It is possible, with modern technology, to successfully bond tile to tile. Done properly, a new tiled installation can be placed permanently over an existing tiled installation. If the existing tiled surface is dimensionally stable, has the required expansion joints, and is satisfactorily on-plane, this method can be used. Its desirability, however, rest on the user.
The main drawback to this method is its increases in dimensions and the aesthetic appearance differences. This simply means that the new installation may not fit. For example, if the floor tile is already at a maximum height in a room, it may not be possible to add additional height. Or, if the existing tile in a tub enclosure is already at the maximum thickness allowed for the wall, this method cannot be used.
The aesthetic differences mentioned also include the way the new installation will receive the trim. Generally, the new installation will have to receive some additional trim element in order to be visually appealing.
In the case of flooring, it may be necessary to install a threshold to make up for the difference in height. In the case of wall tile, additional trim elements will need to be used for the same visually appealing reason.
Once the decision has been made to use the tile over tile method, the next question deals with what type of bonding agent will be used. Certain types of organic adhesives, Portland cement mortars, and epoxy mortars can be used. The Manufacturers recommendations should always be used.
The first step in the tile over tile process is thoroughly washing the existing tile to remove any wax, oil, and coatings that would adversely affect a good bond. The next step, which is recommended, is to rough up the surface with a carborundum disk or belt sander. This step is followed by a fresh water wash to remove the sanding particles .
For those of you who are not or were not able to make it to KLCC Convention Center, don't despair. I have carried out some research and have posted in today's topic some brochures to help you in your quest to renovate and fit-out your home.
I had the opportunity to be there this morning and the turn out was good. Crowd was starting to build up at about noon. I predict that there would be a large turn up this weekend. So get there early.
Tile and metal roofs are two of the most popular options available in roofing today. Both options are versatile and durable, and both possess distinct environmental benefits. Durability- Metal roofs are durable, resistant to dents and fireproof. Tile roofs are strong as well, with concrete and clay tile roofs holding up better under extreme weather conditions than slate tiles.
Appearance- Tile roof coloration resembles the color of the source material, whether it is clay or slate, but can be painted. Metal roofs can be designed to match almost any style.
Installation- Metal roofs are more difficult to install than tile roofs because of their complex designs, but because they are produced in sheets or sections and are quicker to install.
Environment- Metal roofs reflect sunlight, which reduces the home's need for energy output and helps the environment. Tile roofs help the environment as well by creating good air flow for the home.
Cost- High-quality metal roofs are typically more expensive than tile roofs. Both metal and tile roofs can increase home values and reduce utility bills.
If you have been cursed with a small bathroom, there are options that can add a little space to it or make it seem larger. Some are inexpensive, while others should only be considered if you are planning to do some major remodeling. Either way, here are some tips on how to deal with a bathroom that makes you claustrophobic.
Let's start with fixtures. The standard tub is about sixty inches by thirty-two inches. If yours is larger than that, you may want to consider replacing it. Installing a lower-walled bathtub is also helpful because it will give the illusion of more space.
However, a couple square feet of space is not always worth the cost of replacing the bathtub. A cheaper alternative is to install a clear shower door. Removing ornate designs and replacing it with a clear door will remove the visual barriers that block the light and make a small room seem cramped.
Another feature that can take up more space than necessary is the toilet, especially older toilets. Wall-hung toilets are much more compact and eliminate wasted space behind it. A bonus of replacing an older toilet is that the newer models generally use less water. A newer water-saving toilet can cut about ninety dollars from your annual water costs.
Pedestal and wall-mounted sinks will take up less room and make the room appear larger. In general, the more visible floor space in a room, the more spacious it will feel. You might also consider installing suspended cabinets instead of a standard vanity.
If you are convinced that you need a vanity, consider installing a smaller version. The standard vanity measures about twenty-four inches wide and eighteen to twenty-one inches deep. However, you can get them as small as eighteen inches wide and thirteen inches deep. Make sure your sink lies flush with the counter because this will also help make the room seem larger. In addition, install a single-control faucet that will take up less space than the two-handled models.
If possible, replacing a standard hinged door with a sliding door will give you more room. If this is not possible, consider turning the door around so that it opens to the outside, rather than the inside of the bathroom.
Light is important in a small room. Make use of as much natural light as you can. A skylight is the perfect way to add light. One skylight will add five times more light than a window the same way and is a great way to save on electricity bills.
Get rid of any dark corners that close in the space by illuminating them. A good way to do this is to install shelves on the walls near the ceiling and fitting lights underneath them. This not only gives you more light, it also gives you more storage space. Paint the ceiling in a light, high-gloss paint. The high-gloss surface will reflect and amplify the room's available light and make it seem larger. Perfection is critical with a high-gloss finish, as every flaw in the surface, no matter how small, is magnified.
