Investing in property had always been very popular – and for many very productive and lucrative. However, as the prices on property begin to soar, it is difficult for many to even get their foot on to the property ladder. The alternative is renting, which usually means paying extortionate sums of cash each month to a wealthy landlord – not something that many people particularly want to do, but something that they feel they have to do in order to enjoy their own living space and independence.
However, there is a cost effective alternative for those that really want to get on to the property ladder but feel that they can’t afford it. Self-building with
As many of you know that are reading this article, I am an advocate of Building Your Own Home but there are many of you out there that cannot “build your own home” due to time constraints, physical challenges, or other circumstances.
With this in mind, I would like to list a few do’s and don’ts when choosing a Home Builder.
Does
Find at least three builders that build homes in your area and look at the homes they build. Builders come in many varieties from small custom builders to those that build in large master planned subdivisions.
Go to the houses they are presently building and look at the quality and materials they are using. If they are using cheap fixtures, skimpy insulation, poor quality building materials, pass and move on to the next candidate. And pay attention while you are there. The sub-contractors will tell you if the builder is paying his bills or not. Guess what: if the subs are unhappy with the builder, then you will have delays in getting your house built because they don’t work for free.
Check the Builder out with the BBB, Chamber of Commerce and your local City and State Governments to make sure they are in good standing. Make sure if they have any complaints that they have resolved them successfully. Check with the local builder’s association. There is usually a record when the public complains about a builder.
Ask for a client list of previous and current people they are building houses for. Get a list of current clients and call them up and ask them what their experience is/was like. Also call the current clients that they are building for now. Don’t be shy…these people will tell you the truth and you need to listen to their praises or horror stories. You know the house you want…. and there are a lot of builders out there to choose from.
Meet with the Builder or their representative and get a hard bid for what the house you want will cost. At first glance this may seem like a no brainier but let’s dig a little deeper.
Unless you have your own plans and the builder will be building the house exactly to the specification on those plans getting an exact bid is going to be difficult. Why? Because every builder has different plans and different pricing for options.
A good way to overcome this issue is to decide what you want up front and stick with it. This is oh so important..because the builders make a ton of money on add-ons (change orders) later on in the building process. For you to compare up front and get the best deal you need to decide what you want and stick to it. This is where planning is top priority.
Let me give you a short list of ideas:
How many bedrooms do you want
How many square feet of living area
How big is the Garage going to be
2 story or 1
Wood flooring, tile, carpet etc…what grade and where
Do you want an alarm system? What kind of system?
Do you want a central vacuum?
Etc…..
This list should spark some ideas for you to make a list of what YOU want. Don’t show up for a meeting with the builder with no idea what you want. He or She will be happy to fill in the blanks for you. Don’t blame them for making money in their business. They are not working for free either! If you add stuff later YOU WILL PAY THRU THE NOSE!
Do your very best to compare apples to apples. Go to each builder with the same list of wants. If you add something check out pricing with each builder before you sign anything. Make your self a detailed list…. item-by-item….
Don’ts
Go driving around and choose the first beautiful home you see. Take your time and research the builder and the houses they build. Don’t let wants get ahead of your needs…
Take out a construction loan to build your house unless the builder has a contract with you for a specified finishing date that you can move into the house. Many people sign a contract with a builder and provide the construction financing without the builder having a completion date for the home. They are very happy if you pay for the interest on a construction loan so that they can take their time and build other houses at the same time they are building yours. It’s your dime and your line of credit that’s being used…not theirs. That’s a real plus for a builder who is usually stretched to the max financially. Get a specific completion date in writing with a stiff financial penalty if they go over that date. This is the only way that you should agree to bank rolling the builder….
If the builder does not finish the house on time and you are providing the construction financing guess who has to pay the interest and penalties while they finish? YOU! If you provide the financing make sure you have penalties in place that will keep the builder on track. Money is the only thing that talks!
