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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

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.

Swimming Pool Accessories

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Swimming Pool Accessories

Swimming Pool Accessories

There are many Swimming Pool Accessories and will take too long to list all of them out here, i will list a few out to give you a rough idea of the essential things you can get. They vary between the ones you need ot maintain and keep your pool looking good and the fun stuff, like waterfalls, games etc.

Important Swimming Pool Accessories

Pool Heater
This is a fantastic accessory that allows you to use the pool during those cold days and nights. Swimming around in a warmed pool is a fantastic feeling and its not something i can do without anymore

Pool Chlorinators
Another important peice of kit you should have is a pool chlorinator. It disperses chloring througout the pool over a period of time and keeps your pool safe and clean for use.

Fun Swimming Pool Accessories

Lounger
What is a pool without a floating lounger to let you soak up the sun and enjoy the water as well. To me a lounger is one of the must have swimming pool accessories and ive spent hours floating around on reading and soaking up the sun.

Swimming Pool Slides
Having a slide is a must have if you have young kids who can really enjoy. It is a lot of fun and they will spend hours and hours on it.

Waterfall
These can be a little expensive and might not always go with the design of your pool but having one can will mean you can have that very relaxing sound of water all the time.

Game Posts
Two posts on either side of your swimming pool which lets you setup a net for various games like vollyball and the like.

If your are planning on building a pool, take the cost of these swimming pool accessories into account when you are budgeting.

Swimming Pool Designs

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While the specific shapes and sizes of your pool will vary from others, there are some basic types of pool designs that are available. I have listed a few here in order for you to get a better idea of what might interest you.

Swimming Pool Designs Basics

Before you go and add the ultimate luxury to your house which is the swimming pool, there are some things you need to go regardless of whether you are going the diy route or getting it a pool construction company to do it for you. Nowadays there are different options and different packages available at every level so it is important to understand the fundamentals of the swimming pool designs available on the market today.

Above ground vs Inground Pool

The first consideration is whether you want to build yourself an above ground pool or an inground pool. Everyone knows that inground pools are a lot more high end and look a lot snazzier than the above ground variety. However your choice can depend on some factors. Firstly there is the matter of supply, you may be on a waiting to list to get an inground pool as they can take sometime to build and usually the orders are backed up over a period of time. The other is your environment, does your backyard or where it is you’re putting your pool lend itself to above ground or inground? Some backyards are slanted or have a setup where an above ground pool can look very much like an inground pool. That way you could spend the difference in cost on either decking or other accessories.

Swimming Pool Designs – Inground

In ground pools are usually made from the following materials: concrete, vinyl, or fiberglass. Each material has distinct advantages and disadvantages and you need to carefully consider which one would benefit you the most based on the following factors.

(1) Concrete is by far the most versatile and durable of the materials, making it the most popular for new pool.s Concrete pools are also the most difficult and time-consuming to install as concrete has to be laid and cured which can take time.

(2) Vinyl uses a vinyl lining on top of a steel frame. Vinyl is almost as versatile as concrete, but you will need to take greater care is needed to prevent the lining from getting punctured and/or damaged. It is generally cheaper and easier to install than concrete and wont take anyway near as long to complete.

(3) Fiberglass is a prefabricated shell. It is the cheapest and easiest to install. It is more durable than the vinyl, but less versatile and the designs are usually pre-made and kept according to the molds available.

Either way talk to local vendors and scope out the setup in your area. The costs of the above materials might make the difference as certain materials are cheaper in certain areas.

Swimming Pool Designs – Above Ground

The primary choice for above ground pools is whether your pool should be soft-shelled or hard-shelled. Soft-sided pools are much cheaper, but also end up being much less durable. These pools are a better idea for homeowners who want to provide their kids with a pool and an occasional soak, but probably won’t want to keep their pool installation for the long term and don’t consider it an integral part of their home. Hard-sided pools can range in price and longevity to match a your needs. With a quality deck installation, they can rival in ground pools for luxury and appeal and the snazziness we are all looking for.

You may hear that an above ground pool is harder to maintain than an inground pool. This is absolute nonsense. The problems most homeowners have with their above ground pools is that they are skimping on the filter and pump installations, along with the materials. Even the cheapest swimming pools deserve a quality filter and cleaning system to ensure the required maintenance and repair is kept to an absolute minimum.

High End Swimming Pool Designs

The Higher end of the spectrum when it comes to swimming pools can be designed to meet any personal preference for luxury or backyard ambiance. The first step in custom swimming pool design is to design an organic shape that is pleasing to the eye and blends into the dimensions of your yard, making it a work of art. The pool and spa combination can get pricey but will certainly streamline the cost of installing them separately. Waterfalls are the epitome of creating a backyard oasis and can be easily connected to a swimming pool design to give that exotic look to your backyard. Anything you can imagine that would be associated with a swimming pool can be incorporated into the design so you can achieve the pool of your dreams.

Some Example Swimming Pool Designs

While the specific shapes and sizes of your pool will vary from others, there are some basic types of pool designs that are available. I have listed a few here in order for you to get a better idea of what might interest you.

