Monday, May 25, 2009

Are Steel Buildings As Strong As Traditional Wood Buildings?

You need a building to place on your property and you are torn over whether or not to go for building a wood building or whether you should invest in a steel building. This can be very good question since this is a large investment and you want this to be the last for a very long time. You are not sure which of the two are stronger, it's easier to maintain, or which will become more practical. You are not wrong to ask a question like this because it is your money and you certainly want something that will last through your lifetime or even longer.

A little research will show that the use of steel in construction has grown phenomenally in recent years. Yes, steel has been used for a very long time in the construction industry, but the true practicality of it has just been realized. Wood was once the material of choice for erecting structures, but that was when logging and such land stripping activities were not such a problem. Now we end up with imitation woods and acquiring real wood is considerably more expensive. The environmental factor is one reason why many are steering clear of using wood and moving toward the affordability of steel.

Is it stronger?

How fast a steel building is erected may make one ask if it is truly as strong. It is more or less an urban legend that structures erected in short periods of time are not sturdy. Many used to believe that builders had to spend long periods of time on a structure in order for it to be of a great quality. That is no longer true with the many technological innovations that we have seen throughout the years, especially in the construction industry.

Steel is very sturdy and is, in fact, stronger than wood. It is more likely to withstand an environmental catastrophe while experiencing less damage than a wood structure. The wood in a wood structure may be strong, but it is still only held together by nails. There are other techniques used in the building of a steel structure that are not used when building a wood structure.

Advantages

Aside from faster construction, steel buildings also have a lower cost associated with them, as mentioned before. They are of a light weight, which makes the materials easily transportable during building and in larger pieces. They are also very easy to maintain. There are no such threats as termites and they do not rot. They are also easy to clean, which means they don’t need heavy maintenance. Most importantly, the fire risk is considerably less. If a fire were to occur in a steel building, it is more likely that the materials inside will burn, rather than the building. The fire temperatures would have to be extremely high to compromise the steel structure in any way. Nevertheless, the risk of fire is reduced in a steel building because there are no materials that can easily ignite.

A great alternative

So as you can see, steel buildings present a wonderful alternative. For those concerned with the environment, steel is 66% recyclable. This is another reason that makes them a better alternative to wood. Take this into consideration: A home of 2000 square feet uses the wood from approximately 50 trees. A building constructed of wood may not use that many trees, but it is certainly enough. Erecting a steel building will not only give you an environmentally friendly alternative, but a much sturdier and safer alternative that you can have confidence in.

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Saturday, May 23, 2009

Options for Interior Design and Window Treatments in Tampa

Interior Design

If you planning the interior design of your Tampa home, you'll need to familiarize yourself with the various window treatments that are available for you in Tampa. This is especially important because the window treatment is not only important in the weather and the sun Tampa, but are equally important elements you need to consider in order to achieve the look you want in your home.

Available Window Treatments in Tampa

Fortunately, there is a wide range of window treatments now available in Tampa. In fact, the highly prestigious Hunter Douglas brand of custom-made window treatments backed by a lifetime guarantee has its own dealer in Tampa. This should immediately put your fears regarding quality to rest.

Curtains and Draperies in Tampa

The most common window treatments that often come to mind in Tampa are curtains and draperies. These seem to be the least daunting and intimidating for most Tampa residents. Make no mistake, though, because there are as many choices for curtains in Tampa as there are for draperies in Tampa.

Is there a difference between curtains and draperies? Both are made of fabric hung over a window. The curtain was traditionally used to either filter or block light while draperies were layered over the curtain for purely decorative effect. Curtains are unlined while draperies are lined or use heavy fabric. Curtains can, therefore, be casual and even jaunty while draperies are more formal.

You can have your curtains custom-made in Tampa. If you prefer a more polished and elegant look for your home, you could opt to have draperies custom-made instead, also in Tampa. The choice of fabrics is practically unlimited, including cotton, silk and blends.

Shades in Tampa

Shades are window coverings that could be pulled up or down to control the amount of light, glare and sound allowed into any room of your Tampa home. They could be made out of a variety of fabrics, from sheer to semi-sheer, opaque to semi-opaque, in almost any color. The sheer type allows you to have a view even when the shades are pulled down. They also come in the honeycomb style or in textured woven wood.