For more information about Building Your Own Home visit build-yourown-home.com/ build-yourown-home.com/
Adding window treatments to bare windows can add drama to a room, change the mood, look, and feel of your home, provide functionality, and help control the amount of natural light that enters. Do you prefer cellular shades, roman shades, mini blinds, vertical blinds, bamboo blinds, wood plantation shutters, vinyl shutters, draperies, or curtains? There are endless choices.
First ask yourself what your budget is. Some window treatments, such as plantation shutters, are costly. However, there are companies that manufacture these at a much lower price than other high end name brands. Before settling on a window treatment, visit a gallery show room and look at many different styles. Ask the sales representatives for information on the window treatments. Also, request swatch samples from window treatment stores or via stores on the internet. Compare these samples during different times of the day to give you a sense of what it looks like in different lighting.
Before making a selection, ask yourself, what are you trying to achieve with these window treatments? Are you trying to acquire privacy? Are you trying to control the amount of light that enters the room so that it stays cooler, brighter, or darker? Are you trying to portray a different size for the room? Are you interested in manual or electric window treatments? Are you trying to muffle exterior noises and protect from the rays of the sun? Are you looking for window treatments that are pet friendly? Are you looking for treatments that are low maintenance?
To decide which window treatments are best for your home, consider whether the windows face a direction that gets a lot of sun exposure. How much sun light enters the room affects the type of treatments you choose. You can control that via the type of window treatments you select. Also, the color of the room affects the mood of the room because by adding a complementary or contrasting window treatment, it can either enhance or disturb the mood.
Furthermore, consider the size of the room before going with a window treatment. For instance, vertical window treatments can add height to a room, while horizontal treatments give it a relaxing and informal feel. To counterbalance rigid lines of a room, consider fabric window treatments.
Whatever you decide, remember that window treatments can add enhance the look of your room. Whether you are trying to project a traditional or contemporary look, give yourself the opportunity to explore several options before settling on a look for your space.
Giorgina Devereaux is the creator of FurnitureMedley.com, which features furniture website reviews and articles on home decor and furniture. For more information, please visit FurnitureMedley.com FurnitureMedley.com
Selecting the best lumber for a woodworking project can have a profound impact on its final outcome. If you start with the right material, you’re more likely to wind up with a piece that is interesting to the eye, stable in its construction and true and square.
For me, one of the more exciting times in a woodworking project is the afternoon I spend picking out just the right boards from the local hardwood yard. Pulling one plank at a time off of the top of each bin and examining it for grain, color, sapwood, wane, cupping, etc. takes time. Putting the rejects aside and setting the keepers in their own pile, I slowly work through the stacks of my chosen material. It can, and usually does, take hours to find the handful of planks that will evolve into whatever it is I plan on building.
Like all aspects of woodworking, this process is not to be done when rushed. Making a mistake here can cause the entire project to be more difficult than it needs to be, and can dramatically impact the finished piece. I learned this the way I learn most things, by making the mistake myself and suffering with the consequences.
I was working on one of my very early woodworking projects. My wife and I had just gotten married and she needed a set of bookshelves for the stained glass workshop she was setting up in our new house. Nothing fancy – just something utilitarian that fit the space. I was anxious to build our first piece of furniture and, after doing a quick design, I ran out and got the lumber that I hoped to transform into useful, if plain, shelves.
The lumberyard had some great looking red birch. It was deep in color and a few of the boards were highly figured. Without much thought, I grabbed the most striking pieces that were long and wide enough to fill the bill.
I knew something was wrong when they didn’t all lie flat in the bed of the truck. One of the boards seemed especially unruly with one end up in the air and the other pointed down into the truck bed. I didn’t pay much attention to it, though, thinking that it would be fine once I got it home.
A couple of days after getting the birch, I finally had time to get cracking on the bookshelves. It was a simple design with solid sides, top, bottom and immovable shelves. The back was to be made with lengths of birch shiplapped, with the edge of each board knocked off to form a slight v-groove.
