There are endless possibilities when choosing pool shapes from a basic rectangle or kidney to lavish structures that include waterfall features. The conventional styles with smaller dimensions are most popular offering a basic pool to unwind and cool off. Designs are not limited to squares or rectangles, but can include large circles or rounded edges.

Shapes and sizes of pools are determined by the amount of space available on the property. The area selected for installation will influence the style of the feature that will best work in terms of practicality and ease of maintenance. Do not make a rushed decision, but carefully consider size as it is expensive and complex to have to fill or remove pools at a later stage.

Create a budget for the addition and consider the options available that are valuable and cost effective. Contacting a professional contractor in the installation of pools will include an estimate of the materials and labor involved. The smaller sizes are less expensive than a large and complex design and require a fair comparison that will prove most suitable for a budget.

Swimming pools can be constructed for training and athletic purposes or a

Cleaning is easy

Kitchens and bathrooms are rooms which are notorious for high levels of foot traffic and lots of mess. From spilt baked beans to toothpaste and everything in between, kitchens and bathrooms are notorious for taking a lot of abuse! The problem with real wood floors and laminate flooring is that you have to be careful when cleaning them. Wood absorbs water and it will eventually rot. Gerflor flooring and other types of vinyl are very easy to clean. You can mop or wipe spillages and not have to worry about the impact it will have on the floor itself. Stone and tiling is similarly easy to clean, but for those on a budget, vinyl is probably the best solution.

Fantastic value for money

Vinyl is one of the cheapest flooring options around, but it is also great value for money given that it is highly durable. There are a huge number of patterns you can choose from and the price does not range a great deal. Gerflor flooring is notoriously durable and comes with a protective surface. This does mean that it is one of the more expensive types of vinyl, but

The first thing you need is a good pump. The pump is in charge of pulling the water out through the skimmer, forcing it through the filter where it is cleaned and then putting it back into the pool. If you don’t keep the water moving around your pool won’t look pretty for long.

The filter works in tandem with the pump. It is responsible for sifting out the impurities that accumulate in the water. There are three main types of filters: sand, cartridge and DE. Sand filters are the cheapest option but also have the most work attached to them. They are the most basic of filters and they do the job well, as long as you backwash them every 2 weeks. Cartridge filters on the other hand only have to be cleaned twice throughout the season and they are more like a vacuum filter you have at home. They get out more of the bad stuff so you can get on with the good stuff. The best filters are the DE kind with their unique look and feel and their ability to filter just about anything out of the water no matter how small.

Flotex flooring sits somewhere between carpet and vinyl flooring, encapsulating features of both to create a completely new kind of flooring. It is made of nylon fibres and there are approximately 66 million of them for every square metre of this flooring! Unlike carpet fibres, however, the fibres used to make Flotex flooring are completely upright, meaning that dirt and other mess does not get stuck and is easy to remove. Thus this acts as if it were a vinyl floor, but also has the additional benefits of a carpeted floor. The most common place you might find this type of flooring is in public places such as schools and gyms which have lots of traffic and are often the subject of potential stains.

The vertical fibres of the Flotex flooring are important for two reasons. Firstly, it helps reduce the chances of spilled products staining the surfaces FIbres which are curved are more likely to retain stains and mess and make it harder to clean. Secondly, upright fibres are important for allergy sufferers. They will help to retain allergens, but as opposed to carpets, they will easily allow for the allergens to be sucked up by

• Ask questions when purchasing antiques online. Purchasing items online, especially when they are old may present a challenge to some people. However, purchasing items online can save you time and be a wonderful experience if you not to rush through the purchase. Ask the vendor as many questions as you want about the product. If the seller can answer your questions in a satisfactory way, then you can feel better about your purchase.
• Research the product to find out more about it. It is a wise idea to go into questioning knowing a few of the answers for yourself to know whether the seller is trying to pull a trick on you. Use several credible resources to find out more about the antique that has caught your eye. Print the information out and have it on hand with you to refer to if you need to when questioning the seller.
• Assess the product or its pictures thoroughly. Looking the item over in detail is important. If something looks odd than you had envisioned, then you should probably pass it by. It is a fake. Look at the way cloth has held up over time. Pay attention to the small

A New Day

The reasons for these changes in the industry are obvious. Finite natural resources and growing market demand force manufacturers to work with materials that are sustainable. With a more informed, sophisticated and health-conscious consumer, the days of plastics, vinyls and synthetics are coming to an end. Where once the industrial development of adhesives focused on two dimensions – effectiveness and cost, there now exists two more considerations – safety and sustainability.

A Changing Industry

Some of the largest wallpaper manufacturers in the world are pushing into this new area of development with serious resources and effort. York Wallcoverings, based in York, Pa., is one of these. The oldest wallpaper manufacturer in the world, York has stayed relevant by staying progressive. Its engineers, designers, chemists and marketers are busy finding solutions to the sustainable problem. They have developed wallpapers from materials as diverse as natural grass, sand and even glass. Eco-Decor, one of their newest collections, is the culmination of these efforts. This work is leading the industry into a new realm, one it can take pride in and one in which its customers applaud.

With Earth Day right around the corner,

You will need the following:

• Cotton
• Strong string
• Sewing machine
• Staples
• Staple gun
• Scissors
• Pins
• Tape measure
• 5 wood batons
• 2 Screws/nails
• Fabric
• Fabric Tape
• Lining (optional)
• Velcro
• Plastic loops

Directions:

• Measure the window. Depending on the type of window, you can either take the measurements from in between the walls so that the blinds sit right next to the window or take them from in front of the window so that the blind can come down past the sill.
• You can use any fabric but in order to get the best folds in the blind it is best to use fabric that is at least decorator weight. If you are adding a lining, use a dark colour to block out light. This is especially for blinds that are used in a bedroom.
• Measure and cut the fabric. Allow an extra inch on each side so that you can hem the edges to make a neat finish.
• If you are adding a lining, measure and cut the fabric. It should be cut an 1 inch smaller than the

Fabric

Bed sheets are made from different fabrics. For example, there are those made from cotton, polyester, satin and others from silk. Each fabric has its pros and cons. For example, while cotton has a great natural feel, it has the tendency of causing skin irritations with some people. Cotton also tends to shrink and wrinkle.

If you are irritated by cotton you should go for units made from polyester. The cool thing with polyester is that you can fabricate it. It also doesn’t wrinkle much and lacks allergens thus won’t irritate you.

Satin and silk bed sheets are thin and feel excellent against your skin.

Weave Type and Thread Count

There are different weave types that you can go for: sateen, twill, and pinpoint. Sateen is the most common and is extremely soft; however, it’s not durable. Twill is cheaper, folds well and holds up in the wash. Pinpoint is hard at the start, but it softens after a number of washings.

The thread count determines the number of horizontal and vertical threads in each square inch of material. Always remember that the higher the thread count, the softer the material.