Placing light fixtures near mirrors is another good way to add light to the room because the light will be reflected. The more reflective surfaces you can add to the bathroom, the more spacious it will seem.
Mirrors can also add depth to the room. Pace a mirror across from a window because it will create the illusion of an additional "window" in the bathroom. If this is not possible, consider installing mirrors across from each other. This is an old trick that works really well when combined with lots of light. You could also mount a wall sconce onto, or right next to, a mirror. This will make it seem like there is a sconce and space on the other side of the mirror.
Using a monochromatic color scheme for the walls, floors, and fixtures will also help make the room seem larger. It does not have to be white: any light, cool color will work. Simple is essential to decorating a small room. Stay away from busy wallpaper patterns, because they will make the bathroom seem small and cluttered. Stick with a small, subtle pattern. You want to stay away from contrasts that will break up the space.
Drawing the eye upwards is also important because it will make the room seem taller. Vertical patterns are the best way to do this. This can be done with the right wallpaper or by painting stripes in the bathroom. You could also extend wall tile up to the ceiling or add a patterned tile around the top of the walls. Any type of border along the top of the walls will help bring the eye upward. Consider adding crown moldings to both the tops of the walls and the edges of the ceiling. This fools the eye into seeing more height in the space.
Another trick that will make a rectangular room seem larger is to paint the shorter end walls a shade slightly lighter than the longer walls. Simply add one cup of white paint per gallon of color to get the right hue. Add a little more white paint and you have the perfect color for the ceiling. You could also paint clouds on the ceiling, which will give the illusion of wide-open spaces.
Larger tiles in lighter colors will also help create a sense of space. Lay the tiles diagonally because it will lead the eye away and makes the space appear larger. You should also use rectified porcelain tile. Rectified tile is more consistent in size because it was cut after it was baked. Other tile is cut before it is baked, which causes the tile to have a greater size variance. This variance is sometimes as large as one-sixteenth of an inch. Because of their consistent size, rectified porcelain tile can be placed closer together, which will minimize any visual pattern that could make the room look smaller.
If possible, consider skipping bathmats. If you feel they are necessary, choose ones that are lightly colored--preferably in a color that closely match your floor covering. Contrasting colors will break up the space and make it seem smaller. The trick is to make everything blend together.
Finally, when decorating it is important that you try to find a way to eliminate as much clutter as possible. Clutter will only make a small room seem smaller. Recessed or floating cabinets are a good option because they leave visible floor space while hiding clutter.
While it is not always possible to add more space to a cramped bathroom, you can always add the illusion of more space. This can be as expensive as you want it to be--the choice is up to you.
The first thing that a person is likely to see first when he steps in your house is the floor. A floor can really make big impression of your house, and personality as well. You might be having great furniture and walls, but if the floor is rough and dull, it can really be a turn off to a visitor. Therefore, it is always important to keep your floor glamorous at all times. One of the most effective and elegant way of giving your floor that heavenly look and a fine feeling beneath the feet is tiling. A well tiled floor can really transform your room, leaving you and your visitors with good impression and comfort.
The types of tiles available today are far different from many years ago. There are tiles that look like marbles / granite but cost the fraction of marble / granite and are easily maintained. the are tiles that look like sand stone and wood grain that are simply amazing and last much longer and durable to the actual material.
Tiles can be used to ornament your house as well as ease the cleaning and maintenance of your floors. There are various types of floor tiles, depending on the material they are made of, area of application, style, texture, color, design as well as sizes. Commonly, tiles are made of porcelain, ceramics, stone, and of late there are rubber as well as glass tiles; thanks to technological advancement. They are fixed using cement, latex or strong adhesive agents. Spaces between can be filled using the same materials or floor grout that is specifically made for that purpose.
Before choosing the tiles to lay down on your floor, it is good that you think on where they are going to be put, how they are going to be used, the existing type of floor and your preferences. Tiles come in different styles; it all depends on your taste. And although, some tiles can be used almost in all kinds of floors, most of the tiles will be specific on the environment of application. For example, high-end ceramics are known to be good in bathrooms and kitchens while granite, slate or marble tiles are meant for decorative purposes, and are good in living rooms, bedrooms or the lobbies. Irrespective of the material that the tile is made of, the tiles can be designed with patterns of your choice to reflect your personality and suit with the theme of your room. However, custom made tiles, and hand made tiles tend to be more expensive compared to mass-produced tiles.
Natural tiles are normally made from ceramics and stone are resilient to physical damages such as cracks and splits but are usually priced higher than the man-made. The other downside of the natural tiles is that they are normally very cold, especially in cold rooms and floors. So, they require careful choice, planning, installation and use. Industrially produced tiles are uniform in dimensions; width, length and height, and normally have a wider variety of patterns and designs. Granite, slate or marble tiles are well cut on all the sides to have proportional dimensions and hence easy to fix. In case of differences in the thickness of the tiles, more amount of mortar can be added beneath the tile during installation to raise its height into a uniform level. Mass produced tiles tend to be susceptible to physical damage, and are therefore less expensive compared to the natural tiles. But, with good choice, you can as well get great tiles irrespective of your budget or style.
