Nail Care Tips & Advice

Homes are our precious property – to have a home for oneself is a goal many people aim for in life, even from childhood. After making a home for oneself and the family, it needs to be kept clean and well maintained. Most people don’t pay much attention to their roof until rain or melting snow starts to leak through it—then it needs some Improvement action. But if you periodically inspect the roof carefully, you can correct minor problems before they become serious enough to cause damage.

Be familiar with the structure of the roof is the first step toward diagnosing possible problem. A typical roof begins with a framework of rafters which supports a roof deck consisting of sheathing and underlayment. The roof deck, in turn, provides a nailing base for the roof surface material. Though the type of roof deck used can vary depending on the roof surface material, most decks have both sheathing and underlayment. The surface of the roof is often broken by angles and protruisions,all of which require weatherproo- fing—usually provided by the flashing. Made from malleable metal or plastic, flash-ing appears as the drip edge along the eaves and rakes of a roof, the collars around ventilation and plumbing pipes, the valleys between two roof planes,and the “steps” along a chimney or domer.

The second step is to inspect your roof periodically. Begin an inspection in the attic, using a strong flashlight, a thin screwdriver, a knife, and a piece of chalk to examine the ridge beam, rafters, and sheathing. Look for water stains, dark-colored areas of wet wood, moisture, and soft spots that may indicate dry rot. Mark the wet spots with chalk so you can find them easily later on.When you examine the roof from outdoors,evaluate the condition of the roof structure, surface material, flashings, eaves, and gutters.To check the roof structure,stand back from the house and look at the lines of the ridge and rafters. The ridge line should be perfectly horizontal, and  the line of the rafters, which you can assess by looking along the planeof each roof section,should be straight. If either sags, call in a professional contractor —you may have a structural problem.

Madera Floors provides professional quality wood flooring services including installation, sanding, refinishing, repairs, maintenance, and custom design. At Madera, we only use the highest quality materials/finishes and are always up to date on technological advancements in the wood floor industry. We target contractors, designers, corporate clients, and homeowners in the Northern VA, MD and D.C. areas. Madera’s goal is to meet our client’s budget and timeline while exceeding expectations, thus resulting in repeat business.

Madera Floors specializes in custom finishing, installations and material sourcing for all of your hardwood flooring needs. As flooring contractors, we are always abreast of new techniques and materials in the industry, which allows us to grow while remaining environmentally friendly. As a certified CMP installer we can also perform self-leveling concrete installations. Every project represents our organization; hence our great strides to achieve perfection on each individual project.

Hardwood floors are an investment that will last for a long time with the proper installation and care. There are different modes of installation for engineered wood strips, solid wood strips, and parquet. With all modes of installation moisture testing is imperative to ensure proper installation. Installation can be a painstaking process but we take pride in leaving your home or business looking as beautiful as we found it. Our expert technicians have seen every situation and are proficient in the three different types of installation for hardwood flooring.

Nail Down/Staple Installation In this method we nail down or staple solid or engineered wood strips to the sub-flooring (usually either plywood or plank wood). The floor is done with random length strips. A few strips are placed down and arranged prior to fastening to ensure proper placement and tautness.Glue Down Installation In this method we glue down engineered wood strips or parquet directly to the sub-floor. In these cases the subfloor is usually concrete, so we pay extra attention to moisture.

With glue down installations, it is important to consider any kind of allergies and sensitivities to smell. We use an acrylic based glue which is more mild than some of the other options. Glue down installations can be walked on the next day and furniture can also be moved in.

Floating Installation In this method we glue together the tongue and groove of every plank and the floor floats over a foam cushioned padding. If the flooring has a locking system we can lock the pieces together without glue. This can be used with either laminate or engineered wood floor, but either way the flooring is pre-finished. Not all engineered surfaces can be floated. Floating installation can also be placed over sub-flooring of questionable quality unlike the other two modes. Also, floating floors are a great option if you have multiple layers of flooring and do not want to remove them all. With floating installation the wear layer is important to consider as the thicker the layer the more times it can be refinished. Generally, laminate flooring gives a hollow feeling underfoot with this mode of installation. Remember that floating floors expand and contract as a unit because the pieces are fused together. Allow for as much expansion area as possible.