Solar shades now available in Tampa are specially treated to absorb heat and filter UV rays from the sun, cooling your interiors and protecting your furniture from fading. UV protection is also important for you and your family members.

Blinds in Tampa

Unlike shades, blinds are made up of horizontal or vertical slats that could be manipulated to control light filtration at various angles. These can be made of various materials such as aluminum, wood or textured vinyl. They also come in a wide variety of textures and colors, from neutrals to brilliant jewel tones. You can choose the type of blinds most appropriate for your Tampa household.

Shutters in Tampa

Shutters are louvered panels usually made of hard materials such as wood or vinyl. They can be placed outdoors or indoors. While both types provide window protection, indoor shutters need to be decorative, as well. Find the shutters that best complement your Tampa home’s interior design.


Interior Design and Bedding in Tampa

Another element that could greatly enhance the interior design of your Tampa home is your choice of bedding. Coordinating your bedding with the window treatment of your Tampa home could take your room’s look from just nice to really stunning. Lucky for you, there are interior design companies that provide not only services for window treatments in Tampa but also provide the same for your coordinated bedding needs. Dealing with just one supplier and service provider right here in Tampa makes your designing project unbelievably easy.

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Friday, May 22, 2009

Perfect Indoor Furniture For my Sweet Home

Furniture

After you enter the life of the family, which a dream for everyone is to have a nice home where they can spend their lives with the family and children. When you buy a house, you try to make it feel homely with the decoration in accordance with what you want. You work hard to get all stuff to decorate your home. The first thing you think is the furniture. You plan to have furniture everywhere in your home. You go out and look for furniture for the living room so you and your family feel good while sitting in the living room as well as comfortable.

I remember when we bought our house, we were tight in budget. So first we decided to furnish the family room with furniture, because we spend most of our time over there. Then after some time, when we had enough money, we planned to make our bedroom the perfect one. We went to so many furniture stores to find the best designs and what would fit our bedroom. I was looking for very elegant King size bed, matching night stands, dresser or chest for my bedroom. So, that every time I enter my bedroom I just love it. We also got good comforter sets for our bedroom so that our bed looks great and cozy and comfortable. Nights stands add to the beauty of the bedroom and if you put a nice lamp on them, what else do you want? I think this would be the perfect bedroom you would ever have imagined.

When we were done with our bedroom, we wanted to furnish my son’s room. I have a great crib in mind for his bedroom. I also saw those cute little chairs and tables with Spider man drawn on it. I think this was perfect for him. I make him sit and study on the table and chair and do some fun activities on this table. He also has lot of fun in his room. I got a nice box for all his toys too, so that at nights when he is done playing, I can just dump everything in the; since he is going to take everything out the next day.

I wanted my living room to look great so that I, my family and friends visiting us just appreciate it. I wanted nice elegant sofa for my living room and royal looking cushions on the sofa. I bought a very nice designer carpet for my living room and one for my dining area too. The carpets just add to the beauty of the living and dining areas. I also decorated my living room with nice wall painting, show pieces and nice looking big mirrors.

My husband wants to work a little at home too. So he always wanted to buy an office desk for himself so that he can sit comfortably and work on it. This Office Desk is a big one where he can put his laptop, he can also put his documents in the drawers. He organizes all the bills and other important documents very well in this office desk. It has a very comfortable chair with it. He just loves to work here.

I think buying all this furniture for house has definitely made my house a perfect home.

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Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Guide to Exterior House Painting For Homeowners

You are tired with the drab color of your home and want to make changes? You only need to go to a local home improvement center to see the rainbow of colors that are available and that you like. In fact, with technology being as advanced such as this day, some stores allow you to mix and match color-selecting application software.

Just knowing the above information should be enough to start your journey into finding out more about exterior house painting. If you're especially handy, there is the chance that you might want to do your own exterior home painting. However, if you have a fear of heights, or have a balancing problem (you need to be able to actually keep yourself on the ladder while you paint!) you should probably hire a professional contractor.

Of course, as a home owner interested in having exterior house painting done, the first question you're probably asking yourself is, "How Much will this cost me?" The answer to that important question has to do with several factors, the first of which being the size of your house. The smaller your house, the less you'll have to pay – makes sense, right?

