// BLOG
Laying cement concrete floor guidelines
March 15, 2012
When choosing to insert cement-concrete flooring in your new property, there are generally two methods of doing it which are:
- 1) Laying concrete floor with strips
- 2) Laying concrete floor without strips
The first method is recommended for inexperienced builders and/ or complicated ground work. In the first method, the steps are as follows:
1. Laying Concrete Floor with strips
- Step 1) Preparation of the base cement coat consisting of a ratio of 1 part cement to 8 parts fine sand to 16 parts brick blast (brick blast being broken red bricks) or in the case of the base coat having to be poured on top of compacted earth, the base coat will consist of 1 part cement to 4 parts fine sand to 8 parts brick blast. The cement base coat is poured until it has a depth of 100 mm. The cement base layer has been made.
- Step 2) The floor area is divided into suitable panels using strips as a guide. The thickness of the strips should be equal to the thickness of the floor coated with cement i.e. 100 mm. Note that the length of the panels should not exceed 2 metres and that the area of each panel should not exceed 2 square metres to maintain floor pattern consistency.
- Step 3) Next, the cement concrete is poured into the panels and when the panel is full, it is levelled off. The cement middle layer has been made.
- Step 4) A wooden float is used to smooth and even the surface of this newly compacted cement middle layer. (See Fig.1 for what a wooden float looks like.)
Fig.1 Pic of a wooden float
- Step 5) More cement is placed on this compacted middle layer to make the top layer. The top surface is made smooth with a wooden float.
- Step 6) The top layer coat is examined closely to see if it is even and level using a straight edge. Note: Ensure that the strips are not damaged by labourers while laying concrete. Also ensure that the tops of the strips are clearly visible clearly after finishing with the cement slurry.
- Step 7) The new floor is left to dry for at least 10 days.
2. Laying Concrete Floor without Strips
- Step 1) Preparation of the base cement coat consisting of a ratio of 1 part cement to 8 parts fine sand to 16 parts brick blast (brick blast being broken red bricks) or in the case of the base coat having to be poured on top of compacted earth, the base coat will consist of 1 part cement to 4 parts fine sand to 8 parts brick blast. The cement base coat is poured until it has a depth of 100 mm. The cement base layer has been made.
- Step 2) The floor area is divided into suitable panels using screeds as a guide (a screed is a flat board, see fig.2). The thickness of the strips should be equal to the thickness of the floor coated with cement i.e. 100 mm. Note that the length of the panels should not exceed 2 metres and that the area of each panel should not exceed 2 square metres to maintain floor pattern consistency.
Fig. 2) Builder with wooden screed
- Step 3) Next, the cement concrete is poured into the panels and when the panel is full, it is levelled off. The cement middle layer has been made.
- Step 4) A wooden float is used to smooth and even the surface of this newly compacted cement middle layer.
- Step 5) More cement is placed on this compacted middle layer to make the top layer. The top surface is made smooth with a wooden float.
- Step 6) The top layer coat is examined closely to see if it is even and level using a straight edge.
- Step 7) In the next day, the screed is removed.
- Step
Any damaged caused by the removal of the screed is repaired. - Step 9) The panels are cleaned.
- Step 10) Pour cement into any remaining panels. Note: Ensure that the panels are not damaged by labourers while laying concrete. Also ensure that the panels are clearly visible clearly after finishing with the cement slurry.
- Step 7) The new floor is left to dry for at least 10 days.
How to Repair Ceilings and Walls
March 6, 2012
Before carrying out any redecorating, such as painting or papering, ceilings and walls must be in near-perfect condition if the best results are to be achieved, as any defects will show through. This means filling any cracks, holes or other imperfections to leave a smooth surface. Fortunately, there is an excellent range of products for making good those defects.
Filling cracks
A general-purpose filler can be used for the majority of cracks in ceilings and walls. This comes ready-mixed in tubs or as a powder tor mixing with water. The filler is simply applied with a filling or putty knife, pressing it into the cracks and smoothing it flush with the surface. Some cracks need enlarging slightly to give the filler something to grip; fine cracks can be filled with special hairline crack filler.
Normal fillers are quite adequate if you are papering the ceiling or wall, but for paint, a fine surface filler is better. Most fillers take a short while to dry, after which they can be sanded flush with the surrounding surface. Instant fillers set very quickly and are good for last-minute minor repairs while you are actually painting or papering.
Most of these fillers are equally as suitable for wood as for plaster – provided the wood is to be painted – so all your crack and small hole filling can be done in one go, using the same material. For cracks between two different materials, for example the wall plaster and timber architrave (trim) moulding around a door, use a flexible filler. This will absorb the inevitable movement between the two materials without opening up.
Filling holes
Small holes, especially those left by screws, can be filled in the same way as cracks. Cut off any protruding wall plugs or, better still, remove them altogether so that you can obtain a smooth finish.