Refinishing and sanding your hardwood floors is necessary to preserve their quality and beauty. Any refinishing is done solely to enhance the woods natural color and protect it from the elements. The best time to sand and refinish your hardwood floors is when you move into a new house or apartment as all of the furniture, rugs, etc. need to be removed from the area during the process. Proper refinishing should last about 10 years. However, high traffic rooms will need to be done more often.

Pre-finished Hardwood Floors These are the new main stream products in hardwood flooring. They can be acrylic impregnated, engineered, or solid. They have a tough factory finish, which is the main reason for its popularity. They are also extremely easy to install and eliminate the need for messy sanding. Most pre-finished floors done within the last ten years are urethane finished. Test this by placing a couple drops of water on an obscure area. If the area turns white after 15 minutes, you have a waxed finish. Older floors are likely to have shellac or varnish finishes. Unfortunately these do not work well with the newer urethane finishes and must be completely removed if you want a urethane finish. There is also likely to be some amount of aluminum oxide in the newer prefinished floors.

 Unfinished Hardwood This type of flooring comes in solid and engineered, and both must be job site finished. They come in varying lengths and widths. Sanding and finishing can take anywhere from a few days to a week depending on size, stain, and number of top finish coats. Generally the finishes are oil or water based. Our first priority is to protect the beauty of your home so whether you have finished or unfinished floors, we section off other areas and furniture to prevent sanding dust from spreading throughout your home. Our expert technicians also use dust containment systems to limit the amount of dust in the air. And with refinishing, it is important to have as little air flow as possible in the area as airborne particles can become embedded into the newly applied finish. Something as simple as foot traffic or turning on the air conditioner/heating system can kick up dust. So it is better to allow more time to dry to avoid problem areas in your floors.

Many things can happen to a floor over the years. Termites, cable holes, leaky roofs, sink overflows, cats, dogs and reconfigured spaces can leave holes or very odd-looking stains in your hardwood. All is not lost!

Boards can be replaced in such a way that no one will be able to tell that new wood has been added to the floors. When replacing boards, we take care to lace the new boards in with the old ones, so there is not a square or rectangle shape where the boards have been replaced.Other precautions are taken to match up the wood as best as possible. As wood ages, it darkens. This is why we purchase reclaimed wood in various sizes and species. If aged wood is not available for your floor, we take care to stain the boards that we are replacing to match the color of your existing floor as close as possible.

Custom Wood Floors are a medium of specialty floor coverings that includes, but not limited to these Types of Custom Wood Floors: Accents, Borders, Domestic Species, Exotic Species, Feature Strip, Inlays, Marquetry, Mixed Media, Medallions & Crest, Painted or stenciled, Parquet, Parquetry, Plank, Reclaimed & Recovered,Distressed, Specialty Products, Stained-Tinted or Colors Developed during the middle ages in Europe, elaborate designs, borders, inlays & medallions were crafted for significant buildings such as castles, & monasteries. Today these wood flooring styles are reflected in the modern day manufacturing and can be enhanced with something as simple as a strip border around the perimeter of the room or as ornate as a coat of arms in a foyer or a great room. Using exotic woods from around the world, these custom designs & patterns can add to and become the center focal point of any room. Giving each room a Custom-one-of-a-kind wood floor. Custom designs can give a homeowner a “one-of-a-kind” floor and is a wonderful way to put your personality and individual character in a home. The choices of pattern, design, exotic woods sources and an artistic flare can provide a limitless number of possibilities.

Floors with oil and urethane-type finishes are extremely durable. With just minimal care your floor will look beautiful for years to come. The key to preserving your floor is protecting its finish. Hardwood floors require minimal care, but it is important that you provide regular care.

Visit us online at: www.maderafloors.com

Visit our blog at: www.maderafloors.blogspot.com

Thanks

Madera Floors. Fairfax, VA.