I started by cutting and assembling the sides, top and bottom. Next I cut the three shelves and attached them to the sides with cleats and screws. By the time I got around to building the back of the unit, I only had one piece of birch left – the twisted board that didn’t lie flat in the truck. I had tried to use this board for the shelves and for the top and bottom, but I couldn’t get a single straight piece out of it that was long enough to be useable. It certainly wasn’t going to yield what I needed for the back, so I returned to the lumberyard for more birch. Unfortunately, they had none left that matched the tiger-striped stuff that I had bought earlier. I settled on a couple of plain planks, making sure they were straight before putting them in the ‘keepers’ pile.
I finished the bookshelf and, as I expected, the back didn’t match the rest of the unit. Once it was filled with books and stained glass pieces, it was hard to see the difference – for most people. That was years ago and I still get a little twinge of ‘I wish I’d done that better’ when I walk by it.
As for the offending piece of birch, I couldn’t bring myself to throw it out. I wanted to believe that one day it would be good for something, and I stuck to that conviction for years. I stacked some 8/4 oak on it thinking that would straighten it out, but two years later it was as twisted as ever. Eventually it moved with us to our second house where I tried to work it into project after project. But it simply wouldn’t yield a single piece of usable material. Finally, after measuring it, moving it, stacking it and cursing it for more years than I can remember, I took the circular saw to it and cut it into firewood. Even the six-inch pieces of scrap wouldn’t lie flat, but they burned well.
Joe Pescatello is a woodworker, author and commercial software developer. Visit UncleBobsAttic.com UncleBobsAttic.com for a sample of his writing and web development work. You can reach him at mailto:joe-p@unclebobsattic.com joe-p@unclebobsattic.com.
Whenever I think of any design, be it interior design or product design, a few things very naturally come up in my mind. These are in the form of questions.
The best part is, answers to these questions can give rise to a very successful design in itself. Let’s see how.
If I am planning to design a piece of furniture, let’s say a double bed, immediate I start relating to what I already know about double beds, some picture/image I have already seen, something I have seen in some furniture shop, etc…Then I start thinking about what material I should think about, the budget, dimensions, age group of people who are going to use it, etc… If you answer these questions one by one on a paper, you will get a blueprint of the design process, so that you can convert in into technical drawings, with all the joinery details and finally the product.
Amongst above mentioned questions some are directly related to function of the double bed as a piece of furniture.
What does this mean?
When I ask myself, what should be the dimensions of a double bed? I have very little freedom to decide the dimensions of the bed, because there are certain norms to be followed in order to serve it’s basic function and that’s comfort.
But what if I say that I will keep the overall surface area of the bed same , but make it round in plan. Will it be ok..
Now here I am trying to achieve both function and aesthetics, without sacrificing the comfort of the person who will use it.
So during any design process there will be times when the designer need to take some decisions where he has to keep aside his wildest ideas and pay attention to function first.
That’s why the true success of an interior design project is a good balance between function and aesthetics.
Expressing this kind of balance through design is not an easy task, because function is universally accepted, but aesthetics,
not always.
What does this mean?
Beauty is always relative. A washbasin has a common universal function of an appliance to be used for washing hands, but it’s
beauty is relative. What is beautiful for me, might not hold true for you.
So a design expression can have a unique style of the designer himself. It is possible that the designer is more comfortable with certain kinds of materials/finishes/color schemes, etc.. which can reflect in his designs.
In spite of these personal touches a good designs always caters the needs of the user first. A good designer has a certain kind of convincing power in his/her style which he uses to expresses in the design without sacrificing the likes/dislikes of the user.
There are designers who are more comfortable in designing only a certain kind space such as bathrooms, bedrooms, living rooms, public spaces such as restaurants, clubs, gymnasiums.
Of course this is entirely of a personal choice, but there is this same message in their designs, shell out your ego and design for the best parameters with worst possibilities taken into considerations. This is what gives birth to a great design.
Are you considering a home remodeling project for your property? Most remodeling projects involve either structural or aesthetic aspects which might require several specialized technical skills. If this is the case, you may want to enlist the services of a general contractor.
