft of wildlife in your garden or have a water feature, with water trickling down playing its soul-soothing tune.

#5 Plant in pots

Planting in pots is the perfect way to add colour, form and texture to a garden, softening corners and adding interest.

Keep garden pots of similar colours and shades to get a coherent colour palette running through the garden. Take time to consider the plants you will use in these pots too. Potted plants will need a little more attention, including a daily water – twice daily if the summer is hot – and bedding plants should be regularly dead headed to keep them putting their energy into flowering and not making seeds.

Rattan Direct have a range of garden accessories and furniture, perfect for dressing your garden and accentuating its glorious plants and design.

from Home My Heaven: Home Improvement Blog http://www.homemyheaven.co.uk/2016/12/gardening-tip.html

8 Ways to Style Your Home on a Budget

Having a beautiful living space to come home to is one of the great pleasures of life, it can bring an untold amount of comfort and joy. For many of us, interior design may seem like an impossible luxury, but it doesn’t have to be. With a little creativity, you can create a stylish and beautiful space for yourself and your family.

Here are 8 ideas to get you started:

1. Color Coordinate

Color coordinating just a few objects can bring a room together instantly. Pick a few objects that are in need of an update and invest in a can of spray paint in a colour that makes you smile. This technique also works beautifully for a collection of simple objects, such as picture frames, vases, or candle holders.

2. Use Natural Elements

This can be as simple as picking some wild flowers and arranging them in a vase or as complicated as you like. Pressed flowers can be made to look modern in double glass frames, shells and driftwood can add a beachy feel to a bare room, and some sand and choice stones can create a zen space anywhere in your house.

3. DIY

Over the past few years, the internet has become a gold mine of Do it Yourself tutorials. So, take a look at what you could use in your space. Do you have a chair that could be reupholstered, access to wooden pallets, or an old dresser you are not using anymore? You can find countless projects for little to no cost that will add style to your home and maybe even teach you a new skill!

4. Update Your Lighting

 

The quality, placement, and accessories for your lighting make a huge difference in the atmosphere of your home. While beautiful lights may come with a huge budget, good discounts can be found online. Check different stores that offer voucher and discount codes, say LED Hut Ltd., has some beautiful and inexpensive options.

5. Thrift Shop with a Theme

Thrift shopping suddenly becomes chic when you shop with a collection in mind. Gather together half a dozen vintage teacups, frames, lace doilies, small plant pots, or plates and, suddenly objects that seemed out of date look fashionable and new.

6. Fake a Headboard

This tip might be the easiest and most effective on the list. With a small pot of paint and stencils, you can a mattress on the floor look like a bed fit for royalty in a style and color that fits your sensibilities!

7. Use your Jars

 

Jars are a great organizational tool and they come free with your groceries! Making them look gorgeous is a cinch, just wash the labels off and paint the lids to match your decor or with chalkboard paint! You can use them to display your loose leaf tea, buttons, and spices or find something decorative to fill them with, like twinkle lights, origami stars, or tea lights.

8. Mix and Match

 

If you are living with a dining room or serving set that has seen better days, consider trying to find inexpensive individual pieces that share a common theme instead of investing in a new set. A mixed set of beautiful thrift store plates can look much more charming than a standard set as can an eclectic mix of wooden dining room chairs or stools.

 

from Home My Heaven: Home Improvement Blog http://www.homemyheaven.co.uk/2016/12/style-your-home-budget.html

How to Winterize Your Home [INFOGRAPHIC]

As a homeowner, it’s important to take care of your investment. One way to do so is by winterizing your home. Winterizing simply refers to making your home and land ready to handle the cold, snow and ice.

Winterizing not only protects your home but it can also help you save money on your energy bill by fixing drafty windows and doors and making sure your fans are reverse to keep the heat circulating.

For those who are new to winterizing your home, Creative Covers, Inc. sent me this infographic below with a few simple steps to get your home ready for winter.

