How I Came to Choose Decorative Concrete Engraving For My Garden Home

I have an old concrete pad in my yard that wasn't doing anything except keeping the weeds down, and I wanted to turn it into something useful without using a process that created any carbon footprint to speak of. The concrete is the floor from a 20 ft.x20 ft. detached garage that had been demolished several years ago. The concrete is in good shape. I decided to make this large slab the floor of my 'garden home/summer kitchen' by building a pole structure over it, using screens and panels for infill. The roof will have a wide overhang to control weather exposure such as hard rains, blowing snows or direct sun.

I don't want just plain old ugly gray concrete for a floor, so I'm looking at the 'greenness' of three floor treatments:
Carpet: Indoor/Outdoor types because the buildings' interior will be partially out in the weather and can expect heavy picnic/outdoor use.
Hardwoods: Exterior or deck woods because of the weather exposure and the inside/outside life of a garden home.
Decorative Concrete Engraving: I'm intrigued by the tools available for decorative concrete engraving and have found places that offer hands-on training seminars about the engraving process and use of the tools.

The three options, decorative concrete engraving, hardwood, and carpet have some true cash cost for installation. There are 'hidden' costs such as moisture control, padding and one-time-use installation equipment. All will have installation labor on top of materials. I'm not considering the dollars and cents investment in this comparison although they are important factors for the final choice.

Greenness is the focus today.

All of the options will be subjected to changing weather and temperatures, plus humidity. The screen areas will have drop shades on any panels that require control of direct sun which will help relieve UV risks to any of the three choices.

Carpet

Carpet comes to the party with a distinct disadvantage. I don't like carpet. The upkeep is not appealing to me; a wet/dry vacuum will be required because of the outdoor conditions. Carpet would require protection from furniture and pets because it can be stained, torn, snagged, and unraveled. Concerns for care include dirt that will most assuredly be tracked in. And food spills which bring mold potential. If I don't get tired of the pattern or if I can forget the cat pee, chocolate milk spills and mud stains, this specific carpet can be my flooring for 10 plus years. The material content is not organic. When the carpet becomes unattractive, unhealthy and disgusting enough to justify getting rid of it, it's going to end up in a landfill.

Greenness: Carpet requires energy for manufacturing; synthetic materials that are petroleum based. When new, there will be issues with irritating dyes and other chemicals. The snuggly soft carpet can be habitat for molds and dust allergens leading to "early onset functional obsolescence." The choice of indoor/outdoor materials may extend the functional life over other types. The bulk contains materials that will not dissolve in the landfill. Carpet isn't making a great impression as a green choice.

Hardwood Flooring

Hardwoods are a little more appealing. General upkeep can be a broom, dust mop or light vacuum, with maybe a little wet mopping with wood loving cleaners. Mold, odors, and general gross appearance are not permanent parts of the floor. That type of maintenance is more my style. While messes can be cleaned up, the risk of staining or scratching remains and is better known as "character" in hardwood floors. Hardwoods and I can plan on a long term relationship; some brands come with a 25 year warranty. Since the structure is a 'garden home, possible issues down the road aren't as scary. They can involve: abnormal cracks, cupping, crowning, insects, termites, loose boards, peeling finish, buckling, color changes.

Greenness: I can choose a wood that utilizes 'junk' timber that grows fast, so tree 'killing' isn't an issue. Or I can think about bamboo, a renewable crop source which can be made into attractive decking material. Chemicals used in processing, plus energy for sawing the timber are considerations. Finishes can be toxic or irritating. When I'm ready for something different, the boards would have some value as firewood. Because of nails and glue used in installation, the probability is high that much of this floor would go to the landfill. Wood is organic, but slow to break down when buried in a landfill.Hardwood seems greener than carpet and definitely more to my taste.

Decorative Concrete Engraving

What is this process of decorative concrete engraving?

In my garden dreams, home decor teamed with plain, ugly concrete doesn't have a poetic image.

The concrete is there regardless of which option I select. If I choose to transform it into an attractive, useful primary flooring for my garden home/summer kitchen, what will move the Green-o-meter?