A general contractor negotiates a contract for the entire remodeling project, and either completes the specialized work with his own crew, or sub-contracts to other various house remodeling contractors. Some of the specialized areas might include planning/architecture, concrete, plumbing, electrical, roofing, dry wall, cabinetry, or painting.
The Planning
To get an accurate bid from a potential general contractor, it is very important to plan carefully, with much thought and consideration. You may want to involve an architect or draftsman to generate the blueprints for your project. Remember that any home remodeling features not included in the plans will not be included in the bid.
Once you have detailed plans for your project, you need to start the selection process for a general contractor. Canadian residents can go on-line to Handy Canadian.com for a list of qualified, licensed contractors.
The Contractor
It is a rule of thumb to get at least 3 bids from separate remodeling contractors. Provide each with an identical set of plans. Be upfront about your expectations, and request they be realistic about time, cost, and interruption factors. It is wise not to make a selection based on price alone; other considerations are equally important.
Before you accept a bid from a contractor ask questions: What experience and references do they have from projects similar to yours? Will they be working on other projects simultaneously with your own? If they will not be personally working at your site, how much time each day will they spend supervising? Will they use their own crew for some or all the work? How available will any sub-contractors be? What licenses and insurance do they carry? And what is the time line of the project, start to finish? These are questions any reliable, qualified general contractor should answer and outline in the contract.
The Contract
When negotiating the contract for your home remodeling project, be thorough and accurate. Include complete names and addresses of both parties, a detailed job description, material specifications, start and finish dates, any warranties on work or materials, and payment options.
It is fairly common for a general contractor to ask for 10-33% of the estimated cost in advance; most contracts provide for payment as work progresses.
A reliable, reputable contractor will agree to contract terms which help protect the interests of both parties.
By being thorough in your research, planning, and contracting process, you can look forward to enjoying the results of your home remodeling project for many years to come!
Max Sheppard is Co-Owner of Handy Canadian.com at handycanadian.com handycanadian.com. Handy Canadian.com is your one-stop renovation information web site: where handycanadian.com/homeowner.asp?cus_type=1 homeowners locate professional contractors, and qualifying handycanadian.com/contractor.asp?cus_type=3 contractors acquire new leads.
The shower filter industry is a relatively small but certainly a highly competitive one. Most people understand the need to filter drinking water, but never think twice about bathing in unfiltered tap water.
The truth of the matter is, your body has the potential to absorb more water borne contaminates, such as chlorine and chloramines, during an average 10 minute shower than you would by drinking unfiltered tap water throughout the entire day.
During a warm shower, the pores in our skin begin to open up and become highly absorbent, much like a sponge. Many contaminates, such as chlorine, become extremely unstable in hot water and immediately evaporate out of the water allowing chlorine vapors to also be inhaled directly into our lungs. Although the chlorine levels in our showers can vary greatly throughout the day, one thing is certain. There is always chlorine present in shower water that is maintained by a municipal water supply.
The unnecessary exposure to chlorine as been linked by some scientific studies to cases of miscarriage and certain types of cancer in most countries that disinfect their water supplies with chlorine. In the US, the EPA has recently recommended that all municipal water supplies change their disinfectant from free chlorine to chloramine; a combination of free chlorine and ammonia.
The reason for this change is based on recent studies that claim the use of free chlorine generate what are known as THMs or Trihalomethanes. THMs are created when free chlorine comes in contact with organic material present in the water supply. It is believed that higher levels of THMs are what actually increase the risks of cancer and miscarriages in humans. The use of chlormaine may indeed reduce the overall level of THMs in our water, but it must be used in much higher concentrations to be as effective a pure chlorine. Whether chloramine is any safer than free chlorine is the subject of much debate that will require many years of research. Unfortunately, no one knows the long term effects of chloramine on the human body. After all, they’ve been telling us free chlorine was completely safe for the last 100 years.
Dechlorinating Your Shower Water – Fact Or Fiction?
There are dozens of different types and brands of shower filters available on the market today. The vast majority of these shower filters rely on what is known as KDF (Kinetic Degradation Fluxion) as a means of reducing free chlorine. There are others that combinde KDF with some type of activated charcoal (AC) or similar type of supplementary medium.
