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Pros And Cons Of Different Tile Materials

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Tiles have been made by man for over 4000 years – with such a rich history and reliable reputation, it’s not surprising that many of the original materials used through time still remain today, along with many by-products and variations that have evolved with them.

Each tile type has its own set of pros and cons, making each suitable for different uses.

There are three main categories that tile material can be broken down into; ceramic, quarry and stone. There are more categories and variations within these categories, but here are the main pros and cons that you will need to know when picking a tile to suit you and your home.

Ceramic – Ceramic tiles are seen as great value for money, although they may not be the cheapest tile to purchase, their long-lasting and durable qualities mean they can last the life of your home and increase its value. You can find cheap ceramic tiles at discount flooring outlets or end of line ranges if you fancy some bargain-hunting. Ceramic tiles are long-standing, low maintenance, can stand high traffic and, because they are made from scratch, can be found in a variety of colours and shapes.

One drawback of ceramic tiles is that they are porous – a glaze is applied to the tile and hardened in order to make it non-porous. It is not advised that ceramic tiles are DIY-appropriate, they require professional installation and because of their hard nature, ceramic tiles can chip upon impact.

Ceramic tiles come in many varieties, including; earthenware, stoneware, porcelain, glazed, unglazed and mosaics.

Quarry – Quarry tiles are, by comparison, quite inexpensive because they are quick to produce and don’t require a glaze on the top layer of the tile. They are thick and durable, meaning they are good for high-traffic areas.

However, because there is no glaze, quarry tiles tend to be very porous, which doesn’t make them very good for floors or kitchen surfaces. The lack of glaze also makes them susceptible to stains, they need to be sealed and polished regularly.

Stone – Stone tiles are the most natural in their look and style, they include materials such as limestone, marble, granite and slate. Although they may not be the most functional of tiles, it is their aesthetics that makes stone tiles a winner – their varied colouring and texture of natural stone, which cannot be re-created with ceramic.

However it is their look and style that can provide a drawback. Because they can vary so much, if you ever needed to repair a floor, you may struggle to find a perfectly matched tile. It is advised that you buy extra when you initially purchase your stone tiles.

Beth has a tiled wall in her bathroom, which she created with some decorative wall tiles from http://www.fitcreative.co.uk.






Some Fix-Ups To Make Your Home Safer For Kids

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Although your home may seem like the safest place for you, it can be a dangerous place for small children. There are some spots around the house that may appear perfectly fine, but can actually be a hazard for kids. In fact, it has been found that a lot of child-related injuries and deaths happen at home.

The good news is that, you can take some simple precautions to prevent accidents at home. If you are staying with little tots, here are some fix-ups you can do that will help keep the space safer for young ones and will give you a peace of mind.

Integrate window guards

In the US alone, an average of 12 children are killed each year due to falls from windows and several thousands are injured. These falls usually happen in urban apartments, but can also take place in suburban homes with second floors. To avoid this, experts recommend that you install guards on windows, especially those that are above the first floor. These additions will ensure that kids younger than 10 years old will not be able to access open windows.

Add a gate on the staircase

Since small children are naturally curious about their surroundings, they may be encouraged to climb stairs, making them vulnerable against slips and falls. Hence, your best defense against this is to install a staircase gate. This will keep young children from accessing the stairs, but be sure to pick a gate that they cannot easily open.

Install locks in ovens and kitchen drawers

Special locks as well as knob covers should be added on your oven to prevent toddlers from activating the burners on the stove. Likewise, you should secure the cabinets and drawers in your kitchen, especially those that hold pans, pots and sharp and heavy utensils as these things can injure them. You may choose to leave one of the drawers unlatched for the kids to explore, but be sure that it contains kid-friendly items.

Secure large furniture in place

When kids play at home, they tend to climb and grab on furnishings, making large and heavy furniture like bookcases, dressers and television stands particularly dangerous. If left unattended and the children managed to remove the items at the two bottom drawers or shelves of a bookcase that make it bottom heavy, the furniture can easily topple.

To secure heavy furnishings in place and prevent them from toppling, purchase straps and hook the furnishings to the wall. It is also a good idea to place heavier items at the bottom shelves or place the stuff that kids usually play with at the bottom so that they won’t have to climb to reach for the objects.

Keep sharp edges safe with bumpers

Coffee tables and other hard furnishings usually have sharp corners that kids may bump onto while playing which, in turn, could puncture them. Keep these furnishings safer by adding soft protectors or foam bumpers on their corners or edges. These pieces will only cost you a few dollars but they are definitely a worthy investment.