Greenness: The concrete can be stained using an acid stain that will permanently penetrate a shallow depth of the concrete. Typically, this stain has a 'marbled' look because every square inch of the concrete will respond uniquely to the acid chemical of the stain. As I said before, I like low maintenance; that marbling appeals to me. Or, I can choose a water reducible concentrated stain that bonds to the concrete. Either method can then be engraved with a pattern of my choice; geometric, abstract or imitating nature. When the staining and engraving processes have been completed, the entire surface is protected by an outdoor acrylic sealer. The stains and sealer have environmental risk only if they are improperly applied. After application and curing, they are solid. They STAY put. Should I decide to change colors or patterns, there are some simple removal applications available, including sandblasting with a vacuum system that keeps dust minimal. Nothing for the landfill. By my measures, decorative concrete is the greenest option.

The certain loss of anything ceramic, glass or pottery that could be dropped on the concrete surface is a disadvantage. Carpet or hardwoods would offer a small insurance against breakage...very small. Not so with the engraved concrete. Broken cups are relegated to the dollars and cents department and won't influence the Green ratings.

It looks like decorative concrete engraving is the best choice for leaving the least carbon foot-print.

Now to choose a contractor who does decorative concrete engraving and get started. Or perhaps I will let myself have some of those intriguing tools and do my own engraving.

See Also : Tire Gauges Amazon Best Selling Concrete Engineer Espresso Beans Hair Styling Irons

Pergola Design - How to Choose the Best Pergola Design For Your Needs

A pergola design should be chosen depending on different factors like location, materials and style. A location should be chosen carefully, as the final visual impact can be dramatic. Pergolas can be built stand alone in the garden, in the back yard, or over a patio and attached to the house. Attention should be placed on underground utilities like plumbing pipes and electric cables so as not to have bad surprises while digging the foundations.

Materials used for pergolas, trellises and gazebos construction range from aluminium, to vinyl, to wood. Aluminium and vinyl are virtually maintenance free but not as appealing as wood. Since wood has to withstand UVA and rain, it is a good idea not to save on wood quality and go for hard, tough woods like cedar or red wood. They hardly require any maintenance and outlive their builders. Wood is also very pliable and can be cut and shaped in all types of style, size, and shape.

Pergolas can be built triangular, circular or more commonly rectangular. They can even be built over walkways to provide shade and give extra appeal to the landscape. Once chosen the preferred design, a good pergola plan should provide easy to follow instructions like dimensions and step by step layout. A diy pergola should take about 3 days from start to finish and save you $thousands over ready made kits.

Lack of expertise in carpentry is not an obstacle as pergolas are relatively easy structures to build, however they require assistance in the form of a pergola design, a friend help, and few basic tools like hammer, nails, nuts, bolts, measure tape, hand saw, lines and concrete (for the posts foundations), circular saw, electric angle grinder, sand paper and wood stain, if required. You may need to rent or borrow few of them if not at hand in your house.

Beams and joists can be cut and shaped following the design criteria and measures, while waiting for the foundations to set in. Once the main posts are up and aligned (with the aid of lines), then it is just a matter to follow the pergola design instructions to set up the structure. An outdoor diy project like this is very feasible to implement and fun as well. An accomplished self built pergola can give the satisfaction to relax in the shade of an appealing and cozy structure that otherwise would have cost few thousands.

Visit : Civil Engineer Civil Engineer Face Cleansers Jewelry Cheap Prices Dinnerware Sets Discount

Choose From a Range of Commercial Flooring Options For Your Property

Safety is always an issue within the workplace. This is one main reason why people need to invest their time looking at ways they can improve areas of their Loughborough based commercial property.

One of the main areas that people tend to injure themselves is walking from one area to another due to poorly laid flooring or the wrong kind for the type of area. With this in mind it is important that you take the time to look into the right type of flooring you need for your company to prevent slips and falls.

There are commercial flooring companies that offer a one-stop solution to all your flooring needs. They have a whole variety of flooring for you to choose from that means you can choose what you want for any area of your business.

Whether you are looking at refurbishing a reception area, office or restroom, the flooring provided by Loughborough specialists range from vinyl, carpet (in both tiles and sheets), laminates, safety and non-slip flooring. With this amount to choose from your business should be able to choose exactly what is required to maximise the safety of your staff and visitors as well as looking the part.

As well as supplying the flooring, some specialists in Leicestershire will install your chosen flooring and maintain relationships with you to ensure their professional service is on going.

Regardless of what flooring you need for your property, there are those companies that provide commercial flooring Loughborough, Leicester and surrounding areas. They can provide you with solutions ensuring your property is safe and stylish and delivered on time and to schedule.

So, evaluate your property today and see whether you could make your office, warehouse or kitchen far safer with the investment of quality flooring.

Friends Link : Civil Engineer Civil Engineering Forum Civil Engineering Shallow Foundation