“A thing of beauty is a joy forever”. Perhaps this famous line from the poetry of John Keats motivates us to go to a salon. Salon may be a place which makes us look beautiful, but what about the beauty of salon itself? Actually, beauty of a salon lies in its interior arrangement. Beautifully carved salon furniture, manicure tables, accessory carts etc; all of these items induce a magical beauty in the aura of any salon. Designing salon furniture is an exclusive art of creativity.

Furniture designed exclusively for a salon does not only beautify it, but also enable its owners to arrange various equipments and items in a systematically organized fashion. Stylish accessory carts and color racks can be used for arranging different items in a systematic manner. A dashing reception desk is the primary requisite for any salon. Stylish and fashionable reception desk is designed in accordance with the dimensions of a salon. Moreover, the shape, size, color and design of the reception desk should be in compliance with the overall interior design of the salon. Designer shelves, sofa sets and other interior decoration items should also be carefully chosen.

Although, reception desk, racks and accessory carts are some of the necessary items, but the most important furniture in a salon are the chairs on which various procedures and operations are carried out. Technician chairs, pedicure chair and manicure table are the essential furniture required for efficiently handling a salon. Special emphasis should be given on the design of a technician chair; as it should provide the desired level of comfort to any technician; else there may be a decline in the efficiency of various procedures. Pedicure chairs should be selected in accordance with the requirement of the salon. The features required in pedicure chairs and the number of chairs needed, solely depend upon the requirement of the business. Stylish manicure tables add to the beauty of any salon. The shape and style of the manicure tables should be in compliance with other interior items.

Designing of salon furniture requires enormous amount of thought process and efforts. Desired result is achieved only when all the pieces of salon furniture are complementary to each other. A systematic arrangement of all the furniture items and the optimum utilization of the interior space, are the two important specifications which cannot be undermined. In conclusion, it can be said that the beauty of a salon lies in its exclusively designed furniture. In true sense, designing of salon furniture is a creative art of imagination.

Are your bathroom wall tiles rather dated? Does your shower cubicle lack sparkle? Grubby grout lines in your kitchen? In these credit crunchy times you can still decorate with ease when you “do it yourself”.

Plastic wall tile panels offer a quick and easy solution to your tiling problems.

You don’t have to chip off your old ceramic wall tiles or call in a professional tiler.

Plastic tile panels can quickly cover whole wall areas. They can be cut with scissors or a craft knife to go around sink fittings or sockets giving a very professional finish.

Plastic tile panels offer a hard, glazed surface with fully glazed edges providing a neat finish to walls and window sills; they can even be bent around outside corners. The high gloss finish of some tiles come in a range of colours – plain, marble, metallic and stone effects which complement all of the current bathroom and kitchen trends. They are easy to clean – simply wipe them with a damp cloth or you can use warm water with soap / a detergent, then rinse and wipe dry. No scouring powders or any other abrasives should ever be used on plastic.

These tiles are usually made of polystyrene or vinyl plastic, sold under many brand names. Polystyrene plastic (such as Bakelite polystyrene, Catalin Luxtred, Plexon M, Styron) is not damaged by water, oil, alcohol, vinegar, or the usual household acids. Cleaning fluids, gasoline, nail polish and polish remover, and oil from lemon / orange peel will damage them. Vinyl plastic (such as Vinylite, Saran, Geon, Marvinol, Ultron, and Monsanto vinyl butryol) is tough. Ordinary household chemicals will not harm them and they resist damage from acid, alcohol, food, ink, and dirt; but be careful not to spatter them with moth preparations. Too much heat will softens most plastic so be careful in placing near a heater or oven.

Plastic wall tiles’ insulating backing reduces both condensation and mould growth.

Plastic wall tiles were also used to cover over unsightly plastered or damaged walls.

The tile panels are fixed into place with adhesive and they can then be grouted with a flexible grout and sealer. The job requires no specialist equipment – just a ruler and scissors or craft knife. Are you ready to DIY?

Because the tiles are light weight and flexible they are ideal for boats and caravans where there may be some movement on the walls, and they mould over slightly uneven wall surfaces in the home too.