An alternative method of removing both free and combined chlorine involves the use of Vitamin C (l-ascorbic acid/sodium ascorbate) in a shower filtration device. This form of dechlorination has been used for many years by the EPA to dechlorinate waste water prior to reintroduction into the environment. Although more expensive, Vitamin C dechlorination produces nearly perfect results without a negative impact on the environment or wildlife. Vitamin C dechlorination has also been used for some time to dechlorinate lab samples and has even been used to dechlorinate water for kidney dialysis patients. Vitamin C dechlorination is all natural, instantaneous and provides near perfect results.
KDF and/or AC are less than perfect choices for a shower filter for the following reasons. Arguments for the use of Vitamin C as a dechlorinator in shower filters are listed in bold.
KDF shower filters can only remove free chlorine and its effectiveness is directly related to how long the media stays in contact with the chlorine. Longer contact times simply cannot occur within a shower filter, limiting its overall effectiveness
Vitamin C completely neutralizes both free chlorine & chloramines instantly upon contact
KDF/AC filters have only been proven to remove free chlorine under carefully controlled laboratory conditions. KDF has never been proven to remove or even reduce heavy metals, VOCs, THMs, bacteria or any other synthetic chemicals when used within shower filtration device. Less than perfect free chlorine removal is all you should expect
Vitamin C shower filters are designed to neutralize chlorine and most chlorinated byproducts though simple chemistry. We invite you to perform your own independent tests in your home
Activated carbon filters have been known to promote bacterial growth in a shower filter creating additional health concerns over time. Contrary to popular belief, KDF has never been proven to prevent or even retard bacterial growth in a shower filter
Vitamin C does not promote the growth of bacteria, algae or fungi. The slightly acidic environment within a Vitamin C shower filter discourages the growth of bacteria. This is why cranberry juice or Vitamin C supplements are often prescribed to help speed recovery from bladder & kidney infections by creating an inhospitable environment for the invading organisms
KDF filters are only intended to work with hot water. Carbon filters are only intended to work with cold water & degrade very quickly in fast moving hot water. The combination of the two within a shower filter makes little sense. Shower water must reach optimal temperatures (above 84 degrees) before any protection is observed with KDF, exposing you to unnecessary chlorine vapors
Vitamin C shower filters are effective with all water temperatures; hot or cold and provide complete protection from chlorine & chloramines from the moment it is turned on until the water is turned off
Carbon filters tend to clog quickly reducing the overall flow of water during your shower forcing you to prematurely replace the entire filter cartridge. This quickly becomes very expensive and inconvenient
Vitamin C shower filters perform equally well with any water pressure, low or high and remains constant over the lifetime of the filter
KDF is a metal alloy consisting of copper & zinc which can be released into your shower water and be absorbed by your skin or inhaled into your lungs. The effects of this on the human body are as of yet unknown. High levels of copper, not chlorine, in water has been found to be responsible for “green hair” or “swimmers hair” in some people
Vitamin C is an all natural medium that’s safe for the entire family. There are no known adverse side effects associated with Vitamin C dechlorination
KDF has the potential to create an unusually high number of free radicals through the same process that is uses to neutralize free chlorine. In the absence of free chlorine, the zinc and copper radicals will attempt to equalize themselves by stealing electrons as soon as possible creating a free radical chain reaction within the body’s cells
Vitamin C is one of the most powerful antioxidants known to man with numerous proven health benefits. It is known for its ability to protect the body from invading free radicals
Many KDF shower filters require routine backwashing maintenance to flush out impurities. This wastes several gallons of unusable hot water during each backwash cycle
Vitamin C shower filters requires no complicated backwashing procedure. It will perform at optimum levels right up until it needs to be replaced
KDF filters take up to a week or more to produce any noticeable results. Any improvements are directly related to the reduction of free chlorine and nothing more. Most popular KDF/Charcoal shower filters are nothing more than very expensive water deodorizers providing very little protection from chlorinated byproducts
It only takes one shower to know a Vitamin C shower filter is working
KDF/Charcoal media was never intended to be used in a shower filter application. This combination performs very well with slow moving drinking water filters, however, no evidence exists to support many of the outrageous claims being made by some unscrupulous sellers
Vitamin C shower filters rely on proven Vitamin C dechlorinating technologies to achieve near perfect results every time
KDF/Charcoal shower filters are old news. This obsolete technology relies solely on clever marketing tactics without any verifiable scientific data to back up their claims. With the rapid implementation of chloramines (combined chlorine) across the globe, these types of shower filters are guaranteed to become even less effective over time
The Ronin-Online.Com Vitashower Vitamin C shower filter is the clear choice for the 21st century
Please visit our website to contact us with any questions of comments regarding this article. Thank you for your time.
