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You can enhance your home’s existing concrete surfaces using acid stains, acrylic stains, epoxy paints, and scoring techniques. If you’re tired of looking at dull gray concrete, there are some fairly easy projects for the serious do-it-yourselfer to give your patio, driveway, garage, etc. a refreshing new look. Or perhaps you plan to have some new concrete installed but you don’t want plain gray concrete. Decorative concrete work costs double to triple that of regular concrete and many people simply can’t afford it. There are inexpensive ways to decorate concrete after it has cured without having to pay skilled tradesmen.

Acid based concrete stains are becoming more and more popular for coloring concrete surfaces. They chemically react with the cementitious material to produce permanent color with variegated or mottled appearance like that of marble. This results in a natural, elegant looking surface. Acid stains are available in 8-10 different colors, mainly brown, green, and reddish earth tones. The cost is normally $60-$70 per gallon which covers 300-400 square feet. A coat of clear concrete sealer when you’re finished really brings out the colors and beauty of acid stains.

Water based concrete stains are an alternative to acid stains and are much more user friendly because they’re much less toxic. These stains don’t chemically react with the concrete; they are absorbed into the surface pores and act like a dye. The big advantage of water based stains is the wide array of colors available. You can find just about any color in the spectrum and create a more vibrant and consistent appearance. They also normally cost about $60-$70 per gallon which covers 300-400 square feet.

If you want to venture beyond the basic staining of concrete, consider using some scoring techniques to create patterns on the surface. You can make your concrete look like a tile floor for example. It’s up to your imagination. An angle grinder with a 4 inch grinding or cutting wheel is the ideal tool for this. The important thing to remember when scoring is to draw the pattern on the concrete first and make sure you’re satisfied with the way it looks because scoring is irreversible. Most people don’t own an angle grinder but you can rent one at almost any tool rental shop.

Epoxy paints make an excellent coating for garage floors and basement floors. Many commercial floors have epoxy coatings because of their durability and resistance to chemical spills as well as their appearance. In recent years, however, it has become very popular for residential use with an increasing availability of different colors. This is not a difficult project, but the key to successful application is surface preparation. Epoxy paints have also become available in a water based form making it safe for the do-it-yourselfer and ideal for indoor applications. They cost a little more than stains. For a 400 square foot garage, you’ll spend about $200 for the materials needed for this project.

Don’t think you have to spend alot of money for decorative concrete surfaces. With some instructions and a little bit of work, anyone can turn boring concrete into their own masterpiece.

Kirk Muhlhauser is a residential contractor who offers ideas and instructions for enhancing a home’s concrete surfaces. Find detailed information at http://www.all-things-concrete.com

Tags: acid stain, concrete, driveway, epoxy, garage, patioacid stain, concrete, driveway, epoxy, garage, patio

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If you don’t have the time to spare for the handyman to work on the small tasks that you have on hand, you can try fixing the little things yourself when you have free time. There are small tasks that you can do yourself without getting professional help. After all, handymen are not going to do work for free. Why not try your hand at those small jobs? There are many tips and tricks to do some of the jobs.

Nailing small nails is not an easy task as you may find it difficult to hold them in your hands. An easy way to hold them is to place them between the teeth of the combs. If you want to sharpen the razor blades you can use the striker on the matchbook. Duct tape can be used in a variety of ways. You can even seal the pipes using such. Torn greenhouses can be repaired with duct tapes. Do you want sandpaper to last longer? Then you can wet the back of the sandpaper and wrap it around a wooden block. It will work better this way.

Sometimes you may have difficulty in opening the drawers of your dressers and other tables. In such scenarios you can apply candle wax on the runner side of the drawers. Try this method and you will have no difficulty opening them. There are times that you may find that the screws in the wall are loose. If you find such screws, you can insert the stick of the wooden match or a toothpick in the hold and then screw it. Now it will be tight enough. Is your closet damp most of the time? You can use charcoal to control the moisture in your closet. All you have to do is to put some charcoal in a can and place it in a corner. Or close the can and punch some holes in it. The charcoal will absorb the moisture. There are many such tips to solve small problems around the house available on various Web sites.

Handyman provides detailed information on Handyman, Handyman Services, Starting A Handyman Business, Handyman Tips and more. Handyman is affiliated with Home Remodeling.