Small sink splash backs in cloakrooms, baby changing areas, utility rooms and en suites can all be tiled with the panels. Once on the wall they are durable and rigid just like ceramics

If you want a ceiling that lasts for a long time, you can use plastic ceiling tiles. Plastic ceiling tiles are great for added insulation. You may find that your energy consumption decreases considerably when you install them. Plastic is commonly used for insulating windows and doors. So, it can do wonders on ceilings as well.

When choosing tiles, it is important to remember that glazed ceramic wall tiles in kitchens and bathrooms can be particularly difficult to paint due to their very smooth, non-porous surface.

Considering materials, labour and finish, plastic wall tiles are are less expensive than other alternatives.

You can go to your nearest DIY shop for advice on plastic tiling. The major UK DIY stores are Focus DIY, Wickes etc. It may be cheaper to buy plastic wall tiles online. There is plenty of free advice and “how to’s” available via google.com and youtube.com . There are also online forums such as ultimatehandyman.co.uk

The elegant look of a hardwood floor can add warmth and character to any room in a home. The natural characteristics of wood add depth and a visual appearance that many other types of floors try to duplicate. With the demand for hardwood flooring growing manufacturer’s are enhancing their ranges to meet this demand, with better quality finishes and superior construction techniques.

Hardwood floors come in a wide variety of wood species, colours and widths. Besides the classic hardwoods (like red oak, white oak, maple and ash) many manufacturers now offer exotic hardwood species from all over the World. Exotic hardwoods give homeowners the chance to better express their own personal decorating tastes with a more unique looking floor. With so many different types of hardwood flooring now available it is sometime hard to choice which is best suited to you.

Different Types of Wood Flooring

Solid wooden floors are one solid piece of wood that have tongue and groove sides and come in either pre-finished or unfinished styles. Solid wood floors are sensitive to moisture and it is not recommended to install these floors below ground level, or directly over a concrete slab. These floors are for nail-down installations only. You can refinish, or recoat solid wood floors several times, which adds to their appeal and to their long life. There are solid floors that are over 100 years old and are still in good condition.

All solid wood floors will react to the presence of moisture. In the winter heating months, moisture leaves the wood causing the floor to contract which leaves unsightly gaps between each plank. In the summer months when the humidity is higher the wood will expand and the gaps will disappear. If there is too much moisture it may cause the wood planks to cup, or buckle. This is why it is important when installing a solid strip floor to leave the proper expansion area around the perimeter and to acclimatize the wood prior to installation.

Engineered wood floors – These floors are constructed from several wood plies that are glued together. The centre core is generally a softer wood material and is used to make the tongue and groove. A hardwood finish layer is glued on top of the centre core and another softer wood ply is attached underneath the core. This top ply is also called the finish layer and can be constructed of almost any wood specie.

Wood always wants to expand in a certain direction. In the presence of moisture solid wood planks will always expand across the width of the planks, rather than down the length of the boards. To avoid this problem, manufacturers of engineered planks place each ply in the opposite direction of each other. This is called cross-ply construction. Once the wood layers are glued together the plies will counteract each other which will stop the plank from growing or shrinking with changes in the humidity. Engineered wood floors are designed for the floating installation and can be glued together or some now come with a click system.

Veneer wood floors are very similar to laminate floors. The only difference is that with a veneer flooring to top wear layer is a thin piece or real hardwood instead of a photographic image as in laminates. Veneer flooring is usually around 8mm in thickness with the top hardwood layer being around 0.7mm. Advantages of a veneer floors are that they are fast and easy to install and you have a real hardwood floor.

Factory Pre-finished Wood Flooring

Most factory finished hardwood floors have several coats of finish applied to the wood’s surface. As example, many wood floor companies are applying 6-10 coats of a ultra-violet (UV) cured urethane. This would be extremely difficult for someone to duplicate on a job site finish, not to mention how many days it would take. This is one of the reasons why many flooring mechanics, flooring retailers, and builders are pushing pre-finished hardwood floors. Instead of taking several days to install and finish a new hardwood floor a pre-finished hardwood floor is generally done in one day.

The most common finishes are:

UV-cured – Factory finishes that are cured with Ultra Violet lights versus heat.

Polyurethane – A clear, tough and durable finish that is applied as a wear layer.

Acrylic-urethane – A slightly different chemical make up than Polyurethane with the same benefits.