The post How to Winterize Your Home [INFOGRAPHIC] appeared first on Homey Improvements.

from Homey Improvements http://homeyimprovements.com/winterize-home-infographic/

Selecting Outdoor Party Lights for Fun and Functions

When you organize any party or function in your home, its decoration is very important. In order to make the atmosphere vibrant a lot of lighting is used so that it sets the right atmosphere and at the same time enhances the location too. No matter whether you are planning your party in the outdoor area or in your garden, the lights can make a huge difference to your decoration. With its help, you can give a fresh touch to the place thereby making it your gardens dazzle. There is a wide range of outdoor party lights that you can go for from the simple ones to the funky style, ranging in different colours and shapes. You can get them in different sizes as well, so depending on the needs one can opt for the best ones available. 

As there are a lot of options available, it will be easy for you to complete your decoration and augment the place. Even your boring place will become beautiful and eye catching thus setting the mood of your party or the function.

Get attractive and cheap outdoor party lights

Even if the budget of your party is limited, still you can opt for outdoor party lights. These lights are quite affordable and you can buy from a huge range of options as well. In order to avail the cheap ones, you can take the help of the internet where you will find a massive collection of all types of lights. There are a number of websites and online portals which have a superb collection of lights you are looking for. You can explore the options and place the order so that it gets delivered on time.

The internet is full of such outdoor party light providers, and you refine your search with keywords so that you are able to find the right type of lights that you are looking for. Also, the pricing is quite low as compared to the market and you can discover trendy collections that you may like here. So why not head towards the internet where you have the latest collection of the outdoor lights coming your way.

Christmas outdoor party lights

As the Christmas season is fast approaching you might be planning for a party. The outdoor lights can be a fabulous option as it will not only enlighten the place but make the festival splendid. So rather than going for the same boring lighting, why not try something unique this Christmas. The outdoor party lights in funky shapes are quite in trend and can be used to adorn your homes as well as the garden areas. You can either hang them around or install them in fixtures. It is entirely your choice to decide which option is more feasible to you keeping in mind your budget as well.

You can also use these lighting for your dancing area where you can create a perfect environment to groove. The lights come in appealing colours so one can easily choose sparkling shades to make the place look like a great one. The best part is that such lights outshine your party and that is why they are very popular for special occasions. So what are you waiting for, do not waste your time but explore the internet for the mind-blowing collection of the outdoor lights for this Christmas season?

Hope these lights enlighten the festive mood and also seek the attention of your guests. So go online to buy them and bring them home today at reasonable prices. Give your place a new touch with the simple yet classy outdoor party lights.

from Home My Heaven:Home Improvement Blog http://www.homemyheaven.co.uk/2016/12/selecting-outdoor-party-lights-for-fun.html

Uk Home Improvements Idea

Basic or integral parts of a Home’s infrastructure are wiring, home security, flooring etc. After completing all these basic parts, think about some cool and useful features that you can include in your home, which will glamorize the whole look of the house.  A creative and useful feature can be Atrium. 

Atrium is actually a large open place(Air or Skylight covered) surrounded by a building. It was a very common feature in ancient roman houses, though modern atria is a product of 19th-20th century's architectural development. 

Photo by Lee Ann Marienthal Gardens - Discover contemporary patio design inspiration

Photo by Urbanism Designs - Discover midcentury deck design inspiration

 

 

Many homes in South America and Europe design around a central courtyard. This is a wonderful open plan, brings a garden-like environment inside, and creates a huge amount of privacy in the separate "wings" of the surrounding square.

One of my favorite design concepts is, A skylight roof, or, with enough cash, a retractable sun roof, makes this a perfect foundation for a happy home.

You can keep,

A commercial air curtain above all entrances and windows, appropriately decorated to blend in.  These preserve temperature differences, so are energy savers - but, most importantly, keep bugs out when you have doors and windows open.