Larger holes are more of a problem. The kind of hole left by removing a waste pipe from a wall can be made good with do-it-yourself repair plaster, which can usually be applied in layers up to 50mm (2in) thick. Smaller recesses up to 20mm deep can be treated with a special deep-gap filler, while really deep cavities can be filled with an expanding foam filler. Once set, this can be cut and sanded smooth, then painted or papered over. If an area of plaster has fallen off the wall, use a repair plaster, levelling it with the surrounding sound plaster with a straight length of wood.
For larger areas, nail timber battens (furring strips) to the wall to act as guides for your timber straightedge.
How to Decorate Your Dining Room Windows
March 5, 2012
Always consider the window, the style of the room, and the view when choosing a window treatment. Most decorators agree, no treatment is the best treatment of all. If you don’t need to cover your windows for privacy, but want to soften this area of the room, swags or valances might be perfect. Other options range from simple blinds, shutters or shades to full drapery treatments.
What’s the difference between curtains and draperies? Curtains are usually less formal than draperies. Curtains hang from poles or simple curtain rods. Draperies are usually made of heavier fabric and hang from poles and brackets or tracks, and are pulled back, or opened and closed by a rod or pull-cord system. Keep in mind that ready-made draperies are much less expensive than custom-made treatments. Therefore, if you have standard-size windows, you might want to con-sider a plain treatment such as sheer white panels, which are sure to look good. You can always go back and customize later. Without getting too carried away with every type of fabric treatment available, consider the following options for the dining room.
Fabric
A fabric treatment is the most popular way to surround a window with color, soften a room and turn an ugly duckling into a swan. The right treatment can make windows taller, smaller, wider, less obtrusive or grander than they are. Window treatments can be made from many different fabrics. The fabric you choose for your window treatments can set the mood for the room. If you have windows of different sizes or styles in the room, treating them all the same way will bring everything into harmony.
Floor-to-ceiling draperies
Good for tall windows or a large expanse of window area. These draperies should be lined as sunlight will fade colors in a fabric fairly quickly.
Swags and jabots
The fabric drapes across the top of the window frame and down each side in soft folds. This is a nice way to frame a window with a pretty view and a good use of a printed fabric where you want a touch of color or pattern. The fabric might match the wallpaper or seat cushions, creating an accent around the windows.
Cafe curtains
A valance and half curtains to the sill are often found in country dining rooms. This type of treatment evokes a casual, informal feeling.
Tiebacks
Curtains made to cover the entire expanse of window when closed can be pulled back gracefully with a tieback and hooked to the window frame. A tieback can be made from the same fabric as the curtain or a contrasting fabric. It can also be a silk cord or wide ribbon. If you use sheer panels, for example, you can tie them back with fabric used elsewhere in the room or with a solid-color fabric to match the walls.
Fabric Shades
A more tailored approach might be a no-frills fabric shade. One style that I particularly like is the Roman shade, especially made of natural linen. A balloon shade is another option that is quite popular. It is made with cording running through vertical lengths of ring tape that raises and lowers the shade, which usually just covers the window area. The Roman shade rises in tailored, flat pleats, while the balloon shade is more billowy and rises in scalloped poufs. These types of shades are offered in standard sizes and limited but tasteful fabrics through mail-order catalogs. This is an excellent way to have a custom look without the expense. Of course, any of the above can be made to order from your selected fabric through fabric shops and showrooms with decorating/workroom services.
Shutters
We often see shuttered windows on older homes. This is because the casement around the window is deep enough to accommodate the space needed to hold the shutters when opened. Shutters can be solid or louvered. You have the option of covering the lower portion of the window for privacy and adding a valance over the top portion of the window for softening. Or, you can have two sets of shutters or full shutters that fit over the entire window, depending on its size. For nonstandard windows, the shutters would have to be custom-made and costly. Standard-size shutters are available through mail-order catalogs and home centers.
Blinds
Blinds are made of wood, metal, vinyl or stiff fabric. When miniblinds were first introduced, they were extremely popular. They are still a good solution when you want privacy, light control and minimal coverage.
Wooden blinds are currently in vogue. These are not like the old Venetian blinds your grandmother had in her house. These are sleek and sophisticated and come in decorator colors (although white, beige and natural wood tones are still the best-looking), as well as different widths from mini to 2 inches. You also have your choice of different colors for the tape that runs down the front of each side if you want contrast. Go with the same color as your walls for blinds and tape.
Vertical blinds look like they belong in an office. However, like horizontal blinds, these come in a full range of finishes and textures. They offer the ultimate in light and privacy control.
Shades
Pleated fabric shades offer another option for the dining room. Introduced to this country from the Netherlands in the 1970s, they are quite popular for a crisp, carefree, stylish look. A 6-foot fabric shade stacks to under 3 inches, making it a practical treatment where you want to allow for maximum light. The permanent pleats come in 1- and 1 5/8-inch widths.
