Maintenance Guidelines for Colorbond Roofs

Maintenance Guidelines for Colorbond Roofs

All homes need maintenance of some kind to keep their value throughout the years. If you don’t maintain your property you will find that when you want to sell it, the price you had hoped for may not be there. Meanwhile, your home is going to pieces around your ears and a big storm could well bring it crashing down.

The roof is one of the most important parts of the home, but unfortunately it is also one of the most neglected, mainly because getting up on it is beyond many people. They either don’t have the agility any more, or they don’t have the time, or the right equipment. This need not be a problem; there are many professionals out there who can do the job.

The cost of having your roof inspected for damage is much smaller than the cost of replacing the ceilings or the frame that has rotted due to leaks that were not found in time. It is also cheaper than having to replace a roof that suddenly blew off in a storm because the screws holding it on were rusted and no one knew.

Maintenance for Colorbond roofing is not difficult. You simply have to keep sticks and debris such as leaf litter off it and check the screws to make sure they are not rusted. If there is a build up of mould or moss on it, this should be cleaned off after wetting, with a soft bristle brush such as  a household broom – not a straw broom, though.

(more…)

How To Compare The Different Soil Types Available For Your Landscape Garden

How To Compare The Different Soil Types Available For Your Landscape Garden

Whilst landscape designers have excellent skills when it comes to designing the layout of a landscaped garden, their knowledge also extends to matters related to horticulture. By that, we are talking about them knowing which plants are suitable within a design and the best conditions for each one.

If they did not have that knowledge, whilst they might initially create a great-looking garden, it would fail due to plants not growing, lawns looking discoloured due to poor drainage, and any other problems that can occur in gardens. Thankfully, most landscapers are reputable and will ensure any landscape design they create will produce a park that is an aesthetic joy and that everything that grows within that garden will thrive.

A garden that thrives is only possible if the soil within it is suitable for the plants that grow there, which brings us to one of those specific areas of knowledge that landscapers have. It is essential to know the types of soil within a garden and, where necessary, what soil needs to be added to allow the plants that are planned for it to have the best chances of thriving.

Although we cannot cover every possibility, we have highlighted below some soil types you might find in your garden and their various facets. This should allow you to compare them to ascertain which suits your garden and your plans.

(more…)

10 Landscaping Tips For Those Who Live In Dry Climates

10 Landscaping Tips For Those Who Live In Dry Climates

One thing that anyone who loves gardening, and landscaping, in particular, knows is that the climate they live in, and the prevailing weather can have a huge impact, both positive and negative, upon your activities. Too cold, and your plants are at risk of being attacked by frost. Too wet and they can literally drown. Too hot and dry and they can wither through lack of the life-giving water and moisture they need.

If you’re a expert on landscaping in Australia, it is likely the latter of those three scenarios that you are facing most often. Whilst we Aussies like to boast to those from overseas about our sunny weather and how we love spending much of our life on the beach, having the baking sun and intense heat for most of the year-round, which some states have, is not something that most landscapers will be thankful for.

It means the work and the maintenance you need to do to ensure your flowers, shrubs and grasses remain healthy, is increased enormously. No doubt you have often wondered if there is an easier way to look after the plants which grow within your landscaping designed garden. Whilst we cannot do much about the hot sun and dry days, we do have 10 great tips that should help.

Tip #1 – Do Some Research: If you want to do landscaping in a part of the country where rainfall is minimal then research the sort of plants that are well known to thrive or at least survive well in those hot and dry conditions. You can ask Adelaide Building Supplies on advice for what materials suit dry climates.

(more…)

Tips On Using Small Kitchen Space Effectively

Tips On Using Small Kitchen Space Effectively

A small kitchen affects not only the style but also the function of a kitchen. The kitchen is the most essential part of our home, and a properly designed kitchen can make a big difference to the interior of a complete house. Many small changes can make a big difference.

So, to help you with your small kitchen, here we are sharing some tips from the kitchen experts at kitchenprofessionals who can make your small kitchen look spacious and beautiful.

  • Use Small Appliances

As you have less space in your kitchen, buy the appliances accordingly. Don’t buy unnecessarily big appliances; it will not affect the style and function of your kitchen. In a market, you will quickly get smaller appliances. So buy one which suits your requirements best.

  • Single-Bowl Sink

I understand that a double-bowl sink is more comfortable than a single-bowl sink, but using a single-bowl sink saves almost a foot of space. Different sinks are available, so buy one stylish single-bowl sink, and you are one step closer to your small yet elegant kitchen.

(more…)

10 Factors That Create Shade Sails Damage And How To Counter Them

If there is one description that shade sails cannot be labelled with it is fragile. In truth, if you were to ask most people who have shade sails they would describe them as robust, durable, and strong. However, despite shade sails being invariably reliable, they are not invincible. In other words, there are some factors that, if they were to exist, could compromise shade sails and their durability.

Some of these factors occur naturally, others are due to their owners making mistakes, and a lack of care and maintenance of the shade sails is also a major issue. The results can include shade sails looking grubby, them becoming damaged, and ultimately the need to replace shade sails arises long before they would normally have needed replacing, especially if certain preventive measures had been taken.

To know what some of these preventative and remedial actions are, you must first know what damaging factors they address, and so, to ensure that you do know them, based on the advice from the professionals at One Shade, we have outlined ten of the most commonly occurring ones below.