There are many different materials that can be used to pave a patio, from concrete to brick, but even so the old fashioned flagstone patio has remained one of the most popular choices for many homeowners. There is no doubt that having a great patio is a great way to enhance the beauty, charm and livability of any home, and a well installed patio can even enhance the resale value of a home, as well as of course improving its curb appeal.
There are many reasons to love a flagstone patio, including its superior durability and of course its timeless beauty. And best of all installing such a beautiful patio need not be beyond your means. Many homeowners simply assume that a patio which uses a quality paving material like flagstones is out of their price range, but this may not be the case.
In fact, installing a quality flagstone patio need not be expensive, especially if you are able to install that patio on your own. Installing a patio is not a difficult job, and most homeowners with a modicum of experience will be able to handle the installation of a patio with without too much trouble. There are many patio plans to be found both on the internet and in various home improvement books, and it is important to look around for the simplest and easiest to follow plans.
For those homeowners who plan to install a flagstone patio on their own it is also important to read the instructions carefully and to make sure that you have all the tools you need to complete the job before you start work. After all you do not want to be running to the home improvement center several times to gather the tools you need, and while many homeowners will already have the power and hand tools they need, others will not. It is a good idea to carefully review the plans, and to make sure that all the supplies, tools and materials are in place before you get started.
Of course where you buy those materials can make a great deal of difference in the overall cost of the flagstone patio. The prices on not only the flagstones but also the other patio materials will vary quite a bit, so it is important to shop around carefully. Patio paving materials and other supplies are sold in a wide variety of places these days, including hardware stores, quarries, home improvement centers and may other sources. It is important to shop around for the best deal in order to get the best price, and the greatest value, out of your great new outdoor living space.
Clayton has been a freelance architecture writer since 2000 and enjoys writing articles to give new home owners tips and advice for their home projects. He has written a book on patios giving readers detailed instructions and information on choosing and installing the right patio. Visit the designing-patios.com patio ideas website to learn more.
The photocatalytic air purifier is based on photocatalytic oxidation (PCO), an emerging air purifier technology that converts fine particles and toxic gasses into safer compounds.
Photocatalytic air cleaning uses broad spectrum ultraviolet light, which energizes a thin-film titanium dioxide-based semiconductor catalyst, in the presence of water, creating hydroxyl radicals and super-oxide ions which oxidize finer particulate matter, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and destroy microorganisms adsorbed on the catalyst surface.
Now that everything is perfectly clear, we can all go home right?
Maybe we should try again.
Let’s analyze this animal one concept at a time; a real bright light shines on a wet metal thing which makes tiny pac-man people that get rid of bad stuff stuck on the surface and turn it into carbon dioxide and water. When the pac-people are done, they turn back into to oxygen and hydrogen.
That better?
A high-intensity broad spectrum ultraviolet lamp, with germ killing wavelengths included, is the first building block of photocatalytic air purification technology.
A catalyst is a substance that can accelerate a chemical reaction without being used up itself. The catalyst material in photocatalytic air purifiers is titanium dioxide, TiO2. This semiconductor is applied as a thin film on aluminum or ceramic substrate.