This type of shade is a can’t-go-wrong solution to covering windows with a streamlined, good-looking treatment. In fact, when you first move in, measure every window in the house, take these measurements to a home center and order them for all the rooms. In this way your home will have a unified look on the outside and even if you decide to add valances, curtains, drapes or other treatments, this will not be money wasted. It’s a good beginning or an end. At a later date you have the option of adding a valance or drapery treatment. If you’re moving into a house, not an apartment, the outside of your house will look better if every window is treated the same.
How to Repair Cracks and Holes in Floors
February 29, 2012
Before laying a new floorcovering, it is essential that the existing floor surface is sound and smooth. As well as repairing or replacing floorboards, you may have to fill cracks and holes in wooden floors, and deal with unevenness, and possibly damp, in solid floors. Any faults not rectified will eventually show through the floor covering and may damage it.
Filling holes in timber floors
Nail and screw holes can easily be plugged using a flexible wood filler applied with a filling or putty knife. If the floorboards are to be left exposed and treated with a clear sealer, try to match the wood filler, or stopping, to the color of the surrounding floorboards – so do the filling after any sanding.
Larger recesses can also be filled with flexible filler, but if a knot has fallen out, leaving a large round hole, plug this by gluing in a short length of dowel and planing it smooth afterwards. Select a dowel that matches the color of the floor or stain it once planed down.
Filling cracks in timber floors
You will find two main kinds of crack in timber floors: splits in the ends of the floorboards and gaps between the boards.
A split can often be cured by skew (toe) nailing – that is driving two nails through the end of the board at an angle toward the centre and down into the joist. As the nails are driven in, they should close up the split.
Gaps between floorboards are more difficult to deal with. If they are narrow, flexible wood filler will work, but for wider gaps, you must cut slivers of wood and glue them into place in the gaps. Once the glue has dried, plane or sand the slivers flush with the surrounding floor and stain to match if necessary.
If there are lots of wide gaps between floorboards, a better solution is to lift all the floorboards one by one, starting at one side of the room and working toward the other, and re-lay them tightly against one another. Floorboard clamps will help you do this, as they force a board against its neighbour while you nail or screw it down.
Levelling a wooden floor
Individual rough patches on a timber floor can be sanded down by hand, which you should do after using filler, but where floorboards have become cupped or are heavily encrusted with old paint, grease and polish, the best move is to hire an industrial-type sanding machine and re-sand the floor. Begin with coarse abrasive and progress through to the fine grades, working across the floorboards at an angle. Finish off by working along the floorboards with fine abrasive. Hire an edging sander as well, unless you own a belt sander, because the floor sander will not sand right up to the skirting boards.
Tips for Dealing with Damp and Condensation
February 28, 2012
This can ruin decorations, destroy floor coverings, damage walls and plaster, and cause woodwork to rot, so it is important not only to treat the symptoms, but also to track down the causes. These could vary from rain coming in through the roof or walls, condensation, moisture being absorbed through the ground or a mixture of these.
Penetrating damp
This is caused by moisture getting in from the outside, often because of wear and tear to the structure of your home, but it may also affect solid walls that are subjected to strong driving rain. The first sign of penetrating damp appears after a heavy downpour and can occur almost anywhere, although it may be some distance from the actual leak; mould often forms directly behind where the problem lies.
Causes of penetrating damp
- Damp on ceilings upstairs may be caused by broken or loose roof tiles, or damaged copings.
- Damp on a ceiling spreading from a chimney breast (fireplace projection) or rooflight, under the junction of two pitched roofs, or in corners that adjoin a single-storey extension, is usually caused by flashing that has parted company with masonry, or cracked and crumbling mortar fillets.
- When damp patches are high up on an upstairs wall, look for blocked, defective gutters or downpipes and a build-up of leaves.
- With widespread damp on a wall, look for cracked or porous bricks.
- Isolated damp patches on walls are caused by crumbling pointing and cracked or blown patches of render (large damp patches), or mortar-encrusted wall ties (small spots).
- Rotten woodwork and damp patches around door and window frames are caused by gaps between masonry and frames, missing weatherboard or a drip groove encrusted with paint or moss.
Condensation
When warm, moist air reaches a cold surface, such as a wall exposed to icy winter winds or ceramic tiles, the result is condensation. It is most likely to occur in bathrooms and kitchens where the main activities are bathing, washing and cooking. Controlling condensation requires a fine balance between good ventilation and adequate heating, but while the modern home is warm, it is also well insulated and draughtproofed, so the level of ventilation is often poor. The key to success is to provide sufficient ventilation, without allowing expensive heat to escape.
Is it damp or condensation?
If you are not sure if a moisture problem is due to condensation or damp, lay a piece of aluminium foil over the patch, seal the edges with adhesive tape and leave it for 48 hours. Condensation will cause beads of moisture to appear on the surface of the foil; penetrating or rising damp will produce beads of moisture underneath the foil.