A washable mat spring floor for the kitchen can be useful.  If you're going all out on this, you're going to want to entertain in this house - that means kitchen staff (or lots of time in the kitchen for the owner).  Save backs and knees with flooring that is shock absorbing and eases tension, so the 12 course meal doesn't feel like it took the 15 hours it did.  In all honesty, all professions that require excessive standing should have this.  This includes hair stylists, surgeons, cashiers, loading docks, etc.  Huge, huge benefit.

"Farmers sinks" in the kitchen - giant one basin (not split basin) sinks, with faucets that are high and can be removed.  Once you use one, you'll know why these are mandatory in life.

Photo by Redbud Custom Homes - Browse traditional kitchen ideas

Vacuum ports and central vacuum are nice. It makes cleanup much better without a dustpan - even when you're vacuuming.

By stilesquinn - See more Home Design Photos

A brick oven, especially as an outdoor grill. You will never eat inside again.

Photo by BrickWood Ovens - Look for traditional landscape design inspiration

Photo by EASYdesigns - Browse traditional patio photos

There must be a very large closet for clothing, consider rotating racks or revolving racks instead of adding floors. The novelty of a multi-floor closet is nice, but no one really wants to climb stairs to get their clothes. Especially over age 50.

 A secret entrance/ exit 

Window seats that are actually comfortable. People love being next to the light of windows, but the cushion on a box concept and its many variations generally suck. Build something with actual support as if it were furniture that happened to be a fixture, not a fixture that happened to be furniture. You can keep a wildflower garden. Not the horticultural beauties everyone usually raves about, but the open prairie flowers that you only notice when you're driving by and happen to glance over at the right time. No one thinks about these, but they never fail to impress.

Photo by Adam Woodruff + Associates, Garden Artisans - More contemporary landscape ideas

Photo by Designing Eden llc - Look for modern landscape design inspiration

An indoor/ outdoor "fairy garden"

 A small space, a balcony or patio, that is mostly enclosed by plants, fruit trees, and contains a water feature, like a small fountain. Sometimes people put those zen sand boxes in there, too. A small, very private, very quiet little place.

Photo by Groundswell Design Group, LLC - More traditional landscape ideas

If the garage is below the house, or kitchen is not at entry level, a dumbwaiter. I can't seem to get all of the photos to attach here in the app. Really love the ideas and gorgeous photos from others - this is a wonderful question and commentary line!

All these suggestions are from Alexandra.

from Home My Heaven:Home Improvement Blog http://www.homemyheaven.co.uk/2016/12/uk-home-improvements-idea.html

Top Tips to Solve Damp Problems in Your Home

Building pathology has established that damp, if not treated, can damage the structural integrity of your home. Damp has two main forms:penetrating damp, where the water leaks, or seeps through the walls, and rising damp,where the water in the ground passes through the damp proof course of your house and enters the lower parts of the walls.

There are some things you can do as a home owner to get rid of damp and mould, but in the most serious cases, work may need to be done by professional builders to rectify the problem.In this article, we share some tips for getting rid of damping your home. 

Damp Problem

 This picture is taken by Tim Gillin, dated 29 August, 2007 

 

Penetrating damp

If the damp or wet patches on the walls are higher than 5 feet, then your outside walls have lost their weatherproofing qualities. Inside, the room probably has a stale, musty smell and your curtains, furnishings and some clothes may feel damp and also smell.

Your outside walls will probably be cracked, the render may have come away from the walls and the paint will be flaking. This is the reason why you have damp inside. Damp patches can often be found behind furniture, at the back of wardrobes, and where the paintwork is flaking away or has become powdery.

The best way to cure penetrating damp is to apply a damp-proof exterior wall coating.

Rising damp

Rising damp normally happens if the damp proof course is not doing its job or there isn’t one. It can also be caused by air bricks that are blocked so that air cannot pass through, or if muddy water has collected up against the walls of the house and breached the damp proof course. Using a shovel, move the mud away from the walls and make sure it does not build up again.

