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Revamping your Poolside Area

Written by Wicker Paradise

With the summer time just around the corner, it might be the time to give your poolside area a facelift. The coming of the warmer days would bring in more opportunity to spend time outdoors along with the perfect temperature for a swim. The tips below might be useful in achieving an outdoor area makeover.

Plants

It might seem simple to plant flowers and trees around an area but the truth is that a certain harmony and color combination would need to be respected. Choosing just about any plant will not do. For instance, to create a tropical look around the poolside, plants such as palms and bird of paradise can be used. For a more modern and sharp look, cacti of different shapes and height can be planted.

Furniture

All weather wicker patio furniture made out of resins are great for the outdoors. They also convey a modern and elegant look to the poolside area. These types of furniture have the benefit of being very resistant to the element and other factors such as the pool water. These type of furniture thrive in humid environments.

Cushions

You could simply offer a facelift to your poolside just by going for a change in cushions. Outdoor furniture cushions are better chosen in durable and fast-drying materials as they would be in a highly humid place. Vibrant colors such as turquoise or yellow are great for the poolside. However, colors such as white will yield a timeless elegance.

Wicker Paradise specializes in wicker and resin patio furniture that are resistant to humidity and sunlight.

Four Items Every Poolside Patio Requires

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Having a pool can be a huge selling point for your home in the future, as well as a gathering place for your family in the present. A nicely kept pool area is attractive and inviting. It’s also safer, without a lot of clutter to trip people up. Some states even make it illegal to keep a cluttered pool area or maintain a backyard without fences.

Furniture

Every patio needs good furniture to make the ambiance complete. Lounges made of wicker tend to stand up well to all four seasons, and they resist sun fading too. Grab some extra cushions for padding to lounge about all day. It’s a good idea to have an umbrella, with stand, if you don’t have natural trees or brush providing shade and coverage.

Storage

With all of your extra cushions and accessories, you’ll want some decent storage to keep everything neat. A large plastic crate will usually do the trick, and they styled to look modern as well. These crates snap shut, and they are large enough to store everything from pool supplies to cushions and toys.

Fencing

Fencing is a good safety precaution to take, especially if you have small children in the home. Fencing protects these children from accidental drowning by falling into the pool. Plus, you can easily separate your backyard grass area from the pool.

Doors

A new sliding glass door can let the light into your living room while providing access to the backyard. A wider doorway is an excellent upgrade for home owners who like to barbecue, especially if you shuttle plates of food in and outside frequently.

Bio: ETO Doors is a custom door manufacturer with showrooms in Los Angeles and New York. ETO Doors offers its entire selection online, and you can read ETO Doors reviews from real customers.

Make Sure You Have the Right Tools for Your Pool

Article Written By : Viv Artificial Grass

If you’re thinking about installing a pool, you have a lot to look forward to. There will be great times with that pool and definitely one of the best ways to cool off. However, you probably also know there will be some work involved too. You’re going to need to maintain it in a number of ways, for one thing. It will also mean making sure people stay safe around it.

You probably know this though. That’s to be expected. What most people don’t know is that having the right power tools handy is important too. Perhaps you already have the right Powerbuilt or Kawasaki tools for the job. Powerbuilt tools make some that are especially handy for pools.

In any case, so long as you have DIY credentials, make sure you have some tools ready for jobs that involve your pool. Whether it’s handling minor issues or fixing potential emergencies, you can’t be too careful when an investment as big as a pool is on the line. The right tools will make all the difference.

How to Choose Quality Construction Materials

Choose quality materials that will remain reliable for a lifetime.

When designing a commercial construction project, the quality of materials can affect everything from cost to life span. The building owner will also expect the construction to use materials that he specifies, and will not look favorably upon overages and delays. How a project manager balances this key aspect of construction will determine the outcome of the project. Here are some tips for choosing quality materials.

Find Multiple Suppliers

The first hurdle to overcome is your supplier. Different suppliers will offer competitive pricing on whatever their specialty may be. They have suppliers of their own that they order from, and these suppliers offer different prices and projections for delivery. That’s why it’s crucial to talk with suppliers early and give them a time frame for your project. You not only need a competitive price, you need the timing to be right as well.

Invoice Everything

Create a paper trail for every aspect of the project. One of the first things a construction claims consultant reviews during a dispute is paperwork verifying all of the orders, and that they were delivered on time as specified.

Verify Materials

Upon arrival, verify that everything you ordered arrives to you as specified. If you’re in doubt about something serious, hire an expert. A steel fabrication expert can be called in to verify the integrity of steel, to be sure that your materials will last the specified time. It’s better to pay for that reassurance now than the legal repercussions of failed steel down the road.

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: Lyle Charles is a steel fabrication expert witness for construction litigation. Contact Lyle Charles Consulting if you require construction mediation, or assistance settling a construction dispute.