(more…)

The Effect of Weather on Outdoor Furniture

The Effect of Weather on Outdoor Furniture

It may seem obvious that outdoor furniture should stand up to the weather. After all, you don’t want the hard job of carrying it out and back in every time it is to be used. And unless it can stay outside all the time, you will end up not wanting to use it at all because the job is so onerous. If the furniture is to be located on a grassy area it is even more important that it is weatherproof.

When something heavy is left on grass it will sink in and reach the soil underneath, which is often quite damp. This will rot the legs of most timber furniture, because even if it is painted, that constant wear on the base of the legs will soon penetrate the paint and the moisture will seep up into the inside of the wood. The end result will be the paint is compromised and the timber will rot from the ground up.

At least, this is what happens with softwoods, especially anything left untreated. However, certain hardwood decking will stay strong and in their natural state for many years even though they are outside in the weather. Think of all those heavy beams used for piers or boat masts. They get wet all the time, but they last for many years. Boat wood furniture is therefore ideal for any external design or renovation that needs furniture.

(more…)

5 Myths About Epoxy Floor Coatings

5 Myths About Epoxy Floor Coatings

If you have been researching floor coatings you will undoubtedly have come across some information relating to epoxy floor coatings, and if you haven’t, well you have now. Whilst there are plenty of excellent posts and articles about epoxy floor coatings, there is also a fair amount of misinformation.

We are not suggesting that any of it deliberately trying to mislead people, but instead, it comes from misunderstandings, and also from hearing, and then repeating myths about epoxy floors. So, to help those who are looking for facts about epoxy floors we thought it was only right to call out those myths and explain why they are simply not true.

Myth #1: Epoxy Floors Are Slippery

This is one of the most common myths you will hear about epoxy floors, and it no doubt arises due to the smooth and shiny surface which epoxy floors have. Contrary to the myth, most epoxy floors are slip-resistant, and there are even specific epoxy coatings that have tiny, raised bumps that prevent slipping or skidding for floors in locations where slips and falls are a particular hazard, such as hospitals, and manufacturing units.

(more…)

Why Your Carpet May Need Dry Shampooing

Why Your Carpet May Need Dry Shampooing

The two primary ways to clean carpets are steam cleaning and dry shampooing. Neither name describes the cleaning action correctly. Professional carpet cleaners often use steam cleaning, with chemicals sprayed onto the carpet and hot water injected into the rug. Usually, a rinse cycle is done. The machine then extracts most moisture so the carpet dries quickly, at least in less than 24 hours.

But dry shampooing is not dry; it uses less water and chemicals, but the residue of shampoo and chemicals dries quickly. Dirt sticks to it, so it must be vacuumed out the next day by the homeowner. Since less water is used, the carpet will dry in a few hours. Even though the professional carpet cleaning method is not quite as good as steam cleaning, there are times when choosing a professional service, such as commercial cleaners, is better.

  • After you have finished renovating and want to get the dust and grunge out of the carpet.
  • If you expect visitors the next day and realise the carpet looks grubby.
  • You’ve had tradespeople in and forgot to cover the carpet.
  • You’ve had a party, and the carpet got sloshed as well.
  • You need to freshen the carpet up but don’t have time to wait for it to dry.

(more…)

How to Choose a Colour Scheme For Your New Home

How to Choose a Colour Scheme For Your New Home

Colour is a big part of design, whether you’re getting a new landscape design or doing an internal renovation, it can seem a bit overwhelming to choose a colour palette for the whole house. Having the same neutral colours for every room is what you find in rentals. When it comes to your own home, you want something a little more distinctive and up-market than that.  Here are some tips on how to choose colours that go well together without being bland and boring.

  • Walk through the home with a pen and paper and jot down which other parts of the home can be seen from each room. This will ensure the colours chosen for each room will go well together with the colours that can be seen from there. Using a rough sketch of the floor plan is an easy way to keep track of it. It is not only the adjoining rooms that may be seen but places like the hall through to the kitchen.
  • Choose a colour for the room that is the biggest and most central to the whole house. Feeling stressed? Choose a soft, neutral hue for this room and that will make it easier to choose colours for the other rooms. But if you love colour and want to have at least one room painted in bold colours, start from that room. Then looking out from that room, choose somewhat softer colours for the rooms or spaces you can see from there. That’s not to say you can’t use bold colours next to each other, but there is an element of risk in doing so. You don’t want the colours to clash.
    (more…)

How to Remove Stains from the Carpet

How to Remove Stains from the Carpet

Spills happen in most households and if you have carpet, along with pets or toddlers it is highly likely that you will eventually get a spill of something on the carpet. Even adults can spill things such as wine or coffee. It only takes a moment of inattention and the deed it done. It is what happens afterwards that is important. Treating the spill properly will hopefully remove the stain. Simply blotting it will only remove moisture and leave the stain there, so when it is time to move and then when the removalists are gone you will be left with very hard to remove stains.

To treat a stain on the carpet it is important to know what caused the stain and what type of carpet you have. The first is usually easier to identify than the second, especially if you are renting. However, no matter what type of carpet you have, it is important to mop up that spill as soon as possible. Mopping it up properly will prevent it from spreading and may even stop it from penetrating to the under-felt, which will make the job done by Carpet Cleaning Scarborough easier later on.

How to remove the moisture

First up, blot the stain with paper towelling or a white towel. Do not scrub or rub the area as this will damage the carpet fibres and spread the stain. Even when blotting, surround the edges of the spill with the paper towel and press towards the centre to keep it contained. Continue to press with clean sheets of paper until most the moisture has come out. There will still be a stain, especially if what spilled has deep colour, like wine or coffee.

(more…)