Builders can fix a faulty or missing damp proof course by injecting a special chemical compound into the low sections of the walls. They inject into drilled holes along the wall that are around 5 inches apart.The chemical dissipates around the damp proof course level, settles inside and becomes a barrier that prevents moisture from penetrating the walls.

 

Damp problem in Home

Ventilation is crucial

Mould spores don’t like fresh air, so even if it’s cold outside, start by getting some fresh air into your house.If your bathroom has mould, this means the ventilation is poor so you should open the windows after having a bath or a shower. This allows the wet, damp air to dissipate in the air rather than condense on the colder wall tiles and the ceiling.If your bathroom windows have trickle vents, then make sure they’re open.

This picture is taken by Bryn Pinzgaue. This plasterboard got a lot of damp and mould problems. 

Mould cleaners

Buy the very best mould cleaning liquids that are available on the market and clean the areas of mould thoroughly. Many people think that using a mixture of bleach and water is a good idea. This is fine for bathroom or kitchen tiles but using bleach on a porous surface like a brick or a drywall only removes the discoloration and not the mould itself – instead, use a mould cleaner.

Buy or rent a dehumidifier

Using a humidifier is a short-term solution for getting rid of moisture and damp in the air, inside your house. Only use it when you’ve had work done to stop the cause of existing damp. Humidifiers can be rented at reasonable prices or you can buy your own.

 

Damp problems in Home

New fabrics and clothes

If your home has suffered from penetrating damp or rising damp, then it’s very likely that your carpets, soft furnishings and bedding will have a dreadful musty smell and feel cold and damp to the touch.Damp and moisture eat away at the fibres in fabric and cause the awful smell that’s practically impossible to get rid of, so it’s probably best to replace these items with new ones.

Seal tiles and regrout

Mould growing in bathrooms, wet rooms, utility rooms and kitchens is a very common problem in homes in the UK. Mould spores are dangerous and can cause illness if they’re inhaled. Bathing and showering produces a combination of humidity and moisture which normally evaporates into the air if there’s good air circulation in the room. But if there’s no air because the windows are closed, then water will settle on the cold wall tiles, walls and ceilings and mould will start to grow … and once started, mould and mildew can grow at a very rapid rate.

To prevent this happening you should spray the walls with a dedicated antimicrobial solution, then seal the grout lines of the tiles with two coats of grout sealer. Thereafter, make sure the bathroom has a good flow of air, in and out. 

Written by Dakota Murphey, a freelance writer working alongside Hutton and Rostron for information for this article.

from Home My Heaven:Home Improvement Blog http://www.homemyheaven.co.uk/2016/12/top-tips-to-solve-damp-problems-in-your.html

Home Burglar Alarms of the Future

The security industry is ever-changing, with new security solutions being constantly developed to combat intruders and to make your home as secure and protected as possible.

As technology becomes more and more advanced, home security has the opportunity to become even more sophisticated. While the systems we have in place right now seem comprehensive, robust and reliable, the future of home security looks to take things to another level, so take a peek into the future to see how your home burglary system might one day function.

Name and shame

Identification can be the trickiest part of any crime, but burglars may soon be forced to live with less anonymity. It is predicted that, by 2025, home burglar alarms will be able to identify intruders and address known criminals by their own name.

Thieves, especially opportunistic ones, aim to remain undetected and unidentifiable, but that is getting harder and harder to accomplish. Smart systems will be able to pick up on intruders and warn them verbally that they are being recorded and that authorities are on their way. This makes it much likelier that intruders will leave empty handed, and makes capture and identification more likely, as well.

Facial recognition

Known criminals and repeat offenders will find it tougher to carry out burglaries, with hidden cameras armed with facial recognition software to trigger an alarm when an intruder has been spotted. These cameras won’t just be limited to the home, either. With prevention being key to security, these cameras could be installed on the streets to catch a criminal’s presence before any crime has taken place. Soon, it won’t just be your home that’s protected, but the whole wider neighbourhood!

