High-Quality Timber Makes a Big Difference in any Home Improvement

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There is just something extra special about good wood. There’s nothing like the smell of a stack of fine, fresh timber ready to be used for a hardwood floor. Then there is the visual appeal, as wood is easy on the eyes. The lines and colours in natural wood are impossible to beat. Nature is the greatest artist. Even the sound of wood makes it appealing. When you walk or knock on wood, it is musical. For home improvement, plenty of fine timber gives your work a natural and cosy feel.

Also working with wood is a pleasure – the decking, the mouldings, joists and studs. There is nothing like the smell of a fresh-cut board ready to be set in its place. Wood is incredibly versatile, as it can be shaped at the work site according to need. But there is more to wood-working than just the aesthetic appeal and its versatility.

Quality Counts

When preparing to use timber for home improvement, it is important to focus first on the type and grade of the wood you plan to use. If you just go with the cheapest and softest wood, you might save some money at first. Later, though, you will regret your choice.

Things like durability and resistance to insects and rotting are very important, especially when improving your home. Do you really want to put up cheap wood siding on the exterior of your home, only to see it rot or be consumed by termites? Don’t cut corners when choosing timber for your home. Quality counts.

Wood Characteristics Differ According to Type, Species and Preparation

Let’s go back to the wood floor example. What type of wood should you choose? Of course, you want something durable, but durability has two factors involved. First is the hardness, that is, the resistance to knocks and dents. The second is stability, which is the wood’s ability to resist warping or bending. Wood’s resistance to moisture and temperature changes depends not only on the type of wood, but also on how the wood is treated and prepared after being harvested.

For example, red oak, maple and hickory are very hard woods, but they are prone to warping. Even a difference in wood species can make a difference. Black cherry wood is more stable than Brazilian cherry – but Brazilian is significantly harder.

But cost matters, you say? Of course it does. That’s why there are great alternatives like engineered hardwood. This is when a thin layer of the high-quality wood is bonded to layers of less expensive wood underneath. This actually can be more stable than using pure hickory, and you still have a layer of beautiful hickory on top to resist bumps and scratches.

A reliable timber merchant can be very helpful here in choosing wood types and combinations.

Summary

Go with wood whenever possible when refurbishing your home. The visual appeal can’t be beat. Wood is versatile, and there are many options in types, colour and preparation that can beautifully fit any home improvement need.

RESOURCE BOX

The author enjoys woodwork. He did plenty of research when putting in his hardwood floor. The best timber merchants Slough has to offer have a lot of know-how when it comes to choosing the best timber for each particular job.

Spruce Up Your Homes with Vintage Industrial Furnishings

A home’s personality depends on the home furnishings that are placed in each and every room. The same house can either look cold, new, warm, or lived in – you can change the atmosphere in an instance through home décor. This is why it’s extremely important to choose items that complement and blend well with each other. Décor that doesn’t fit in with one another can just become an eyesore and make a room look disconcerted and tasteless.

One interior furnishing fad that has won over many homeowners’ hearts is vintage industrial furnishing. It takes the best parts out of vintage Victorian design and metallic industrial décor and blends them together to form a unique, yet easy to match theme. This decorating style strangely goes well with each and every room of the house. If you look at showrooms on sites like www.unicheinteriorfurnishings.co.uk, you’ll see that there are items for every room, from the living room, to the bathroom, and even your patio. So how can your home benefit from the effects of vintage industrial furnishing?

First off, vintage industrial pieces can warm up any room. This is especially beneficial to rooms like the living room, which need to be comfortable and inviting for your guests. You don’t have to go all out with these furnishings – a carefully chosen side table or shelf will do if you’re not too sure about this fad yet. While industrial pieces can actually make a room appear colder and more business-like, when it is mixed with vintage elements, it can make a place look comfortable, yet edgy. They make for great conversation pieces as well; there’s no denying that your neighbors and friends will want to talk about your furnishing, which look like replicas of post-war memorabilia.

The dining room is another part of your house which could use a bit of personality. More often than not, people think of the dining room as a utilitarian room and don’t do a lot of decorating in this part of the house, unless they’re used to entertaining guests often. On any normal day, people are used to just buzzing around the dining room, eating and then leaving. There’s usually no time to stop and appreciate any decoration and design theme that this room might have. However, there’s no harm in possibly buying a vintage industrial dining set. The materials commonly used in making tables from unicheinteriorfurnishings.co.uk and other vintage industrial décor stores are extremely durable. Also, the shabby and rugged look this décor brings can be very beneficial to families with kids. Children are always prone to spilling, breaking and vandalizing things. The vintage industrial look is not about neatness, so grooves, blotches and cracks on your dining set won’t look so out of place.

It only takes one or two vintage industrial furniture pieces to completely turn a room around. A bare-looking bathroom can look alive with a vintage industrial cabinet or mirror. Your patio will never look plain again when it’s decorated with vintage industrial stools and replica signs. There’s no harm browsing through online stores that sell these quaint pieces – you might just find something that’s perfect for your style and preference.