Paint, like everything else nowadays, is very expensive. Whether you're a professional paint contractor, or a novice looking to paint a room, paint is priced by the gallon. If you get only so-so paint, paint that will last only a couple of years, then the cost will be relatively doable. However, if you want paint that will last in excess of twenty years, and has a high concentration of latex, then you'll obviously be paying an amount that is significantly more.

If you really have no clue as to what brand of paint to choose, you can always leave it to the professionals. That's right – in addition to paying what might be an exorbitant amount of money for the paint itself, you're also going to need to find a contracted painter that costs even more! Hopefully, you've saved up enough money for this endeavor. Either that, or you have excellent credit, which will enable you to take out a home loan.

Shop around for a reputable painter. Of course, the Internet is a valuable resource for finding local painters, but you can also get information through being nosy. For example, if one of your neighbors just had some exterior house painting done, and you really like how it looks, the contractor probably put up a nice big sign next to their work with their contact information. See how easy it can be to find a painter?

Or, if you have a son or daughter in that happens to be quite good at painting, you might actually end up saving some money by having them enroll in the College Works Painting internship. There, your child can gain valuable skills necessary to embark upon a career in this field. Whichever method you choose, the important thing is to be pleased with the end results.

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Monday, May 18, 2009

Tips To Enhance Your Home Interior

Home is not only a place to live which a shelter that provides and comfort, but where we can do for decoration according to our imagination and creativity. Elections home interior reflects the owners personality.

It is always suggested that you decorate your house yourself and don’t pass on the job to someone else, as no one can know about your choices better than you. The decoration of your home must be such that, it can keep you happy and comfortable. If it is your first home and you want to decorate it in the best way, but don’t know where to start from, the tips mentioned below might be of help to you:

First of all, you need to decide upon the style, theme, background etc of your home interior . Through these factors you can represent your likes and dislikes to your guests. If you are an adventurous person, you can go for an interesting theme which can shock your guests.

While planning to decorate your home, you should always remember that, your decoration should in no way hamper the functionality of the house. To keep the decoration sweet and simple is a good idea. Different objects should be placed in such a manner that they have an easy access. Moreover, the furniture should be placed systematically so that your rooms do not look like a maze.

Try to be creative and add originality to the decoration of your room. It is always better to imply your own ideas rather than copying someone else’s ideas.

Give a personal touch to the home interior . The decorations should represent your personality and look interesting and passionate. It is very important that you give your personal touch to your ‘house’ to make it your ‘home’.

While decorating your rooms and choosing the furniture and other furnishings, it is very important to keep the safety of your kids and yourself in mind. Never compromise your safety for style and look.

Bedroom decorations require extra efforts as it is not only about the look, but also about the comfort. You should collect information about the different bedroom furniture and invest in the best and most comfortable furniture.

To give the home a cozy feeling and beautiful look, lot of efforts are needed to be put in. Therefore, never take hasty decisions and do not make investments in unnecessary furnishings.

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Sunday, May 17, 2009

Arranging Bedroom Furniture

furniture

When you come to your bedroom and arrange furniture for your bedroom, there are many things to be thought about, this is the room in which you will be spending a significant portion of your life, after all. Of course, how you set the furniture can not only means difference in a good night’s sleep, but also in style and function of your rooms.

Probably the first piece of furniture to consider is the bed, as it is the center piece of the room and most likely the largest piece of furniture in the room. The bed is your focal point. One way to start off rearranging your furniture is by measuring your room with a tape measure. Draw your room to scale on a piece of graphing paper. Don’t forget to measure the distance between windows, heaters and other similar objects. Next measure your furniture and create cut outs. Using these you can arrange and rearrange your furniture without having to actually touch anything. It also gives you good grip on the layout of your room; using a scale model allows you to see what works and what doesn’t.

When it comes to the bed, usually this is placed against the first wall you see when entering your bedroom. The headboard should face you, as this is the main focal point. There are other things to consider when placing your bed. The bed should be arranged in such a way that it doesn’t create any obstructions. If your room is on the smaller side, try pushing it against a wall to save space. Also, be sure not to block any doors; you don’t want to make it difficult to get to your clothes, for instance. While placing your bed near a window may sound romantic, it can actually end up being a bad idea. You’re likely to catch a cold from drafts, and the extra noise and light you’ll experience may disturb your sleep.