Chemical marking

With intruders having more reason to give up and flee during a burglary attempt, it’s important to have some way of identifying culprits so they can be caught and brought to justice before they try again elsewhere. Alarm systems of tomorrow may involve some form of chemical marking, where criminals are sprayed with an indelible chemical substance as they attempt a break-in.

These sprays could be hidden in the garden or on the property perimeter, and will spray the offender as they are trying to gain access to your property. These markers will be impossible to remove, making it much easier for the police – or passersby – to identify and apprehend suspects.

Drone assistance

Should an intruder manage to abscond with any of your belongings, that doesn’t mean they are home-free and clear of capture. Home security systems of the future could allow instant action through the use of roof-mounted drones.

These drones will become active when the alarm has sounded, and can be controlled remotely by your security company to give chase to the escaping criminal. These drones will help keep track of the thief, keeping them in sight until the police can take over, and may also be equipped with the same chemicals that we mentioned before. The pilot can spray the chemicals to keep the burglar marked, making it easier to find and identify later should they manage to evade.

While the drones will be low flying, they will be able to provide a more intimate view of the criminal’s escape route, allowing you to follow them into areas that may be much harder on foot. Keeping track of a suspect means being able to apprehend them quickly, and drones can keep criminals in sight in order to keep the police informed of the suspect’s whereabouts.

The future of deterrence

With home burglaries, prevention is always the best cure. Home security systems today act as effective deterrents, but this can only improve as future security systems are developed. The systems outlined in this article should make any home intrusion almost impossible to pull off successfully, and much of this will be down to the deterrence factor. Criminals will be aware of new technologies and techniques, and will definitely think twice before trying to gain access to any home protected by drones, marking spray and facial recognition.

Homes and neighbourhoods of the future will be more advanced and even more secure than they are today, and there’s even potential for home security systems to be linked, sharing information with each other in order to create a robust, linked system which can warn each other of potential threats, and share details of suspicious individuals to keep everyone informed and protected at all times.

The post Home Burglar Alarms of the Future appeared first on UK Home Improvement Blog.

from UK Home Improvement Blog http://www.ukhomeimprovement.co.uk/home-burglar-alarms-of-the-future/

How Healthy Is Your Home Improvement?

You have to be careful about health risks of Home Improvement/DIY works, especially when there is asbestos. Mesothelioma is a rare and dangerous form of cancer caused by asbestos exposure. In 2013 about 50,000 people had mesothelioma and 34,000 died from the disease. Rates are higher is United kingdom, Australia and much lower in Japan. Commercial use of asbestos increased the rate significantly. You can visit this link of mesothelioma claims to know more about it.

This informative inforaphic is made by Slater and Gordon.Click on the image to see large.

from Home My Heaven:Home Improvement Blog http://www.homemyheaven.co.uk/2016/12/how-healthy-is-your-home-improvement.html

How to Build a Bookcase With Cabinets

For this DIY project, you’re going to have to use your handyman – or woman – knowledge and skills. This is a step-by-step project that will most likely take you more than a single day to complete. Follow each step carefully to ensure a safe and steady finished bookcase with built-in cabinets.

Take Measurements

Before you do anything, you need to write down your measurements. Make sure to measure wall to wall and floor to ceiling, and include any windows that may need to be built around.

Once all measurements are taken, go to the drawing boards. You’ll need to determine what measurements work best in your room, how many shelves you want and where you want them, especially if you have windows involved. Depending on the room, you may want to base your design on some inspiration.

Cut and Frame

Once you have your measurements, it’s time to take a trip to your local lumberyard or hardware store. You’re going to need:

• Plywood
• Wood screws
• Cabinet screws
• Wood glue

When you have your supplies, cut the wood based on the measurements you took. Use a ruler and carpenter’s pencil for fast measurements and accurate cuts. Frame out and mark which pieces of plywood are the sides, cabinets and shelves.