Article Written by : Home Interior Advices

Swimming pools as your next home improvement project

Article written by : Your Home Improvement Place

If you have a swimming pool in your back yard, why not try to make the most of it for you and your whole family to enjoy? If you have spare time, tend to your swimming pool. Aside from the know how, you’re also going to need a few tools in your tool shed for you to be able to pull off such an ambitious project. Snap-on air compressorand a snap-on pressure washer and a host of other swimming pool tools for cleaning, maintenance and improvement are necessary and indispensable if you want to have a really good result of your project. Depending on the size of your pool, you might need a couple of extra hands to help you out with cleaning pool filters, changing out your water, or adding chlorine to your pool to make sure that your pool water would be usable for quite a while. Pool maintenance can be expensive, so if you can do it yourself and do a good job at it as well, then do it. This way you can save hundreds of dollars, and you’ll end up being more knowledgeable too with swimming pools and pool maintenance. If you are ever going to need the services of contractors, you wouldn’t be tricked into spending more than you actually have to anymore. Other than that, the sheer fulfillment and joy that you can get from personally doing a job well done will definitely make you one proud swimming pool owner.

The Many Uses of Flexible Polyurethane Foam

Written by: Foam Factory, Inc.

Global consumption of polyurethane is overwhelmingly related to foam products. Polyurethane is flexible, but can also be made rigid as well. This flexibility allows a wide range of foam products, which also helps to drive down the costs of manufacturing in some sectors. Foam lining provides insulation in refrigerators, or as part of thermal insulation for construction projects. Foam is even cut and shaped for a variety of applications. Read on for some of the popular uses engineers have found for foam products.

Foam for Bedding

Custom cushions are useful for those who want to refurbish outdoor furniture. The trend is to buy attractive pieces from garage sales that need some work. Typically, new owners will sand and repaint something. Then they cut foam cushions to fit the size. This approach is also good for refinishing boating cushions, or for adding some extra padding to beds and pillows.

Print Industry

The printing industry uses rollers to feed paper through presses. Foam is used to make elastomers, which have a texture not unlike rubber. These rollers help the presses function efficiently and produce several projects in a matter of minutes.

Soundproofing Materials

The density of foam panels makes for excellent soundproofing. Foam with a higher density can absorb bass, and other sound, so it makes for excellent insulation in clubs and sound booths as well. Recording artists require sound deadening foam to reduce the echo in a room for music production, and home theater enthusiasts appreciate the better sound quality foam brings to the room. Acoustic foam panels also help reduce the noise output for neighbors, so enthusiasts enjoy louder sound without disrupting the neighborhood.

Foam is also hardened, like plastic, and used as bezels for electronic instruments.

Straps and Bands

Foam itself is not used, rather a compound similar to elastomers is produced. It comes out like a rubber band, flexible and stretchable.  It’s also highly resilient and able to stretch and bend to immense pressure.

Other Uses

Flexible polyurethane foam is useful in sculptures as well. Modern day plaster pieces that are mass produced often have a foam structure below the plaster. The seats of cars often have a flexible piece of foam just below the cloth or leather covering, and polyurethane chemicals are often used to help shape car seats. The biggest advantage to using polyurethane, besides its cheap cost, is the ability to do so much with so little. This product is one of the most versatile materials used in modern manufacturing.

Stylish Ideas for Fencing Your Pool

Article written by : Wa Paint – Home Improvement News, Resources and Tips

Whether you’re installing a new swimming pool or simply upgrading an old one, your pool is most probably the centerpiece of your backyard, the place where family and friends gather to have some fun in the sun. For this reason, the pool is the perfect place for a surrounding landscape with lush trees and plenty of flowers.

Although your pool area is a great place for landscaping and decorating, don’t forget that you also need a fence. A pool fence is the responsible way to protect children and adults from drowning in your pool or spa. In fact, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s national Pool safety campaign reinforces installing a fence pool as one of its many safety steps. But just because you need a fence, it doesn’t mean it should take anything away from the beauty of the landscape.

There are many stylish pool fence ideas designed for safety as well as aesthetic purposes. Enhance your pool area with these tasteful fencing ideas that create a safe environment for the whole family.
Frameless Glass Fencing: What better way to fence your pool without sacrificing style than installing a frameless glass fence? Virtually indivisible, a frameless glass fence is the perfect addition to a sleek minimalist-style pool area.

A frameless glass fence is flexible and versatile. It can be installed nearly anywhere, including sloping sites. It can be deck mounted or core drilled into concrete or paving. The gates are hung directly on glass, which means you don’t have to add unsightly posts. A frameless glass fence is also easy to maintain. Water and dust can flow under the glass, which reduces the accumulation of trash and grime. Maintaining the fence simply requires routine cleaning of the glass.

Combination fencing: If you don’t want purely frameless fencing options, consider combination fencing. This option is more affordable than frameless glass fencing, but still offers a sleek look that can be tailored to fit your landscaping needs. Combination fencing comes with a variety of choices, which means the final product will be unique. The glass fencing portion of the fence can be used to maintain a beautiful view and also to block wind and noise.

