Home Improvement 2020 Style

During the past five years, the trend for clean lines, contemporary styles plus both cool and vibrant colours have dominated home improvement projects.

 

Bathrooms have become wetrooms or baths have been replaced by walk-in showers.

 

KITCHENS

This is most obvious in kitchens where, apart from timeless shaker units and a few country farmhouse kitchens, lines are sleek and sometimes curved, door finishes are often glossy and there is a plethora of side-by-side ovens in tall units with plus 'must have' kitchen islands.

 

 

GLASS DOORS & NATURAL LIGHT

 

A lantern roof for large extensions and full glass patio doors which facilitate as much daylight as possible are the 'WOW' factor of many homes now, from small terraced houses to large detached abodes. The sleek lines afforded by aluminium frames are popular for such doors, eclipsing PVC (except on price) and timber frames (where a traditional look is desired).

 

 

 

In some radical renovations, radiators have been thrown in the skip (or, better still, recycled by scrap metal merchants) and replaced by underfloor heating. 

 

Follow the "adventures" of a 2020 New Build Project.

Quick DIY Guide to Recovering Your Chairs

If your dining chairs need a makeover, why not do it yourself? In addition to a chair and your chosen fabric, you will need some decent scissors and a staple gun. 

Before you begin:

• If you are going to rub down wooden chairs for light waxing, woodstain or painting, perhaps spray-paint cane or metal chairs - do that first.
• Choose a strong fabric as it shouldn't crease too much from 'bums on seats'. Maybe you have some left-over curtain material or, if buying some fabric, think about getting a little extra to use as matching or contrasting cushion covers. If using patterned fabrics, make sure you consider this before you start cutting.

Instructions:
1. If you are covering the chair back (see top image):

• First, the back of the chair back: cut a rectangular shape about 3" / 7cm larger than the area to be covered.
• Pull the fabric straight and tight at the sides and top to create a smooth appearance and staple along the edges to hold the fabric in place, folding neatly at the corners. Trim and fold any excess material as you work, to keep it neat. 
• Gently pull the bottom of the fabric down tightly and tuck under the back of the chair. Staple it underneath the seat. For a neat finish, fold the raw edge of the surplus under itself and staple again.
• Next, matching any patterns, cut another piece of fabric for the front of the chair back, again with an additional 3" / 7cm to spare at the the edges. Push the edges of the fabric into the part where the chair back and seat meet.
• Again, keeping the fabric tight and starting at the top of the chair back, fold the edge of the fabric under itself at the back edge, then staple close to the fold. Leave a gap at the edges while you fold and staple the sides of the chair back, keeping the fabric straight and  at all times.
• Pull and tuck the bottom edge behind the seat, securing it tightly by stapling at the edges.
• Envelope-fold and staple the top corners. Stand back and admire!

2. To cover the chair seat:

• Matching up the pattern with the front of the chair back, cut an oversized square, large enough to cover the seat and its side edges, plus a little extra for folding under. 
• Taking care with pattern matching, the fabric at the rear of the seat should be tucked in where it meets the chair back, folding the raw edges under at each side of the seat and stapled in place.
• Pull the front tight and staple underneath the front of the seat, folding and trimming for neat corners.
• Turn the chair upside down to finish off by folding the raw edges of the fabric and stapling.

3. Other notes:

• If the fabric is liable to stains, consider treating it with a protective spray. 
• If the staples are too obvious (e.g. on a plain fabric) you can fix a braid over them or use decorative tack nail studs. These are now available in a fantastic range of colours, not just brass.

This is a guide only! Please practice before you tackle your best dining chairs.

Instructions relate to the style of chair in the top image. Please adjust the instructions for chairs of a different style, such as shown in the image below (in this case, it would be best to remove the chair back before covering).

Patio Doors - a Wall of Glass or Air!

There are some beautiful and practical patio doors available now.
In this post, I'll list some of the popular styles with links for further exploration.

Bi folding doors, first introduced around 2002, comprise a series of glass doors that are hinged, concertina zig-zag style. Previously known as folding-sliding doors because they fold as they are pushed to slide to one side of the opening between house and garden.

When closed, the doors provide good views between  frames.

