If you ask engineers, architects and builders what would be the best tile to use for your roof, I am willing to bet that they will be answering only one – the slate tile. These are considered to be 100-year roofs and will definitely live up to their reputation. If you properly install and maintain your slate roofing you can expect a life of somewhere between 75 and 200 years. Virginia Slate has the largest inventory for slate roofing tiles available, as they have a facility over 25,000 square feet which holds an incomparable variety of slate, granite and quartzite in a multitude of colors including black, unfading gray, semi-weathering gray-green, mottled purple, unfading red and more.

If you are going to be reroofing your house, you are recommended to  seriously consider getting a roofing material that will provide optimum insulation for your house. And that would be to use slate as material. The world is getting warmer. It is a fact. The world is now 0.5 degrees centigrade warmer than a century ago. Global warming is clearly evident. Most homes are built with materials that are not good insulators. When talking about providing good insulation for a house, one of the things that would need to be considered is the roofing material. The roof is a major factor in insulating a house. If you have a roof made of poor insulating material, chances are you will be spending more money on your power bill compared to homes with roof shingles that are efficient insulators. Slate material will be the best choice for your home roof.

Share This

Our friend recently purchased their first home which is a 60 years old semi federal style home. While the house needs some major updating, nothing that a handy couple and perhaps a few contractor here and could not get done. Mostly are cosmetics like wall color, flooring update and refinishing their up stairs bath and powder room. When we saw the house the first time we were aghast when we saw the worn down musty red carpet and it gave the house an overall creepy feel like when you enter a funeral home. I immediately went to a corner of the living room and tried to lift some of the carpeting and there it was! 60 year old wide wooden plank flooring that I know can turn itself from being dull to a shiny new floor. After the closing, she hired Innovatech for their carpet removal and floor resurfacing services. After the carpet was torn out they brought in their Predator machine which ground the glued and dull surface of the hardwood and sanded it down to become smooth. After the soot was taken vacuumed and taken out, they applied polyurethane which is a clear varnish that gives shine to hardwood flooring without having to wax and buff your floor everyday. Also she hired the same company for tile removal to replace the ugly 70s pink tiles in the powder room and replaced it with a modern buff color with some border design in the middle of the wall. They really did a good job.

Share This

Two of my friends are currently building their dream homes and building a pool is one of the things they want to incorporate in their house construction. It may cost a lot but in the long run it will benefit the families because they can have a sports and recreation outlet right inside their homes. They don’t need to go out for a swim, they can even entertain guests. Maintaining it requires that you have the best pool cartridge filters. Pool filters are an absolute necessity for anyone who owns a pool. It keeps the water clean and ensures its fit to be used. The pool filter replacement cartridge are considered to be the best filter used in pools. It is also used on hot tub filters and for above ground pool filters. Unlike the other type of filters like sand and DE (diatomaceous) filters cartridge filters give exceptional cleaning to pools. Just owning a beautiful pool is not enough, you cannot neglect the responsibility of keeping it clean always, even when the pool is not in use. The pool filters need to keep working, even if you do not plan to take a dip for a long time, as it ensures that the water is healthy and safe.

Share This

Bathroom remodeling projects can dramatically increase the value of your home. If you choose to do the job on your own, then you need to know how to install a shower tray that will contain water and prevent damage. It is important for you to follow installation instructions carefully. Failing to do so can lead to dangerous conditions such as mold and rotten wood. Before you tackle the project, though, it helps to learn some general information that will help you prepare.

First, you need to choose a shower tray that will work well. The product that you choose should be appropriately sized for your shower stall and have a lip that prevents water from escaping the enclosure. Choosing an appropriately sized tray for your shower will make the job much easier and prevent damage in the future.

Prior to installation you will have to create a level surface that will prevent water from seeping into the floor. You can do this by laying two inches of sand and topping that with two inches of cement. Make sure that the sand and cement are level. If your shower isn’t level, then the water will accumulate on one side and might not drain properly.

After the cement has dried for at least one day, you should apply a layer of thin-set mortar. About a quarter inch should work well. This mortar provides an adhesive surface that keeps the tray in place.

While waiting for the thin-set mortar to dry, you can prepare the tray for installation by drilling two holes in the lip of each side. This will allow you to keep the tray secure with pan-head screws. Now you can line the tray up with the shower drain to allow the water to flow out of the tray easily.

Share This

Centipede grass is a warm season grass and should be used mainly in areas with a generally mild climate. The best time for planting is in the late spring or early summer. Soil temperatures should be consistently above 70 degrees, with all danger of frost passed. As a guideline to knowing the soil temperature, wait until daytime high temperatures are consistently over 80 degrees. This grass can be planted in late fall and left to sprout in spring, but it has a much higher risk of failure due to spring freezes and being crowded out by other, early growing plants.

This type of grass adapts well to sandy, acidic soils in mild climates. It does not need much fertilizer; in fact you don’t want to overdo the fertilizer. It only grows three to five inches tall, requiring infrequent mowing and edging, but it spreads quickly in its territory and helps to crowd out weeds. It does best in full sun or slight shade. Its low spreading growth makes it fairly drought-tolerant.