When a semiconductor is illuminated with light of certain wavelengths, electrons in the material’s surface are excited, coming loose and starting chain reactions. This excess energy ends up splitting nearby water vapor molecules into two parts, hydroxyl radicals and super-oxide ions.
These free radicals are like tiny pac-people from the old video game: little round guys with enormous mouths that gobble up everything in their way.
Hydroxyl radicals are among the most active oxidizers in the world, stronger than chlorine, ozone, and peroxide, and therefore very short lived.
Superoxide, not the same as ozone, is created by the addition of one electron to oxygen. This free radical has a “long” half-life: less than one second.
Toxic substances, like germs and volatile organic compounds, are coupled together by carbon-carbon, carbon-oxygen or carbon-hydrogen bonds. Oxidizers chop these bonds and break the molecule into smaller compounds. This continues until only carbon dioxide and water are left.
Since the process happens at the photocatalyst surface, and the oxidizers quickly expend their energy, photocatalytic air purification is safer than existing ozone-based oxidation systems. Only the ultraviolet bulb needs replacing, about once a year, so maintenance costs on these air cleaners are low.
This is an exciting area, with new science and improved products almost daily. There are even photocat lightbulbs and paints that eat pollution.
Photocatalytic air purifiers are the air cleaning machines of the future.
Click for the web’s best air-purifier-power.com Air Purifier Reviews
The Author, Ed Sherbenou, is an experienced air purifier user, with 40 years of direct experience due to chemical sensitivity and severe allergies. He writes indoor air quality articles, posts blogs, and maintains a leading air purification website:
Refinishing your hardwood floors yourself can be time consuming and a bit scary at first but well worth it in the long run. It can cost a bundle to hire a professional to refinish your floors for you, but if you have the time, you can do it yourself.
The most difficult part is learning to run the sander. Many people are afraid of ruining their floors, and you can really damage a floor if you do not take care in the sanding.
Sanding is fairly easy if you pay attention and the finish does not take as long to dry as you might have been led to believe. You can rent a sander from your local Home Depot or hardware supply store. You’ll need a drum sander, a belt sander or both. They will explain to you how to use the machine and tell you what kind of sand paper to purchase. They will also tell you what kind of stain and finish to get. Make sure you also pick up some dust masks because you will have saw dust everywhere.
The key to a good floor finish is the surface, so the most important thing when learning how to run the sander is getting a feel for the equipment. Sanders are not as hard to use as you think. They are loud and messy, but fairly easy to operate. Just keep the sander in motion at all times. Moving the sander in a constant motion will reduce the risk of damaging your floor. Equate it to using an iron on your clothes – if you stop in 1 spot too long you’ll burn a hole. The sander is similar since it creates a lot of heat, keeping it in 1 spot can burn or dent your floor.
The sander is a self propelling machine so it is easy to move, but you do need to keep in control of it at all times. Retain a firm grip on it when you power it up and you will get the hang of it after a few passes. You might even think it’s fun!
Once you have removed to old finish by sanding, of course, you will need to apply the new finish. First you will apply a stain (if you want a stain – some folks like to leave their floors natural) and then the finish to protect the floor. There are basically two types of floor finishes: one is oil-based and the other is water-based polyurethane. Furthermore, oil is broken down into a semi-gloss, gloss or satin. Satin is a good choice for a hardwood floor because it hides small flaws and lets the natural beauty of the wood show without a bright shine. An oil based finish will give your floor a warm amber glow. A water based finish will dry quicker and keep from yellowing.
Make sure you let each coat thoroughly dry before applying the next. Follow the manufacturers instructions on the finish before you occupy the room again. Usually you can move your furniture back in after about 24 hours.
Don’t be overwhelmed. Just take it one step at a time and you’ll soon have a beautiful new hardwood floor.
Lee Dobbins is a contributing writer for home improvement resources such as refinishing-hardwood-floors.com” target=”_blank Refinishing-Hardwood-Floors.com. Visit our site and learn more about refinishing-hardwood-floors.com/Sanding-A-Hardwood-Floor.html” target=”_blank sanding hardwood floors.