Bi folds are retractable doors. This means that all the doors can be pushed to the sides so that virtually the whole of the gap can be used - great for parties!

Frame widths vary. In the above image, the doors have aluminium frames, which are the slimmest option and can be ordered in almost any colour you can imagine (search: RAL colours). Wood/timber frames and PVC/composite frames are also available.

If your budget is tight, you can purchase DIY kits and create a hole-in-the-wall to the relevant dimensions but the project should be undertaken by a reputable builder or it could be more costly in the longer term.  If you can afford to invest a bit more, bi folds can be made to measure and installed by the manufacturers - if anything goes wrong, you don't have the supplier and builder blaming each other.

There is a UK glass door designer/manufacturer whose main sales have switched from bifolds to slide-pivot-stack style doors over the past few years. An innovative development that removed the need for hinges, making the doors lighter and the frames narrower.

These fully retractable doors have a main door which pivots open like any normal door - them comes the magic! The next door can slide towards the open door then also open like a normal door, parallel to the first door, so that you have a double width gap for access.

Guess what - the next door does the same thing; then the next door, and so on. However, you don't have to have all doors open. If you want to walk through the centre or the other end of the opening, just slide the doors along until the gap or gaps are where you want them. Brilliant!

The originators of UltraSlim slide-pivot doors make the doors to order, in their UK workshop, and install them in the quoted price. For further details, just search for SunSeeker UltraSlim doors.

If you have "exceptional" architecture, you may be interested in IQ Glass or Sightline Doors.

Planning your Tiling Project

"How hard can it be to stick a few tiles on a wall?" Many first-time D-I-Y tilers are tempted to start at a corner and work their way along. An experienced tiler with pride in his work will plan the job better for a professional finish.

As you can see from the mis-aligned tiles, this job wasn't properly planned!

A few points to consider:

• Don't assume that any wall, floor or ceiling is perfectly straight, vertical, horizontal or flat. 
• Don't assume that a measurement across one area (e.g. left to right at skirting level) will be the same at another level (e.g. worktop height).
• Work out how many spaced tiles (i.e. allowing for grout) will fit across a space, both left to right and top to bottom. To avoid awkward cuts, determine whether it will be better for the centre of the visible area to be the centre of a tile of where the tiles meet.
• Using a spirit level (and, where necessary, a plumb line) mark straight lines on the wall/floor as guides to keep your tile lines consistent as you work.
• Use sufficient adhesive. If there are significant gaps, this can result in tiles cracking under pressure. It is especially important on floors.

Note that, sometimes, you will have to plan for pleasant sightlines when you prepare your project. for example, if wall tiles are at eye-level or above a work top, pay more attention to this area than where they meet the floor or ceiling.

An example of a well planned tiling project.
Note the half-tiles are cut to meet the floor.

One final thing - just because someone says he or she is an experienced, professional tiler does not mean that they are! Ask to see examples of their work and check their proposal for your tiling project before you say yes. If possible, when they start tiling, offer to bring them cups of tea so that you can check their work :)

Best of luck! Feel free to post comments and provide photographs of your projects, good or bad!

Re-grouting Tiles

Quick Fixes

Tiling around wash hand basins may have discoloured grouting in places, from various hand soaps. Floor tiles bedded on non-concrete or screeded floors may have moved very slightly during fluctuations in humidity or heavy treading over the years, and some of the grout may have chipped, dried or otherwise broken loose.

Whether it's for guests who are coming to stay at Christmas or a 'spring' clean at any time, the grout between tiles may be looking a little tired. What are the ways to give it a makeover?

Wall Tile Grouting

The simplest options are to clean the grouting with some whitening toothpaste, cream cleanser or sugar soap, depending on the type of stain (e.g. colour dye, oil, etc.) but always with an old toothbrush. When done, wipe with a clean, damp cloth.

If there are gaps where small pieces of grout are missing and you want a quick fix, these can easily be filled in with 'fix & grout' or general purpose 'polyfilla' from a local DIY or hardware store for £3ish to £7ish. A longer lasting job would involve removing existing grout and replacing all with new - much harder than you'd think.

Before the new grout hardens, smooth it very gently with your finger (in a damp cloth, if preferred). Wipe the whole surface a little later, once the grout has set. 