To prepare for planting into an existing lawn, rake your lawn to remove debris. Fertilize with ten pounds of balanced fertilizer or centipede fertilizer per 1000 square feet. For planting a new lawn, rake the soil up 1/4 to 1/2 inches deep, rake in the fertilizer, and then smooth it out with a rake or roller. Lightly mulch in areas where erosion might become an issue.

Use at least one-fourth pound of seed per 1000 square feet. One-half pound in a new lawn produces a good, thick lawn in two to three months of growth. Spread seed with a lawn spreader for even distribution. Water it consistently until seedlings are established. Mow it often to keep weeds down while the grass grows. After the first year, you will have a lovely green, low-maintenance lawn.

Share This

We took the kids out to a mall one time and the little girl was really enthralled by the waterfall fountain fixture in one part of the mall. She kept asking us where is the fish (as the fountain ended in a small man-made pond) and if we can have one at home. While installing one in our home is close to impossible right now, maybe we can have one done when we get our own house. We just need to make sure that we have enough space and the ceiling is high enough for it. Feng Shui experts also claim that the element of water in the house always bring good luck so we will see. I have also been wanting one as work has been piling up and stress is a constant companion these days. They say water fountains are naturally relaxing, and they can help you turn a common yard into a calming oasis.

The sight and sound of rushing water is naturally soothing. The question now is whether to have an indoor or outdoor fountain. There are numerous styles, materials, colors, and sizes to choose from, ensuring that you can find the ideal outdoor waterfall water fountain for any space or area. Having it outdoors would allow you to have a bigger fountain, and you would not need to worry about the possible water spills that may arise.

Having an indoor water fountain might be potentially messier, but you will notice that it makes the nicest decorations. The element of water flowing calms senses too, and I have noticed it cools down a room too, especially if it is large enough. You can opt for a tabletop fountain too.

It looks something like this:

Here are some indoor water fountains that I like:

Most fountains can be installed by a single person and require no advanced tools or skills. You will also discover that maintenance is very simple and that it takes only a small amount of time.

Share This

I have been looking at our old photos (for a scrapbooking project I want to finish) and I saw an photo taken at an old house, maybe that of my grandparents’. It had a door in the middle of the living room which led out to the patio and there were several wind chimes hanging from it. I remember that I used to get scared whenever it would tinkle and make sound at night – it made me imagine ghosts entering the house.

I am not scared now as I actually find wind chimes a great addition to the house, especially outdoors – in the garden, lanai, patio or terrace. It actually is said to attract positive energy so there are people who consult Feng Shui experts on where to specifically put it in the house. The most popular handcrafted bamboo wind chimes make a glorious sound. These kind of wind chimes produce a low natural sound, much like the sounds of the outdoors. Not only are bamboo wind chimes very decorative and relaxing, but they are used when practicing Feng Shui. They are said to calm the fast moving energies. Wind chimes are made to mimic sounds as well. This particular Woodstock  Aloha Wind Chime available at Outdora.com specifically takes you to a Hawaiian paradise.

This particular wind chime is perfect for the outdoors (example: garden) because of its color, it would blend in. Bamboo wind chimes’ sounds are perfect to fall asleep to, because it is soothing and low. Its not high pitched or annoying. You can also have garden bells decorate your lawn or garden shrubs, it would be a perfect accent along flower shrubs or plant trellises. Or you can mix a garden bell with wind chimes and come up with a completely different accent!

Take a look:

Share This

Summer is officially here! Summer vacation is not until next week for my son but he is home earlier than usual as they are just finishing the required number of school days. It is louder than ever with my kids’ constant bickering earlier than usual so my work time is severely compromised. As when before I had at least four hours of quiet time before my son arrives from school and the princess naps, now I do not even get a single hours wherein I can work straight! I need to act as referee every 30 minutes. Usually, what movie to watch is the culprit. Even if we have 2 TVs! (Maybe we need another DVD player!) Not to mention they are always hungry! I am running out of recipe ideas to cook – I might as well get a BBQ grill as the kids love grilled food!

I am looking forward to the summer though, even though I am pretty sure the heat will be a killer. I am already thinking where to get the kids tanned. My kids are fishes, you can leave the whole day in the pool and they would only leave it to eat. I guess a pool with a BBQ grill is necessary. Swimming poolside with grilled food is the best summer experience. It’s too bad the inflatable pool we have won’t fit the small garden we have here, we can just have it in our own backyard. I need to buy barbecue grills but it would still be a great investment. The husband prefers traditional grilled food – cooked by fire has the best taste and I have to agree. This fire pit grill with rotisserie is perfect:

• • Main grill included large handles for easy removal of grate
  • Cooking grate has an adjustment range of over 18 inches
  • Full diameter handle/safety ring
  • Burns wood or charcoal

If you are one who loves to entertain at home (and maybe have a pool, getting these outdoor kitchens is something that will make your lives easier:

You got everything you need to entertain with ease and style!

Share This