In addition to fencing options, you can also consider glass for the swimming pool walls. Glass swimming pool walls lets in natural light, widens small areas, and offers a sleek and modern look. The final design is up to you.

When to Hire a Construction Consultant

Summary: A construction consultant is useful for commercial construction projects.

A construction consultant fulfills an important role, but hiring one isn’t viable for every project. You won’t need a consultant when you make an addition to your home, but something that will take longer than a month to coordinate will require outside help. There are several advantages to securing a consultant, so hiring one should be considered before you begin commercial projects.

 

Planning Phase

Construction advisory services excel at helping companies plan large projects. Their job is to assess the personnel, materials and needs on the ground to develop a plan that all parties can agree to. They take into account weather and other factors that affect your project, and they have suggestions on methods to reduce costs as well.

Consultants can handle everything from materials acquisition to claims analysis during disputes. Those who are experienced can also act as expert witnesses, able to testify to the conditions on the ground after a thorough review of a dispute.

Mediation and Disputes

A construction consultant can also act as the mediator in a dispute that arises during a construction project. Their knowledge in the field of construction makes them ideal parties to help find a resolution for professional disputes, as they can accurately assess the level of fault attributed to both parties.

They can also testify to the quality of materials used, which is important in disputes that arise after projects are completed. Faulty steel doesn’t show signs of wear until a few years after the project is closed out, so witnesses are needed to verify whether the degradation of materials is natural.

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Lyle Charles is a construction consultant with experience in steel fabrication. Consult Lyle Charles to make your commercial construction project more efficient.

Selecting the Right Cleaning Agent for Your Artificial Grass

This article was written by Artificial Turf Supply Commercial & Residential Division.

After investing time and money on an artificial grass installation, you want to make sure that your lawn lasts for years. And it will as long as you perform some basic maintenance and care for your turf properly. This can include using cleaners to remove stains, gum or pet waste materials from your artificial turf lawn. However, using the wrong cleaner can damage your lawn and potentially void your warranty.

Here are some things to keep in mind when selecting a cleaning agent for your artificial turf lawn:

Never use harsh chemicals on your artificial turf lawn. Harsh acid or alcohol-based cleaning agents aren’t recommended for use with artificial grass. They can simply be too powerful and cause permanent damage to your lawn. Specifically, they can cause the blades of grass to become weak, leading them to break and not stand up correctly.

Rinse thoroughly after any cleaning. Even after using a mild cleaning agent such as laundry detergent, it’s still important to rinse your lawn completely with water. You’ll want to rinse it enough so that the detergent passes through the infill and goes all the way down into the ground.

Don’t use rough brushes or cloths when cleaning your lawn. A rough material can fray the blades of grass over time. Instead, choose a soft brush or cloth and gently clean the lawn to remove stains or perform basic cleaning.

A good rule of thumb is to consult the installation manual provided when you purchased your artificial turf. This will give you information about what the manufacturer recommends for cleaning your lawn.

Artificial Turf Supply Commercial & Residential Division can help you find the perfect artificial grass for your business or residential property. Visit their website to browse through their large selection of synthetic grass and to read advice on installing and caring for your turf lawn.

Swimming Pool Noise Control Solutions

Written by : Home and Gardens

Indoor pool construction should consider acoustic cancelling solutions to control noise from dives and from people inside. Apart from that, materials and the architecture should be designed to reduce reverberation or echo. Solution to these acoustic problems includes the following;

Baffles and banners

When you can’t alter existing building structures and make them soundproof internally within the walls, the easiest way to solve noise and echo is to install fabric or acoustic baffles and clouds on the ceiling. These are used mostly on open lobbies, malls, and parking spaces and indoor gyms. Economical and artistic, it also improves speech intelligibility and reduces sound levels on high noise decibel areas.

Acoustic Foams

Acoustic foam panels are used as sound barrier in commercial and residential structures. Carlo Badalamenti of The Foam Factory recommends neoprene sheets as sound deadening foam solutions in between walls, ceilings and even on floors. It’s commonly used in multi-layered construction schemes and can be designed to various shapes and thickness. Acoustic foam manufacturer like Canada Foam by Mail can deliver custom sizes for any architectural requirements.

Wall Panels

Acoustic wall panels are flexible materials that you can install on existing room walls. These can come in planks or sheets and can be applied on curved walls in an auditorium, gym or indoor swimming pool walls to reduce sound reverberation. Effective and versatile solution, most interior architects use this on existing structures that needs to be remodeled. For residential structures, home owners who want to sound proof rooms can make use of wall panels to absorb and control outside noise.

For sound proofing solutions, you can check out Canada Foam by Mail products for both residential and commercial needs. They can supply acoustic foams in different shapes, thickness and bass absorbent grades.

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