If the grouting is especially prone water damage, such as around a wash hand basin, an alternative is to use a waterproof mastic to protect the area. This is not an easy task if you haven't tried it before so it would be a good idea to practice first. Trim off unwanted bits of dried mastic with a sharp blade, otherwise it may cause a ripple effect, when pulled, and remove a significant amount.

Floor Tile Grouting

Often, for practical reasons, the grout between floor tiles is cement and, often, it is a grey colour rather than white.

Sometimes, bathroom floor tiles have white grouting and can take a temporary fix with filler, as above. However, in many cases, repairing floor tile problems requires a professional. A variety of tools may be used, from electric-powered to metal scrapers or just white vinegar. Never use metal abrasives on the tile surfaces, as many tiles are sensitive and will permanently mark (especially porcelain).

If you are constantly having problems with losing grout between floor tiles, it may be that insufficient adhesive was used to bed them down. This can be checked by gently tapping areas of the floor to see if a significant number of patches sound hollow.

Please feel free to leave a genuine comment!

Selling your house? First impressions count!

We don't often 'see' our home as others might see it - when we return from work or with the weekly shopping, we just go through the door and get on with our lives.

If you are thinking of putting your property 'on the market' it is important to convey a good 'first impression'. People will see a photograph on a website, in an estate agents' window or on paper details. Usually, the photograph will be of the front of the house and, even if it isn't, some people will use Google Street View or check out the location in person.

If you have a front garden, keep the lawn and foliage neat so that it looks nice and seems easy to mange. Paths and driveways must be seen to be low maintenance so they should be repaired, if necessary.

Paved driveways can look tired. Remember, when you first had your driveway paved, how good it looked? Paved driveways can be restored to look as good as new. They can also be sealed to look good for longer.

Don't panic if you have a tired old tarmac driveway - you don't have to replace it as these too, can be repaired, cleaned and sealed so that your old tarmac drive looks like new at a fraction of the cost.

When you've read this article, leave your house and stand across the street to stare back at it. Are the guttering and downpipes in good order? Do your wood-framed windows and entrance door need a coat of paint or varnish? Are the curtains or blinds attractive?

Come back in and look at your entrance hall - is it bright and uncluttered?

When you are moving home, you don't want to spend a lot of money of doing it up - the likelihood is that the buyers will change things anyway - but you should consider that a well presented home will sell much faster than one that is cluttered.

Most people expect to redecorate when they buy a new home but many will not have the extra budget to renew carpets therefore it is essential that the carpets you include in the sale are an asset rather than a liability. Ensure that each room looks as good as possible by having your carpets professionally cleaned. You can often have three carpets cleaned for the price of two.

Some people do not have good imaginations, therefore décor should be neutral, where possible, unless you have recently made bold statements when upgrading your home for a contemporary look and feel. If you are selling in winter or if there is is not much natural light in certain rooms, lighting can be important, too.

Present your home as a show-home, keeping ornaments etc to a minimum, otherwise your home might seem small. Keep work surfaces clear in kitchens and de-clutter bathrooms of personal items.

Finally, keep it warm but fresh. Subtle smells, such as fresh air, baking and a cleaned floor make a better impact than last night's curry, burnt toast or scented masking sprays.

Best of luck!

Bathrooms & Wetrooms: Non Slip Floors

Safety in the home is paramount in kitchens and bathrooms. Bathrooms and wet-rooms can be a particular hazard when feet and floors are wet, therefore it is vitally important to use anti-slip flooring.

Practical Bathing has a wealth of experience installing bathrooms, shower rooms and wet rooms in private dwellings, care homes and hospitals. Flooring is an integral part of the overall solution, and careful consideration is given to the needs of elderly, infirm or disabled bathers.

Anti-slip vinyl is available in a wide range of attractive colours and styles, with specific anti-slip qualities to suit different environments. For example, in an assisted wet room environment where the carer’s shoes might also get wet, a high grade anti slip surface will be required.

Installing anti-slip vinyl requires skill and attention to detail. The room must be properly prepared and the floor level and smooth. The vinyl will be glued down and sealed, creating a water resistant solution which will last for many years.