Keep cords out of reach

Kids are especially susceptible to strangulation and suffocation around the house, especially if there are low-lying window blind cords. In such case, your best bet is to resort to cordless window treatments. If that is impossible, however, be sure that the pull cords are tied high enough for children not to reach them or hook them up on cleats that are beyond children’s reach.

This guest post was contributed by Ericka, a freelance writer who loves to write helpful articles about home improvement and gardening. She also regularly writes content for Ace Blocks a company who specialice in Driveways in West Lothian

Choosing A Mattress: It’s What A Mattress Is Made Out Of That Counts

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When you go shopping for a mattress, you will notice that determining the quality of a mattress is difficult by simply looking at it from the outside. The only way you can make a decision is by relying on the knowledge of the salesperson and the cut models placed on display in stores. Unfortunately, this is not enough to help you decide which mattress will meet your needs and not knowing what you really need will only make shopping for a mattress very tiring and time consuming. The last thing you want is to purchase the wrong type of mattress and then suffer from discomfort each night.

 

Numerous Mattresses, But What Will You Choose?

There are literally thousands of mattresses being offered in the market today. They come in various shapes and sizes, designs, structure, style and purpose. Purchasing a mattress is a decision that must be made very carefully since you will be sleeping on it each day of your life. When looking for a mattress, you must consider looking for one that offers both comfort and support, as well as durability. Though there are several kinds of mattresses that do offer these three factors, it is still your opinion of what mattress is comfortable to you and what provides the necessary support you need that matters.

When Is It Time To Replace Your Mattress?

Deciding when to replace your mattress is often done too late. You may have already begun to suffer from restless sleep, headaches, back pain and mood swings. If you do not know how to determine when to replace your mattress, these tips will be helpful.

  • Your mattress is already 7 to 10 years old and more.
  • The middle of your mattress is sagging or a valley has developed in the area where you always sleep on.
  • Creaking noises can be heard when you lie down and stand up.
  • The mattress has one side that is lower than the other.
  • The edges of the mattress are soft and are unable to provide support.
  • You are unable to rest well and always find yourself tired in the morning.
  • You keep on waking up sore and suffer from recurring back pain.
  • You find yourself irritable, sleepy and unfocused throughout the day.

The Common Mattress

Mattresses structured with coil springs are a common type of mattress that has been used for years. They offer superior comfort and support of various degrees, thus offering people the opportunity to choose the right mattress that meets their needs. There are four types of coiled spring mattresses-

Marshall Coils are also known as pocketed coils. They are not tied together, but each coil is wrapped in a fabric case which holds the shape of the mattress. These offer a firmer sleeping surface allowing less distribution of motion on each side of the bed.

Bonnell Coils are the most common, oldest and least expensive type. They have an hourglass shape – wide at the top and bottom, thin in the middle. The coils are bracketed together in order to maintain the shape of the mattress.

Continuous Coils provide maximum coil strength and they are able to conform according to the body’s shape. They are also able to distribute body weight evenly and limit the transfer of motion.

Offset Coils are designed for support and comfort. Though they are costly, they are able to conform better to body shape compared to Bonnell and Marshall Coils.

Citations:
Attached Images:
  •  License: Royalty Free or iStock source: http://mrg.bz/Be622B

Valerie Collins is a freelance writer specializing in wellness and the health benefits of mattresses from Portland mattress stores. She regularly offers information and advice related to sleeping disorders, lower back pain, health and well-being concerns, as well as how to shop for the right mattress.

Shop Till You Drop – The UK’s Best Shopping Centres

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The UK is known for a lot of things – its incredible history, its beautiful countryside and its vibrant cultural scene. However, it is also a great country to live in if you love shopping as it has some of the best malls and high streets in the world.

To help you find out where the top places to hit the shops are in Britain, I’ve compiled a list of the best shopping centres. Read on to find out more.

1)      The Trafford Centre

The Trafford Centre is certainly a spectacle to behold, with the huge mall covering more than 185,000 sq m of retail space, 16,250 sq m of leisure area and nearly 14,000 sq m of dining establishments. You’ll be blown away by the impressive size of the centre, which lies in Old Trafford on the outskirts of Manchester.

Due to its location, the Trafford Centre is popular with people living in the entire north-west, including Manchester, Liverpool, Chester and the Peak District. Its catchment area is larger than any other in the UK and more than 5.3 million people within a 45-minute drive visit the Trafford Centre.

The £1.6 billion mall has 60 restaurants and cafes and more stores than you’ll know what to do with, which is why it is extremely popular with students living in accommodation in Manchester, as well as families and young professionals alike.  So popular is the Trafford Centre that it sees 30 million visitors per year, with customers seemingly finding it hard to resist all the shops, as the average spend is £149 per person.