Be sure to avoid odd angles or spacing, especially if your bedroom is on the smaller side. Leave room on either side for a nightstand. Dressers and bureaus should be placed on an adjoining or opposite wall, so as not to add to much weight to one side of the room. Consider how much storage you need. If you have a closet, try to maximize that so as to avoid too much furniture clutter. You can place smaller chests or storage boxes at the foot of your bed. Also consider storing seasonal clothing under the bed.

If you do have a TV, think about where to place it without adding to the clutter. TV sets can take up a significant amount of room, unless you have flat screen, which can easily be hung on the wall opposite your bed. Otherwise try placing the TV at an angle, or if you have a large armoire, consider placing in there, so you can store it when it’s not in use.

If you do have extra room, you can add a nice, comfy chair or two, in a corner or near a window. Remember, when it comes to bedroom furniture, you have to make sure that you avoid clutter. Leave yourself some space to relax and put your things.

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Sunday, May 10, 2009

How You Can Better Protect Your Home with Window Security Bars

Architecture

Sometimes we derived in the home-taking security measures, why this is important for you to evaluate your options. Fortunately, you have the window gate is one way to maintain the safety of children and other family members of all protected.

These are window security bars that keep intruders out and the kids in. There are different styles available, such as window guards and even child safety gates-all to enhance home security.

As for how to outfit your home with window security bars, you can do it yourself by purchasing the bars and installing from the outside of your home, or you can have professionals take care of the job for you. If you do the task on your own, you will have to deal with ladders and you will need help. If you have a professional take care of the task, you will find that you won’t have to do any legwork.

So go ahead and invest in a window gate for your family. That way you can keep everyone as safe as possible. You can choose to go about the task on your own, or you can contact the desired company and talk to them about rates, what they do, and what sort of guarantees they offer.

When you investigate your options, you will find the best service for you hands down. Just don’t jump in and take the first option available to you. What may work for others may not work for you, so it is good to personalize your experience for your sake and your family’s.

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Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Decorating Your Home With Flowers

Interior Design

Your home is your most private, personal space. You spend most of your time in there to sleep, eat and work, thus stamping an ordinary house with your mood and personality, to make this more unique and special. Naturally, you want that your home look the best. You want to have relaxing, inspiring atmosphere that you can not find anywhere else.

Such an atmosphere can be achieved by placing flowers in your home. A pretty bunch of flowers can brighten up any room with a spot of color. Just looking at them can make any person lose the stress acquired during the day! There's something about flowers that cheers people up, so why not take advantage of it by following these helpful tips on decorating your home with flowers?

1. Vases are not the only things that you can use for holding your flowers! Experiment with clay pots, china porcelain, crystal, steel, or glass bowls, cups, champagne glasses, teapots, water pitchers---the list is endless. Just make sure that the container is clean and polished to complement the beauty of the flowers you will be placing in them.

2. For wide, open spaces, use blooms that are big with loud colors such as hydrangeas, gladiolus, and lilies. Big flowers can easily catch attention in a large room. You don't want the flowers to go unnoticed right?

3. Match the room's decor with complementary or contrasting colors. If you want to introduce a soothing effect in a room, use flowers in colors such as blues and greens. For a warmer look, oranges and reds will do the trick. For a subtle arrangement, yellows and peaches are the best choice of colors.

4. How do you know which flowers go well with each other? There are no hard and fast rules, but you may want to choose just one type of flower for your bouquet (this is called a monobotanic arrangement) or one color with varying shades (called a monochromatic arrangement).

In decorating you home, be creative. You may be very busy to go out to buy flowers on the streets or in the malls, so you can opt to just have your flowers delivered. It's easy---there are several flower shops online. One such service is Island Rose of the Philippines. They use an innovative delivery system that guarantees you to have the best roses fresh from the farm. Their flower delivery is fast, efficient, and stress-free. Flowers from Island Rose are also considered some of the best in the world. Why not start decorating your home with flowers now? It doesn't have to be stressful when you can buy flowers with just one click of a mouse.

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