Build Cabinets

You want to build this project from the bottom to the top, starting with the cabinets. Square off the bottom of the cabinet and make sure the sides are clamped together so you can put the cabinet screws in correctly. Before you put in the screws, double check the measurements and that all sides are flush with each other so no space shows between the connected plywood.

Before you put the framework and doors on the cabinets, you need to choose a cabinet hinge. Once you have the correct type of hinge for your cabinet, consider the pulls you want for your cabinet. Choosing these design details is the fun part!

Attach Shelves

Now that you have the cabinets secure on the bottom, start to build up. Begin by assembling the sides of the cabinets, and make sure each piece of plywood is flush with the other. This is where you will need to be careful with the wood glue and nail in the sides correctly.

Once the sides are ready and the wood glue is dry, you can attach the shelves. Make sure your measurements are accurate to your design. If you want even shelves, make sure the distance is equal between all shelves. If you want extra space in a few areas of the shelves, you will need to adjust your measurements accordingly.

Finish

By now, you should have your cabinets assembled and shelves above the cabinets. Once your glue is dry and you’ve checked that the shelves are secure, you can choose a finish. Wood stains are great for a natural look, or you can choose an indoor paint color for a brighter finish. Allow all glue and paint to dry before you use your shelves and cabinets.

We personally prefer lighter wood shelves with a dark grey paint for the inside of the bookshelves.

This project is easy to accommodate depending on the style of your room and the type of design you desire. By following each step, you’ll end up with a custom-built, DIY bookshelf and cabinets to enjoy in your home.

The post How to Build a Bookcase With Cabinets appeared first on Homey Improvements.

from Homey Improvements http://homeyimprovements.com/build-bookcase-with-cabinets/

How to Protect Your Hardwood Flooring from Sun Damage

How to Protect Your Hardwood Flooring from Sun Damage

Few things are more beautiful than a well-laid, brand-new hardwood floor made of the finest oak, maple, birch or other wood. A hardwood floor can last a very long time, and there are still homes from the Colonial era that have their original floors. But as it is with so many other things in the home, direct sunlight is a hardwood floor’s enemy. How can a homeowner protect their beautiful and pricey hardwood floor from the sun?

Hardwood flooring

Why the Sun Causes Damage in the First Place

Sunlight on a new floor is pretty, but over time a homeowner will notice that the wood’s rich color starts to fade or sometimes darken in ways the homeowner doesn’t care for. This effect is even more unpleasant if it only happens to a part of the floor that’s not covered by a rug or furniture. The planks or tiles may even dry out and crack. This is due to the different types of light the sun delivers into the house. Ultraviolet light causes discoloration. Infrared light is experienced as heat and that heat can cause the wood to deteriorate. Even a floor that’s sealed will have trouble surviving the ravages of a lot of ultraviolet and infrared light working together.

First Solution

The first and probably best solution is to install the hardwood flooring in a place that gets little direct sunlight. This can be a hallway or a room whose windows face north. But many homeowners want to enjoy a room with both a hardwood floor and lots of natural light. In that case they can:

Install Windows With Low-E Glass

Low-E means low emissivity. This type of glass cuts down on the amount of infrared and ultraviolet light that gets into a room without cutting down on visible light. Low-e glass has an extremely thin coat of silver or other low emissivity substance and limits the damaging ultraviolet and infrared rays that hardwood floors can be exposed to. Films that do the same thing as low-emissivity glass can be directly applied to the windows and cost considerably less.