Swimming Pool Designs

Backyard Fun
Boulder Falls

Boulder Falls
Swimming Pool Designs

Entertainer

Fountain-Fun

Fountain Fun

Garden

Garden

Islander

Islander

Lagoon

Lagoon

Mediterranean

Mediterranean

Tropicana

Tropicana

I hope you found this article on swimming pool designs helpful, before you get into the nitty gritty of signing up for a pool i suggest you read this book to get the maximum out of your pool purchase. Trust me you will save a lot of money.

Swimming Pool Games

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Always be sensible when playing in or near a swimming pool or water and supervision by a responsible person is recommended. The swimming pool games listed here should only be played in purpose built swimming pools and by those who are able to swim without assistance. This is just ensure that nobody gets hurt as can sometimes happen when playing in or near a swimming pool

List of Swimming Pool Games

Categories
One person is chosen to be the leader and goes to the opposite side of the pool to the other players. The leader then chooses a cate

Swimming Pool Games

Swimming Pool Games

gory (eg cars, colours, food, ice cream, drinks, etc) and tells the other players, who have to choose their answer/s to that category. The leader can either get out the pool or put their head under water in order not to hear what answers the other players are choosing.

When the players have chosen their answer the leader has to try and guess the other players choices. If they get it right the player (or players if several have the same answer) have to race to the opposite side of the pool while the leader races to the players side of the pool. If the leader wins they remain the leader, but if they loose the person who won the race becomes a new leader. All players must be touching the side of the pool before racing.

Chicken
Nominate someone to be the leader, who then has to do something funny like a funny walk or an impression of someone, then they jump into the pool anyway they want. The other players then have to follow and copy what the leader did. If they get part of it wrong they get given a C of the word CHICKEN. This happens each time until they have collected all the letters that spell CHICKEN.

Players can also decide to chicken out on a particular go to avoid getting a letter. But show that they have chickened out by doing the chicken dance, say “Bok, Bok” and then jump in the pool. Players may only chicken out 5 times.

You can make the game easy, medium, or hard:-

EASY- Players don’t have to do it exact and can chicken out as many times as you want.
MEDIUM- Players have to copy the main idea and can chicken out 5 times.
HARD- Players have to copy the leaders movements exactly and can only chicken out 2 times.

Colors (Colours)
One person is chosen to be ‘it’ (the catcher) gets out and faces away from the pool. All the remaining players in the pool chose a color. The catcher continues to face away from the pool and asks “Do you have your colors?” and if players answer they do the catcher then starts calling out various colors. When a player’s color is called they have to try and swim across the pool quietly without being heard. The catcher if they hear a player moving can then turn around and try and tag them before they reach the safety of the other side of the pool. You can use different categories like cars, flowers, etc…

Make out Tag
Simple game of Tag (or IT), but players have to be tagged underwater. If you tag somebody you have to kiss them.

Get players to partner up. Players try and swim in pairs with one half doing the arm movements while the other half of the pair holds onto their partner and does the leg movement. Best tried in the shallow end.

Play as in Stuck in the Mud’, with one or two players being nominated to capture the others. Once a player is caught they have to go to the shallow end the stay there until they are set free by a player, who has not yet been caught, swimming through their legs.

Sharks
Effectively a swimming pool version of tag or ‘it’, One or two people become sharks with the objective of catching the other players who are in the water. Players are not allowed to leave the water. Once a person is caught they either stand or sit on the side of pool.

Swimming Pool Games Set 2

Simon says swim
1 person says,
“Simon says jump!” – players have to jump
“Simon says leap into water!” – players have to leap into water
“Simon says swim front crawl!” – players have to swim front crawl
“Simons says get an inflatable and swim around for a minute”
Do these in any order

[You could probably do this using any set of commands that are safe to play. ‘Simon Says’ is typically played so that any instruction preceded by the words “Simon says” are obeyed, if not you are out. However, if an instruction is given without Simon says being given, this instruction should not be obeyed, otherwise you are out.]

Stations
Play as NEWS but include nautical terms like:

“port”, – Left

“starboard”, – Right

“stern”, – Back

“bow”. – Front

“Shark” All get out of the water.

“Pirates” All jump in again

WaterPolo
Best played in the shallow end, unless your group is made up of strong swimmers! Play across the width of the pool with two targets, such as floatation board set on end, set up as goals at either side. (or proper goals if they happen to be handy). Rules can be improvised, but to simplify:

  • Once a player holds the ball they cannot move, either they must try to score a goal or throw the ball to another player. All other players are free to move, but must remain in the water (including goal keepers).
  • Play is continuous. Except if the ball goes onto the poolside where it is handed to the nearest ‘goalkeeper’ as a goal throw.
  • Once a goal is scored the ball is given to the referee to be thrown into the middle as a `toss up’ between teams, or it can be given to the goal keeper of the side the goal was against.

Races
Remember to keep the courses safe and use your own common sense, such as use of the shallow end for swimmers who are not confident in the water. Possible races can include

  • Obstacle courses… include things such as swimming through hoops, pushing a ball through the water. Swimming underwater, retrieving objects from the bottom of the pool, etc. But
  • Distance under water,
  • Time under water, etc.

Diving Games
Retrieving items eg set of keys, coins, diving bricks Going through weighted hoops (if available)
Distance you can swim under water Amount of time you can hold your breath underwater.

I hope you enjoy these swimming pool games i listed, i will add more as time goes on