DIY Tips for Choosing Carpets

Posted on February 1, 2012 by nordicdesign

Modern technology has made it easy to choose carpeting suitable for any area of the home. Carpets are warm, hard wearing, luxurious and enhance any room. The first thing to consider when choosing a carpet is the amount of wear it is going to get. Carpets are manufactured in varying degrees of durability, from light domestic to heavy domestic.

Carpets are traditionally made of wool, but modern technology has made available synthetics that are more stain resistant and do not have the static build-up that wool has. Synthetics, however, are highly flammable and will burn rapidly when exposed to fire, unless treated with fire retardant chemicals.

The pile determines the feel and look of the carpet and there are six different types. ‘Loop’ feels soft; twist is coarser; ‘cord’ is hard; ‘cut’ feels soft; ‘velvet’ is a soft, shortish cut pile and ‘saxony’ is a long, fluffy pile.

Designs and patterns should be selected with care. As carpets can be a major expense, it is wise to decide on plain or neutral colours, so that there is no clash with furniture and room decor.

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DIY Propeller Bottle Planter

Posted on January 30, 2012 by nordicdesign

Anyone looking for a low maintenance garden/indoor planter that is inexpensive and easy to make, need look no further than a propeller bottle planter.

You will need:
One x 2l PET bottle
Six x 500ml PET bottles
Silicone sealant
Kitchen sponge
Drill, and a one inch drill bit
Cutter knife or scissors
Vermiculate or hydroponic soil

Begin by filling the two-litre bottle and freezing it overnight.  The next step is to measure and drill six evenly-spaced holes around the top of the bottle with the one inch drill bit.  Thaw out and drain out the water from the bottle.

Cut the bottoms off the 500ml PET bottles and then a slot lengthwise for about two-thirds of the bottle.  Run a bead of silicone around the neck of each of the small bottles, insert into the larger bottle and leave to dry overnight.

Cut the sponge into a continuous one inch long strip and feed a piece into each smaller bottle such that it reaches the bottom of the larger bottle.  Add some vermiculate to each smaller bottle, fill the larger bottle with water and plant the seeds of your choice.

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Working from home in a garden office

Posted on January 28, 2012 by nordicdesign

Working from home is a growing trend in our society. In the USA, President Obama signed the Telework Enhancement Act of 2010 into law, which gives employees of the federal government the right to work from home wherever practical. In doing so, he recognised the massive environmental and health benefits of eliminating the daily commute. However, working from home can offer some disadvantages too. It can be difficult to separate out work from normal family life. It can also be a temptation to “give yourself a little break”, turn on the television and not get any work done. Working in your actual home requires more self-discipline than a lot of people possess.

Garden offices can provide a potential solution to this problem. If you have a sufficiently large back garden, it is possible to install a building there that combines the amenities of an office environment with the closeness to home of teleworking. There is still no commute, other than a short stroll to the end of the garden, but it still feels like going to the office, which can help workers to put themselves in the proper frame of mind.

Garden offices resemble garden rooms, but with added electrical outlets and data connectivity to allow high-speed broadband connections to your employer. With a computer and any other necessary equipment, such as a printer, fax machine, scanner and photocopier (which are very often combined in a single machine in today’s office), there is really no need to sit in a traffic jam for hours in order to reach your employer’s office building. Garden rooms not only improve employees’ quality of life, they also make enormous efficiency savings to employers, while saving the environment and maintaining the barrier between work and home that is often necessary for a healthy work-life balance. If a garden office is feasible, there seems to be very little downside.

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Varnishing a Solid Wood Floor

Posted on January 26, 2012 by nordicdesign

Part of the appeal of exposed, solid wood floors is the sense of history, the patina, and the inherent beauty of wood grain. Floors are roughly treated by man, pets and furniture. They are often left scratched and dented and stained with food and drink spills. The wood needs protection and varnish, paint, liming and staining are the available options, sometimes used in combination with each other.

To varnish a solid wood floor, homeowners need to remove everything from the floor. Next, they should thoroughly vacuum clean the floor, paying particular attention to its edges. In the event that the floor has already been varnished, painted or stained, homeowners will need to sand the floor back to the bare wood. They should use white spirit to eliminate any grease or oil, and enhance the grain by lightly wire brushing along the grain.