Move the Furnishings Around

It may be a good idea to rearrange the furniture and area rugs in a room to make sure that all areas of the floor get the same amount of sunlight. If the wood has to fade, it should all fade to the same color. If this is not

possible -

Cover the Windows

Curtains, drapes, shutters and Venetian blinds can all be employed to keep the hardwood floors from sun damage. If the homeowner can’t stand to live in a house where the windows are covered all day long, they can be covered when the sun is at its strongest. This is usually between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Some of the newer blinds or shutters are motorized and come with a timer. Because they open and shut or rise and fall by themselves, the homeowner doesn’t even have to bother with them twice a day.

Install Awnings

Awnings add a touch of elegance to the exterior of a house, and they have the benefit of stopping the UV and infrared rays before they even come in through the windows. Awnings can come in a wealth of styles and materials that complement the house. They can be stationary or retractable.

Refinish the Floors

Floors can be refinished before the sun damage gets too severe. The one problem with refinishing hardwood floors is that it can’t be done endlessly without eventually causing more damage, and engineered wood floors tolerate even less refinishing that solid wood floors. Refinish only when necessary.

These few techniques will go a long way in keeping a hardwood floor looking its best for decades.

You can read this article about Bamboo flooring versus wood flooring. 

Bio - This guest post contribution is courtesy of MacDonaldHardwoods, a Denver-based hardwood flooring company. Macwoods has been a long-standing resource for prefinished wood flooring also offering hardwood cleaning and installation. If you're in Denver area, be sure to check out their hardwood flooring installation classes.

from Home Improvement Blog: Home My Heaven http://www.homemyheaven.co.uk/2016/12/how-to-protect-your-hardwood-flooring.html

Workwear Isn’t Just for Building Professionals

Whether you are a home improvement enthusiast or have a passion for DIY, it is essential to have access to good quality and durable workwear clothes. This will help to ensure that your own clothes are protected from substances such as paint, which can be notoriously difficult to remove, and will help to maintain health and safety when undertaking home improvement projects.

Workwear Versatility

Workwear can be incredibly well-designed and comes in a range of different and versatile styles. The versatility of the items means they can fit in with any home improvement project you are working on; for example, if your project involves the use of many different tools and you are constantly going up and down ladders, you may want to consider clothes with handy pockets that can easily accommodate all the necessary extras whilst adding an element of safety.

Work pants are ideal because they usually have many different pockets and compartments, which are handy for all the extras you need quick and easy access to. They are perfect for projects around the home because they come in a range of different styles that have been cleverly designed to give you maximum comfort whilst you tackle various home improvements. Work pants are ergonomically designed to add a layer of protection, while extra stitching ensures that such clothes are less likely to tear.

Working Outdoors

Workwear clothes are also great for working outdoors, particularly in colder and wetter conditions, due to their water-resistant qualities. From well-designed long- and short-sleeved tops with extra pockets and stitching to warm rain-resistant layers that provide extra protection from the elements, this type of clothing is not just for professional builders!

Another excellent choice for workwear clothes around the home is overalls. If you are working with particularly messy materials, overalls offer a great all-round solution that ultimately provides extra protection for your clothes. Look out for overalls that are waterproof, particularly if you are working outdoors. If you are working with heating elements, a flame retardant overall may be the perfect option. If you find that you are constantly on your knees, knee pads can be useful for providing an extra layer of protection and comfort.

Workwear for Home Improvement

Home improvement projects can be fulfilling and satisfying. You can enhance your level of safety and comfort by choosing sensible work clothes that will provide protection and versatility, as they are designed to be comfortable, durable and safe!

If you would like to find out more on the various different types of workwear clothing that is available, please visit the Ballyclare website for more information.

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from UK Home Improvement Blog http://www.ukhomeimprovement.co.uk/workwear-isnt-just-for-building-professionals/

Projects that will Add Value to Your Home

We all want to add that extra bit of value to our homes, but doing so can often be a lot easier said than done. Throwing a load of cash at various renovation projects is all good and well, but if you’re not improving the right areas of your home, the return on investment may not be as much as you expect.

