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Top 7 Tips for Extending the Life of Your Polished Timber Floors

1. Apply felt pads to all furniture.

Self adhesive protective felt pads should be applied to all furniture legs paying particular attention to dining chairs – This is the furniture moved the most frequently and can quickly cause damage. Tip: Rough up the bottom of the chair leg with a piece of sandpaper before applying the felt to assist with a more permanent adhesion.

2. Use appropriate entrance mats.

Rigid spiky plastic entrance mats will assist greatly in removing dirt and grit from the tread of footwear.

3. Vacuum and sweep regularly.

Vacuum your floor regularly to keep it free of grit as it will act like sandpaper under shoes causing unnecessary and accelerated wear in the main traffic areas of your home.

4. Avoid damage from dog claws.

After clipping your dog’s claws, round off the edges with an emery board or piece of fine sandpaper – The sharp edges will leave permanent indented scratches in any polished timber floor whether it is pine or hardwood.

5. Use the correct cleaning products.

Refrain from using supermarket products as they can leave a residual layer that can cause rejection problems at a later stage when a maintenance coat may be required to extend the life of your floor. Use the product manufactures recommendations for your particular floor coating. Tip: Half cup of methylated spirits in half a household bucket of warm water is a neutral cleaning solution suitable to mop any polished floor with periodically.

6. Diffuse direct sunlight.

Intense direct sunlight on an internal polished floor can cause a number of problems:

  • Premature yellowing of the finish.
  • It can dry out the boards in that particular area lowering the moisture content and cause excessive widening of the gaps between the boards.
  • In extreme circumstances it can cup the boards and also cause accelerated deterioration of the coating.

Tip: Use curtains, blinds or tinted glass wherever necessary.

7. Under floor ventilation.

If your home sits on supports and is close to the open earth, or has an enclosed area where moisture is constantly present, ensure there is adequate ventilation to assist in keeping a dry under floor environment as timber floors will absorb moisture from underneath causing the opposite problem of the effects of direct sunlight. Absorbing the moisture from below will cause them to swell and appear convex on top. If this does occur, it will correct itself over time if the ventilation and moisture problem is resolved.

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Different Types of Movers That You Will Need

The amount of stress and burden that you will be taking in during relocation can be determined by your final choice of deciding between full-service movers, self-service movers, or do-it-yourself move. Hiring the services of professional movers can have several advantages against do-it-yourself moves because of their efficiency skills and experience in relocating homes, offices, and corporations within the city or state and across the state and country.

The industry of movers are mainly designed to cater to all kinds of relocating needs of you and your family when relocating from one place to another no matter how big or small your needs might be. Many relocating companies can offer services that should handle all aspects of relocating while some companies can offer only specific aspects of the move. So, to determine which kind of professional movers you should contact and hire to provide you with relocating assistance, it is very important that you are knowledgeable about the level of assistance that you will need.

When we say full-service movers, we refer to companies that can handle all aspects of the move on your behalf. These movers are the most inclusive relocating option that will be available to you. Since full service movers can handle everything such as packing, loading, driving, unloading, unpacking, cleaning, and rearranging at your new home, you will be able to attend to other important things such as your work and family. The movers are known to be professionals and licensed movers that can also offer you the right to insure your items and valuables against unforeseen events during the move. The over-all cost of the you pay for these movers to handle all your relocating needs also pays for effort, time, and stress from which you and your family can be spared.

Self-service movers can be combination of various relocating options. If you do not wish to hire the full-services of a professional mover, then you can opt for self-services movers where you will be able to handle a portion of the move and a portion for you mover. You can choose to handle the packing, loading and unloading and have your mover provide the truck and handle the driving. Self-service movers are cheap and convenient for those who are experienced in handling a move. They are also good for small to medium interstate move.

A do- it- yourself move option will require you to handle all aspects of the move by yourself. This means that you are in complete control over the move. This way, you can save a lot of money but it takes a whole lot of your time and effort. If you have families and friends to help you, then this is a great way to save money.

The moving company Austin is composed of skilled and experienced movers that are professional and licensed to handle the whole aspects of the move. They also offer partial services wherein you can freely choose which services you will only require. The moving company Austin is the most trusted company when it comes to handling all kinds of relocation.

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Architects – 4 Steps for Hiring an Experienced Architect

If you have or are in the process of building your dream home, you know how it important it is to take care in hiring an architect. It’s not a process, like ordering a pizza, where a simple look at the Yellow Pages can tell you who to hire. It’s something with which you should take care, as well as an abundant amount of research.

Know what you want
No matter who you select, it’s going to come down to what you want. The first step you should take is to create a wish list of what you want the project to look like. Put together as many details as you can, including size, style, special features and plans for living in it. Such a plan will become the centerpiece you use in hiring an architect.

Ask around
The most important aspect of any working relationship is trust. You want to be sure that whoever you hire ultimately will do the job you want to your specifications. Ask your friends and family for recommendations, as you’re more likely to trust someone who has worked for someone you know. If your inquisitiveness hasn’t resulted much in the way of names or leads, then search the Internet for the names of architects in your area.

Narrow down your list
Taking a good look at the architects’ portfolios will give you a good idea of what each is capable. Examine their previous works to see if anything they’ve done previously would be a good fit for you and your needs. This will tell you about their architectural design process and philosophy.

Before you make any calls to set up appointments or consultations, try to find out the following about each: do they stay with you through the entire process? Will they outsource anything, like schematics, administrative work or bid assistance? What is their typical fee structure like? Do they carry liability insurance? Are they LEED certified or having any green ratings? What have others had to say about their work? Finding out these answers before meeting face to face will leave more time to ask questions about your specific project.

Pick out the best two or three
With all this information available, you should be ready to meet with your top two or three picks. Call or e-mail each architect to set up a consultation, and ask every question of which you can think. Find out what kind of issues or opportunities could present themselves during the project. Ask about their workload, and if they’re interested in your project. This will be the first chance each gets to find out what you want, so be sure to lay out very carefully your expectations.

After that last step, you should be ready to make a final selection. Trust your best instinct and whichever architect made you the most comfortable. Be sure to work out a contract where both parties’ responsibilities are spelled out clearly.

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