The varnish used on a floor may be water-based or solvent-based. The latter smells strong during application but produces the best effect. Homeowners should use spotlessly clean brushes; a 25 millimetre or 50 millimetre brush should be used for the edges and around obstacles and a 100 millimetre brush should be used for the main area. 

The first coat of varnish will require a ten per cent white spirit thinning and should be applied with a soft cloth pad along the grain. Homeowners should let this coat dry for several hours before applying a second coat with brushes. They should only load the first third of the brush, tap away any excess and always follow the grain. Adequate time should be left for drying.

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Steps for Fitting a Shelf

Posted on January 25, 2012 by nordicdesign

Shelves    can create valuable storage in rooms where there is limited space and offer the perfect place from which to display photos and objet d’art.  Following a few steps to put up shelves can be greatly convenient as is the ability to place them wherever they are needed.

Tools and materials required:

•    Shelving and corresponding brackets
•    Power driver
•    Screwdriver
•    Screws
•    Rawl plugs
•    Spirit level
•    Tape measure
•    Pencil

Step 1 – Plot location

The first step needed for the process of putting up shelves is to plot their intended location.  Consider whether the height is within a comfortable reaching distance and whether there is a possibility of it causing an obstruction.  Place the spirit level to the wall to find a line to use as a guide and ensure it is straight.  Draw a pencil line to represent where the base of the shelf will be aligned.

Step 2 – Drill holes

Check whether the brackets for the shelf have pre-drilled holes, which will enable them to be placed against the wall with the top aligned with the pencil line.  Mark the intended position of the screws through the holes with the pencil.  Using a drill bit that matches the width of the rawl plug, which must be used when drilling masonry, make the holes for the bracket screws.     

Step 3 – Fit shelves

Firmly press the rawl plugs into the holes so that they are flush with the wall.  If using the drill to insert the screws, change the drill bit to the appropriate crosshead or flathead.  Alternatively, hold the brackets in place with the holes aligned with the corresponding ones in the wall and work the screws into place with the screwdriver making sure they are tightened.  Place the shelf atop the brackets, secured with a little wood glue, if desired.

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Comparing the Cost of Blinds and Curtains

Posted on January 23, 2012 by nordicdesign

There can be a huge difference in cost between curtains and blinds, but it all depends on the style and quality you opt for. The cheapest way to cover windows is often to buy simple roller blinds in a standard size and to fit them yourself. However, you may find that your new blinds don’t keep out the light, don’t provide any privacy or don’t fit the windows. These are all things you need to bear in mind when making your choice. High quality solid wood slatted blinds, or expensive fabric Roman blinds with a proper lining, made to measure, will cost you more.

If you like the idea of curtains rather than blinds, don’t forget to factor in the cost of the curtain tracking or the pole and rings. Ready-made curtains are often very affordable, and if you already have a curtain pole or curtain track in place, this could be the best option. If your windows are not a standard size, however, made-to-measure blinds are often cheaper than curtains, but it’s best to shop around.

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Removing Stone and Ceramic Tiles

Posted on January 20, 2012 by nordicdesign

While there are many people who will choose to paint – or even tile – over old, outdated or stained tiles, for a completely fresh start in a room, the old tiles will need to be removed.  The trick, of course, is to get the old tiles off without causing too much damage to the wall beneath them.

If there is visible edge to the section of tiles you want to remove, you should begin at that point using a bolster chisel and a small club hammer.  Set the chisel against the edge of a tile while keeping it as flush with the wall as possible.  Hit the chisel with the hammer, and the tile should come away from the wall.  If there are no noticeable edges you will have to begin by breaking a centre tile, which will allow you to get to the edges of the tiles around the broken tile and work your way outward. 

The ease with which the tiles come off will depend on whether they were fixed with cement mortar or adhesive; older tiles will usually have been fixed with cement mortar, while more recently placed tiles will be fixed with adhesive.  In either case, once all the tiles have been removed, you are likely to still find yourself with either adhesive or cement mortar on the wall, and every bit of it will have to come off.

For adhesive, you will want to use a sharp paint scraper, and it is likely your scraper will take out small pieces of plaster as well as the adhesive.  You will have to fill these scrapes and holes, and then sand the wall.  You will want to continue to use the bolster chisel and hammer to get rid of cement mortar.