2)      Westfield Stratford City

Many people associate Oxford Street as being the best place in London to put their credit card through its paces, but the latest shopping centre – Westfield Stratford City – gives the famous high street a run for its money.

Since it opened in September 2011, thousands of visitors have passed through its doors, lured by its 250-plus shops, including the likes of John Lewis and Marks & Spencer. Westfield Stratford City has more than 175,000 sq m of retail and leisure space, which includes a 17-screen cinema, in addition to its retail facilities. The shopping centre became incredibly popular during the London Olympics 2012, as it was a gateway to the Olympic Park. Since then though, tourists and Londoners have continued to visit and fill their bags with lots of new purchases.

3)      Meadowhall Shopping Centre

Further up north, Sheffield is home to Meadowhall Shopping Centre. This huge mall is spread over 140,000 sq m of floor space and has 280 stores. Every year, more than 25 million visit Meadowhall Shopping Centre, attracted by its huge number of retail facilities, leisure services and 12,000 free car parking spaces, which make it easier for visitors to access.

Meadowhall first opened in 1990 and has established itself as one of the best shopping centres in the UK over the last two decades. If you’re looking for high street and designer clothes, beauty services and dining establishments in and around Sheffield, this is the place to go.

4)      Liverpool One

While the Trafford Centre is perhaps the best-known shopping facility in the north-west, recently opened Liverpool One has been giving it a run for its money. Located in the heart of Liverpool, this huge shopping centre features more than 160 shops, 20 bars and restaurants, a five-acre park and a 14-screen cinema over 153,000 sq m. It is a great place to visit, especially for young people and students living in Liverpool accommodation.

With regards to shops, it has everything you need, including department store Debenhams, high street shops Disney Store and Gap, and designer labels including Boss.

5)      Westfield London

Westfield London was the original Westfield shopping centre in the capital city, with £1.7 billion mall opening in 2008. The 150,000 sq m centre has 345 retailers, making it the largest shopping centre in the UK – perfect for students, professionals and families living or visiting London. Just like Westfield Stratford City, this centre means you don’t have to go into the heart of the capital to hit the shops, as it is located in west London, an area well served by public transport.

There are also 4,500 car parking spaces, so you can easily drive to the mall, although more than 200,000 people work within 2 miles of the site, which gives an indication as to how many people are able to easily visit the shopping centre every day. Its catchment area covers 2.7 million people and, as it has a gym, a 14-screen Vue cinema and a library, it’s not hard to see why many of these will come to Westfield London on a regular basis.

Natasha Al-Atassi is a property and student news writer for Manchester student accommodation brand Vita Student, collating the latest industry news about student property in the UK, the Vita Student brand and information to help students currently at university.

Some New Trends In Casual Men Clothing

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Why Men should get Trendy Clothing?

When it comes to men’s dressing, it is equally as important for them to dress good and according to the latest fashion trends as women. This is because of the fact that men also follow fashion trends as religiously as women do since they have a strong desire to look their best at all times. Numerous fashion trends in men’s clothing have emerged to be of great importance over the recent years and gained much attention from the fashion addicts in different parts of the whole world. However, the main trend in men’s clothing these days is to remain casual yet fancy at the same time. Men can be seen wearing cool t shirts and hoodies, which makes them appear attractive even if they give a rather informal look. The main fashion trend in men’s clothing is to appear casual and hip, which can only be acquired by wearing less flashy clothes like t shirts of different kinds which can be acquired from anywhere within the market. Many brands in different parts of the world offer amazingly designed t shirts to all of their men customers as they are in high demand overall.

The Best Kind of Trendy T Shirts

One of the hottest and latest trends in men’s clothing is t shirts with famous figures on them. These public figures are mostly rock stars or famous personalities through the history of the world. Not only do these t shirts appear casual, but also enable men to obtain a cool look in the long and short run. The t shirts are perfect for everyday use and can be easily worn to school and even to work without any complication whatsoever. The graphical t shirts with famous personalities has proved to be one of the most demanded t shirts in the history of men’s clothing and those who do not have them are specifically recommended to purchase them at their earliest convenience as they are easily available every across the globe. These t shirts also enable the men to wear the t shirts of their favorite personalities without having to struggle too much.

The Importance of Graphical T Shirts

Graphical t shirts are popular as ever, since they offer men to look trendy and comfortable at the same time. They are considered ‘hip’ in the modern terms and are owned by anyone and everyone in various parts of the whole world. Men are recommended to go for these t shirts as they never go out of trend and can always be worn to achieve a casual and fashionable look in the short and long run. The best part about these personalised t shirts is the fact that they are available in various sizes, shapes, patterns and colors for all men easily.

Jordan help people in customization of their own garment and he loves printing stag party t shirts.

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