Aluminium Oxide – Added to the urethane finish for increased abrasion resistance of the wear layer, which is becoming extremely popular on the better grade wood floors.

Acrylic Impregnated – Acrylic monomers are injected into the cell structure of the wood to give increased hardness and then finished with a wear layer over the wood.

Unfinished Wood Flooring

If you want a custom stained hardwood floor, or a wood floor to match existing trim than a unfinished hardwood floor is your answer. Unfinished means you start with a bare hardwood floor and than the floor is sanded, stained, and finished in the home. This can be quite a mess and the process does take several days, but your floor will have a finish to you requirements.

Installation Options

Nail Down – Secret nails are used with a wood flooring nailer and mallet to attach the flooring to the sub floor. Solid Strip floors or Plank floors can only be installed on wooden sub-floors or on batons.

Glue Down – Engineered wood floors and parquets can be glued down. This is when you spread the recommended glue all over the sub floor and lay the flooring into the glue.

Floating – This is when a thin underlay is placed between the wood flooring and the sub floor. A recommended wood glue is then applied in the tongue and groove of each plank to hold the planks together. Engineered

Everybody wants their carpet to last for a long time and keep looking good but how long a carpet actually lasts for depends upon both the style of carpet that you pick. Frequently asked questions such as those below can be answered simply by speaking to expert flooring advisors either in a store or via internet flooring specialists.

• Is the carpet going in a room with heavy wear (like the stairs or living room) or light wear (such as a spare bedroom)?

• How many people live in the house?

• Have you any children or pets?

All of these factors will affect how much use the carpet gets and therefore how long it is likely to last. Even the shoes you wear around the home or the amount that you vacuum can affect the life of your carpet. Following are a few handy tips and hints on how to prolong the life of your carpet and treat inevitable spillages and stains.

Carpet Care

• Clean the carpet flooring as soon as a stain or a mark appears

• Never Scrub carpets as scrubbing damages the carpet pile, so even if the stain is removed, the carpet will damage and will permanently alter in appearance. Instead, always use a dabbing action or gentle wiping action using absorbent material.

• Use cold water to rinse any spillages out. Heat is used in the dying process to add colour to carpets, if you add hot water to a spill you are actually encouraging the stain to bond permanently with your carpet.

• Soaking your carpet with water may damage the backing. Simply dampen then soak back up with a clean absorbent cloth.

• Never use washing up liquid on your carpet. Detergent stays on the carpet pile and if not rinsed away will gather dirt. (However, if you do use detergent, make sure you rinse the carpet very well.

• There are a number of industry tips and solutions to clean carpets and for the best results a stain should be treated immediately, but always remember to test an inconspicuous piece of carpet prior to giving it a go.

• Inevitably some dirt will accumulate over time and this can cause a carpet to lose its freshness. In such cases I would recommend professional cleaning. Indeed periodic professional cleaning can help prolong the life of your carpet.

Treatment for Individual Stains

• Coffee, tea, red wine, port, sherry, fruit juice and milk

Always soak up the liquid with absorbent tissue, and then dab the area with a clean white cloth, which has been moistened in a solution of diluted carpet shampoo and warm water

• Grease

Using a blunt knife or a spatula, remove as much solid material as possible. Blot up the residue and treat with a dry cleaning liquid, blotting frequently

• Tar

Carefully scrape up the solids with a blunt knife, and then treat the stain with a recognised brand of tar remover, following the instructions carefully

• Urine

Mop up immediately and dab area with a solution of diluted carpet shampoo and one eggcup of white vinegar per pint of solution

• Blood

Always soak up the liquid with absorbent tissue then dab the area with a clean, white cloth. Moistened with cold water. If the stain has been allowed to dry, dissolve with cold water and continue as before. Bloodstains often return. It is not unusual to remove a bloodstain only to find it re-appears later. Blood has a natural capillary action and therefore in very tight spaces (such as between carpet fibres) is drawn upwards. So whilst the blood on the surface of the carpet may have been removed more blood may be trapped deeper in the pile.