Author Bio - Denzel Zurich is a renowned collector of vintage industrial furnishing and replicas of post war memorabilia. He frequents auction sites in search for exquisite finds, and is an avid follower of reputable manufacturers and distributors of vintage industrial décor like http://www.unicheinteriorfurnishings.co.uk.

Are Your Business Energy Costs Driving You up the Wall?

If like many owners of small and medium businesses you're being driven up the wall by escalating energy costs, you can do something about it. While energy companies seem to have a license to print money, you can easily switch supplier and reduce your costs considerably. If you haven’t already done so, get a price comparison today and then act on it.

Get a slice of the action

Since the beginning of the global recession and the banking crisis the only growth industry has been energy coast and bankers’ bonuses. If the graph above is indicative of your energy costs versus your business turnover and income, isn't it about time you did something to buck the trend. If you have thought about doing something but not sure what, all you need do is an online business electricity prices comparison at a website such as the Energy Advice Line.

You can either enter details onto a web form about your current costs and tariff and then click a submit button, or make a free phone call and speak to a real person. With domestic consumers able to make savings as much as £400 pounds a year on a dual fuel tariff reduction think what your business could save over a year, year on year. In a stroke you could reverse the trend of the green line which would seriously impact positively on the black line of the graph.

Money to burn?

If you have money to burn then you probably aren't too bothered about making the switch to a new energy supplier however, if you're like the hundreds of thousands of small and medium (SME) businesses up and down the UK which is struggling to keep overheads down, as the owner you're probably well interested. Of course, you can ring round all the energy suppliers and ask about their tariffs yourself, but wouldn’t it be easier to use a price comparison company?

Switching supplier is a simple process and you won’t get burned in the process. The entire operation can be carried out in a very short time and you don't have to do anything, it is all dealt with remotely on your behalf. The only thing you'll notice is a reduction in your energy bills when they arrive, and will continue to save you money as long as you remain on the new tariff.

Shopping around

Of course you do not have to remain on the tariff if you find something at a later date which is cheaper. You may have to stick out a contracted period but unless your supplier will reduce their tariff if you find a cheaper alternative via a business electricity prices comparison you are free to change to take advantage.

Just use the services of a website like the Energy Advice Line and you can save hundreds and maybe thousands of pounds a year depending on your usage. And for the sake of a free phone call that has got to be the best investment strategy of the year.

Create a Stylish Home but without the Huge Price Tag

Online Shopping

Online shopping is now big business, millions of us order our groceries, clothing and electrical items online, having them delivered directly to our door. There may be some things, however, that we have not considered shopping online for.

Shopping online for homeware is a great idea; you may be surprised at the deals available. Well known companies such as Mahahome which have been established for years selling big name brands from High Street stores now sell online. Cheap homewares delivered directly to your door, convenient and cost effective.

Choice
You may have noticed when shopping for groceries, that there is a wider choice of items available online than in your local store (unless you live near one of the 'super' stores). Buying online allows you more choice; it is easier to compare like for like and see the whole range. Your chosen item can be shipped directly to you without the hassle of tracking down the store which has your chosen item in stock.

High Street discount stores often sell very cheap versions of brand name homewares but these are very low quality and purchasing such items is often a false economy. They are cheap because they tend to be poorly manufactured compared to the real brand and made from cheaper materials. They will not last long and you will have to replace them very quickly. Brand items may cost a little more but they are a much better investment and may even last you a lifetime.

Quality
You won't find high quality brand names such as Meyer, Bodum and Brabantia in discount stores but they are worth a little extra for their quality. Before heading straight out for your nearest department store, however, why not have a look online and see if you can get a bargain.

Kitchen accessories in particular can really 'make a room'. You don't always need to change the tiles, buy new units or redecorate to cheer up ailing kitchen decor. Some new coffee mugs or storage jars, skillfully displayed can work almost like a complete makeover.

Kettles, toasters, coffee makers etc, now come in matching sets and are yet another way to liven up your kitchen. This option is certainly cheaper than getting the decorators in.

There is no getting away from the fact that some kitchen appliances are simply expensive and this is particularly true for food processors. A good quality, brand name food processor will likely cost you in excess of 100 so you will want to get the best deal possible. Shop online for huge discounts on such items.

As well as the aesthetic aspect of fashionable and high quality homeware, sometimes they are purely functional. Items such as bakeware are not something you would put on display but are essential to your kitchen nevertheless. Again, these items are often available in discount stores on the high street but due to their inferior quality, they are unlikely to last.

A good quality cake tin and/or baking tray, well looked after will last you many years. The same is true of saucepans. When it comes to these items, don't buy low quality, look for good quality at low prices by shopping online.

AUTHOR BIO

Anna Mathews writes regularly on home improvements for a range of interior design websites and blogs. "Stylish interiors and accessories don't need to cost the earth, shop online for good deals and cheap homewares".