Tag: Handyman TipsHandyman Tips

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Dear friends, if you are planning to improve/renovate or
refurnish your home then this article can be a very
useful guide and save your lot of time.

When it comes to home improvement, most people think that
it’s has to do with painting the house from inside out
and forget about it.

But any architectural structure is much more than just walls
and ceiling. There are many systems working simultaneously
which keep the building under function.

Let’s have a look at these systems one by one.

1) Structural System:

This includes the support system of the entire building, namely
foundation, columns, beams, slabs(in R.C.C structure).
The most commonly used structural systems is R.C.C. Other types
include steel and wood.

While renovating a building special attention must be given to
the structural support system. Slabs should be checked to be
leak proof. Columns and beams which are exposed to external
atmosphere must be checked for damage. R.C.C structural members
are always covered with plaster. This plaster must be without
damage.

In case of steel structures, anti-rust treatment must be applied
wherever necessary.

In case of wooden structure anti-termite treatment must be applied
wherever necessary.

2) Plumbing System:

All pipelines which carry water in and out of the structure must
be checked for leakage. The main are of possible leakage is
at the joints, hence must be carefully treated.

Water taps at the washbasins, inside bathrooms, kitchen sinks,
toilet blocks, should be checked for good and smooth operating
conditions.

3)Drainage System:

Drainage from kitchen, bathrooms, toilets should have an unobstructed
and shortest path to outside chambers. Any clogging of these lines
can cause overflowing of the chambers, hence should be checked
and cleaned.

4)Electrical Systems:

This starts with the main supply of the electricity from the
local authorities. The point of entering the main supply should be
checked for any excessive disturbance in voltage levels, which
might cause damage to electrical appliances inside.

All switch boards and switches in respective rooms should be checked
for proper and safe functioning. Security systems such as
earthing and M.C.B’s should be checked for safe functioning.

5) Doors and Windows

These form an important part of any structure as far as safety
is concerned. Proper functioning of the doors and window
shutters is necessary. If your home has a security alarm system
installed, then it must be kept updated and in proper working condition.

Door and window shutter hinges should be applied with lubricants
for smooth operations. I case of sliding doors and windows, tracks
which allow sliding should be dust free.

6) Glass Panes

All glass panes used on windows and doors should be dust free.
Any broken or cracked glass panes should be replaced immediately.

If the building has a skylight, then it should be checked to be
leak proof and clean, to allow clear and unobstructed sunlight in
the interiors.

7) Flooring Materials

In most cases tiles are used for flooring. All tiles should be
checked for cracks and most importantly leveling.

In every home flooring has a natural slope to avoid clogging
of water if any such situation arises. Tiled flooring
must be checked at joints. Any cracks in joins must be
checked with proper bonding material.

In case of wooden flooring, extra care must be taken to keep
the flooring termite-free.

Wall Plaster and Wall Paint.

All external walls must be checked from outside for a proper
layer of plaster. Plaster prevents the rainwater to seep inside
the structure. If external plaster gets damaged, rain water
seeps inside causing dampening of walls.

All internal walls must be checked for scraping of paint.

Furniture and Carpentry Items.

All furniture items must be termite free and sturdy at the
joints. A coat of good quality wooden polish can add life
to the furniture pieces.

Other carpentry work includes door and window shutters, door
and window frames.

9) Other Accessories.

This includes small thing which matter a lot, such as all the
locking arrangement at doors, windows, towel rods in the
bathroom/wash basins, arrangement to dry washed clothes,
storage arrangements in kitchen/bathroom.

10)External Systems

This can include a solar water heater, electric pumps to push
the water from underground water tank to Overhead water tank.,
Cable TV antennas.

All these systems must be checked for proper functioning.

From the above discussion it is clear that proper functioning
of any architectural structure is dependant of many complex
systems which work simultaneously.

Hence all these must be given attention and respect. Any building
is just like a human body, with movable and stationary parts.
If dealt with proper care can give a very healthy living experience
for years to come.

I hope this article was helpful to everyone.

Copyright 2005 Shrinivas Vaidya

Shrinivas Vaidya is the webmaster of Bedroom-Design-And-Decorating-Ideas.com .Visit TODAY to get an in-depth knowledge of Bedroom Design, Bedroom Furniture Sets and Bedroom Decorating Ideas.

Tags: home, home improvement, interior designhome, home improvement, interior design

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