• Animal Accidents

Carefully scrape up the solids with a blunt knife, and then dab the area with a clean white cloth moistened with a solution of diluted carpet shampoo and warm water.

• Paint (Oil Based)

Blot spillage with absorbent tissue, and then clean with white spirit. Dab the area with diluted carpet shampoo followed by clean water. Dab until dry.

• Paint (Emulsion)

Blot excess spillage with absorbent tissue then clean the affected area with cold water. Apply diluted carpet shampoo on a clean white cloth, apply clean water and dab dry.

• Chocolate

Carefully scrape off using a blunt knife. Dab the area with a clean white cloth. Moisten in a solution of diluted carpet shampoo and warm water.

• Shoe Polish

Carefully scrape up the solid and clean gently with a dry cleaning fluid. Then use a clean cloth moistened with diluted carpet shampoo to rinse the area

• Chewing Gum

Freeze the gum with a proprietary freezing agent, break up when frozen and remove, repeat as necessary.

• Curry

An extremely difficult stain. Large marks should be treated professionally. With small marks scrape off the deposit and rub lightly with borax solution – (15ml borax to 500ml water). Stubborn stains can sometimes be helped with a little neat glycerine rubbed into the carpet end and left for about 10 minutes. Sponge out and blot dry.

• Felt-tip Pen

Some felt-tip pens have spirit-based ink, some have water based ink. Methylated spirit on a cotton wool bud will remove spirit-based ink which has a pungent smell. Do not allow it to penetrate into a foam backing.

Remember that Methylated spirit may stain a light coloured carpet.

For water-based ink, use a carpet shampoo.

• Ball Point Pen

Speedy action is essential. Dab with methylated spirit on a cotton wool bud. Take care not to spread the stain. On vinyl upholstery or wall coverings, immediately scrub with a nailbrush and warm soapy water (the ink will cause a permanent mark if left)

• Nail Varnish

Spoon up deposit, avoid spreading the stain. Moisten a pad of cotton wool with amyl acetate or acetone 9 non-oily nail varnish remover) and dab onto the affected area. Use only in a well ventilated area

Pi kappa alpha gear, fraternity gifts and pi kappa alpha namasta are easily available in the market. Even pi kappa alpha fluorescent light diffusers, light panels and skypanels are available in various shapes and sizes.

These pi kappa alpha decorative lights are beautiful and adds a soothing effect to the décor of the room in house, clinic or office. It is a unique addition to any interior lighting and keeps the atmosphere calm and pleasant that helps in relaxing the mood of a person when he or she is stressed.

The pi kappa namasta helps in reducing the harsh light that are disturbing to eyes and is a hindrance to concentration. These are perfect for conference rooms, doctor-dental offices, hospitals, care centers, restaurants, kitchen areas, lobbies, cubicles, showrooms, schools veterinary offices, beauty-nail salons and even for grocery stores.

The pi kappa alpha is very easy to install and is done within minutes with only some simple tools available at home or offices and without much effort. To install it you don’t need to call a carpenter or a handyman. You can do it yourself. It is available in the market in standard shapes and sizes that are designed to fit the normal fluorescent fixtures such as 23 ¾ x 47 ¾. The frames can be trimmed with a simple razor knife to make it fit smaller sizes. Since it is made of acrylic so it does not becomes brittle and it does not crack while installing.

Pi kappa alpha fluorescent light panel creates the effect of artwork in homes and provides an instant face-lift in any room either in office or home. The light panels add soothing, satisfying and colorful dimension to fluorescent lighting in a house, office or clinic. These light panels are highly efficient yet available from the market within budget. These are perfect for health and medical communities due to the overall pleasing qualities. In hospitals and medical facilities pi kappa alpha fluorescent light panels are used in relieving patient anxiety. The pi kappa alpha are designed in such a way that light rays are diffused equally through it and gives a pleasant atmosphere in the room.

So, try to brighten up your home and office by using pi kappa alpha decorative fluorescent light panels. Use them inside the rooms and even in lobbies and get rid of dull and yellowing fluorescent light diffusers. The bulbs that are used in the light diffusers provide brightest white backlit effect, full spectrum color-corrected and a beautiful daylight balance.