So what are the most valuable home improvements you can undertake in order to ensure the best return on investment? Well we’ve put together a list of the top 7 projects that we think will add the most value to your home – so pay attention homeowners!

7) Add lighting

By adding/letting in extra light into certain rooms, your home will feel more warm and welcoming. There’s nothing more depressing than a dark, dingy living space; and this is something that buyers will tend to pick up on when viewing your home. Both natural and electrical light can easily be enhanced to boost appeal of a room: Skylights and sun tubes are typically great additions to funnel in natural light, whereas increasing the wattage of your bulbs and adding a dimmer function will allow for brighter spaces that can be controlled to create mood.

6) Fix any structural defects

Repairing structural problems can be one of the most costly renovation projects, but if you want to add high value to your home, it’s absolutely crucial you action them. Sellers are often naïve to the importance of fixing the structural defects of a house and will tend to focus on decorating instead. Don’t make this mistake, and do the basics first. Ensure you check the functioning of your roofing and guttering, then assess your walls, ceilings, (are they cracked or damp?), floors, the plumbing, and anywhere you can think of that might need that extra bit of attention. It may be worth hiring the services of a builder or surveyor to get an experienced observation of the structural state of your property.

5) Replace the windows

Windows can make a big difference to the look of a house, especially in terms of first impressions before you actually enter the property. It’s important, therefore, that you ensure that what you install matches the style of your house, whether it be modern or traditional. Doing so will really improve the exterior aesthetics and consequently, add value.

4) Get a flooring makeover

You’ll be surprised at how much a new floor can enhance the overall look of a living space. Instead of sticking with your old, worn carpet, install something with a more modern feel. Modern laminate, solid wood, and engineered hardwood flooring are both great choices if you’re after a floor that holds value and looks fantastic at the same time. Quality hardwood flooring doesn’t have to break the bank, and if you shop around, you should be able to find yourself a bargain. Flooring Megastore are one of many flooring supplies that provide an excellent range of bespoke flooring at affordable prices.

3) Extend into the loft

Loft conversions are considered as one of the most valuable projects you can undertake; and with the vast amount of extra space it creates, it’s not hard to understand why. Extending into the loft is the easiest way to add an extra bathroom or bedroom to your home, which will definitely add a few £’s on to your home value. In 2014, Nationwide Building Society claimed that a loft conversion can, on average, increase the value of your property by up to 21% – so it may be costly, but it’s worth it. Alternatively, you could extend into your basement, or even do both!

2) Renovate your kitchen

Kitchens have become a real focal point of a house and now, more than ever, nice looking kitchen areas are seen as a huge selling point for buyers. If there’s one room you want to priories in terms of renovation, it should be the kitchen. New units, surfaces, appliances and general interior redecoration will go a long way in improving both the look of your kitchen and value of your home. A new kitchen project will typically add around 5% to property value, but watch how much you spend and make sure its relative to the overall value of your house.

1) Treat your garden like another room

A well-groomed garden often sits highly on the buyer’s preference list – no one wants to open their back doors to the Amazon rainforest. This is why it is important to landscape your outdoor space well; e.g. by planting, pruning, cutting back hedges, removing weeds, clearing debris and general clutter etc. Depending on the size of your garden, you could potentially install decking or a patio to really optimise your space and boost value. We also recommend that you ensure your garden is accessible and visible from the house – glass doors can be implemented to really open up your garden and create a portal from your own backdoor. Lighting, furniture etc. can also help bring your back yard to life.

So there you have it, a few DIY/renovation project recommendations for all you homeowners that wish to optimise your position on the property ladder and add
significant value to your homes. A final tip from us: renovate to achieve a standard of property that you would be more than happy to live in, and don’t go overboard.

For more information please visit OSC, a Kent based company who supply specialist DIY tools such as self-drilling screws and fasteners.

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from UK Home Improvement Blog http://www.ukhomeimprovement.co.uk/projects-that-will-add-value-to-your-home/