If there is a large area to be done, you should prepare yourself for a time consuming task.  The cleaner the wall is, the easier it will be to successfully go on to the next stages.

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Choosing the right style for your bathroom

Posted on January 17, 2012 by nordicdesign

As your bathroom is one of the most important rooms within your home, you will need to select a style that offers plenty of comfort and luxury.  There is a wide range of bathroom furniture, suites and accessories available that will enable you to create the perfect look and enhance the comfort of your bathroom.

Bathroom suites and furniture are available in a wide variety of sizes and styles, enabling you to find something that fits your bathroom perfectly.  If you have a small bathroom, then you can easily add accessories that will enable you to create extra space.  By choosing the right furniture and accessories, you can transform even the smallest of bathrooms into a cosy, relaxing retreat that emanates style and comfort.

If you wish to add something unique to your bathroom, then you can consider creating your own styles.  You can even add your own coloured tiles or accessories such as roller blinds or shower curtains with your own bathroom themed picture designs.  Personalising your bathroom accessories will create a cosier atmosphere within your bathroom.

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Getting Rid of Airlocks

Posted on January 15, 2012 by nordicdesign

When water inside pipes gurgles and hisses it is an indication of an airlock in a plumbing system. This can occur when your plumbing system is indirectly affected by low water pressure.  This allows air to become trapped in the water system of a house and one or more taps may not work.

The simplest means of getting rid of airlocks is to connect a section of hose from a tap that is directly supplied from the mains to the tap that is affected.  Be sure to fix the hose securely with clips to both of the taps.

Turn on the tap that does not work first, then turn on the tap supplied by the mains and allow both to stay on for about 30 seconds.  Close the mains supplied tap first and then the affected tap. If your tap still has an airlock then you must repeat the process.  Sometimes it takes two to three repeats to rid your system of airlocks.

It is important to know that taps for cold water in the kitchen and bathroom usually take water directly from the mains supply.  However, in some cases taps could take cold water from a tank in the loft.  In this case, airlocks are cleared when the hose is linked from the tap supplied with pressure from the mains. 

A widespread dilemma is for the cold-water storage tank not to fill as fast as it is drained.  When a bath is filled, check to see if the tank empties prior to the bath filling as this may drag air into the system.  Usually, this happens because the float valve is not operating properly or the stopcock is not sufficiently open.

If there are recurring airlocks in a plumbing system you should attempt to seek out the root of the problem.  If the problem becomes persistent it would be wise to seek the advice of a professional plumber.

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How to Replace a Glass Pane

Posted on January 12, 2012 by nordicdesign

Replacing a pane of glass is one of the most common of all DIY jobs, and is fairly easy to do in most cases.  Obviously, the first thing you will need to do is measure where the glass will fit and order the correct size pane.  The supplier can advise you about which thickness is suitable for the frame.

Before you start clearing glass from the frame, put a dustsheet on the ground on both sides of the window to collect the glass shards and fragments.  Always wear goggles and gloves when removing the broken glass from the frame.

Use a glass cutter to score around the frame as near to the putty as possible.  Try to knock out large pieces of the glass with a hammer, and then use a chisel to remove tacks, any remaining glass, old putty, and glazing sprigs.  Wipe off any dust and paint the frame with a coat of primer.  If you have to leave the space open overnight, cover the hole with a piece of cardboard or polythene.

You will need to choose the correct type of putty depending on the type of window frame; use metal casement or universal putty for a metal frame, and linseed oil or acrylic putty for a wooden frame.  Allow the putty to soften a bit in your hands, and then apply a thin bead of putty around the rebate and push it firmly into the corners.

Insert the new pane firmly into the putty by pressing on the edges of the glass without pushing on the middle of the pane.  Tap the tacks or sprigs into the frame with a small hammer; they must not be visible through the putty.  If the frame you are working on is metal, the clips can be bent to hold the glass. 

Another bead of putty should be run around the borders of the pane and pressed firmly in.  With a damp knife, bevel the putty to correspond with the other windows and using a punch tap the heads of the tacks beneath the surface.  Complete this DIY project by varnishing or painting the frame. 

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