With good choice of tiles and planning, you don’t have to hire an expert; unless if the room to be tiled is quit extensive or require intricate floor designs. All you need is appropriate materials like cement or tile adhesive, tile cutters, floor grout, and of course some hand-work mastery. With this, you are ready to give your floor a new look and feel.
Cost of installing tiles is roughly RM4 to RM6 excluding the tile cost.
This could be an age old Question??? There are many way to look at this
Budget, Finishing & Practicality.
Solid Surface:
- Should you have the budget, yes a Solid Surface would be the answer but remember to only invest on a trusted brands like Corian (by DuPont), Formica and etc.
- Solid Surface are: aesthetically pleasing, comes with seamless joints making it hygienic, non porous, durable and hard surface.
- This is perfect for those who would like to show-off their kitchen and barely do any actual cooking in it. And those who have both Dry and wet kitchen.
- Solid Surface require lots of care and should always be kept dry to avoid water stains as water subjected to the quality of supply can be somewhat corrosive. Then again it depends on the brand you use ... don't go for the imitation types.
Concrete Frame:
- Concrete frame top can be finished in tiles (2'x2') or natural stones like marble or granite. This is all Subjected to your budget.
- For Natural Stones you should be careful of the porosity of the material, especially marble which are more pores. Black galaxy granite counter-top are very common and is aesthetically pleasing but they don't come cheap, they are roughly RM350 to RM400per square feet with built-in bottom cabinet as the frame is timber and not concrete.
- The cost of doing the concrete frame top only is roughly RM50 to RM60 per foot run (standard depth 2') excluding the finishing top. Should you opt for polished tile finish, your choice could be limit less as tiles now come in various colours and finishing. Now there are tiles that look like marble and granite. The only draw back is the finishing joints which is lees the a millimetre thick. A good installer will surely be able to finish it neatly. Workmanship for tile installation is roughly RM4 to RM6 per square feet excluding tile supply.
- As for polished tile finish, prevent from dropping any thing heavy over it, they tend
Note that all of the above is excluding supply of kitchen sink and accessories and built-in cabinet (unless mentioned).
STEP 1: Run your numbers
Will the cost of your home renovation increase the value of your home? Yes, your new renovation will bring comfort to your home. But maybe your investment would be better spent in buying a new home. So run your numbers.
You should have fixed a Budget that you can afford and keep the financing / borrowings to a minimum. You do not want to be locked to a Bank for too long.
STEP 2: Start Developing Ideas
The first step in home renovation is deciding what you would like to do. You can use these guides to help flush out ideas and design considerations:
Start with home remodeling ideas: Sketch up some drawings of ideas you have and note it down. Get a copy of your house plan ready.
View houses for design ideas: Take a drive around your neighborhood, look at what some of your neighbors have done. Visit their homes.
View plans from Contractors: Should you have a contractor at hand, ask dome for some ideas and photos of completed works.
Browse the Internet: There are a lot of ideas that you can obtain for free from the Web.
STEP 3: Sketch your plan
Once you have your home renovation idea, your next step is to sketch out your plan. The sketch could be very simple or for those with a bigger budget, you could engage the services of an Interior Designer.
You will use this plan to obtain quotations from contractors.
STEP 4: Find a Contractor
Look around; don’t jump into signing any agreement with any contractors. There are a range of contractors that do renovation works for only Offices and Homes. Look for a contractor who is near-by or by recommendation.
- Get recommendations from friends and neighbors.
- In a new Housing area, there are usually many contractors who set up their office close by.
- There are those who only do work in certain areas as they have repeated and recommended customers. They usually come highly recommended.
STEP 5: Arrange for Renovation Loan / Financing
Refer to my previous article on this.
STEP 6: Manage the project
Stay on top of your home remodeling project; become involved as much as needed to avoid cost overruns and to address issues that can turn into expensive repair problems.
Key issues to understand include:
- Type of management: owner vs. contractor; give explicit instruction to the contractor on how you would like to manage the works.
- Change management: Design change during construction can be negative to your budget, think before you have decide to proceed.
- Problem resolution management; resolve it immediately and without cost implication. Don’t let the contractor take you for a ride.
- Cost management: Direct purchase the materials and hand it down to the contractor for installation, would some up to substantial savings. Alternative materials of same performance and lower cost.
- Financing management; keep tab on the budget.
When it comes to investment property renovations the one question question that strikes us is - "how much work should I do"?
The answer to this question will change dramatically depending on each person and their current situation. Are you the kind of person that loves DIY (do it yourself) home renovations? Do you love researching cheap renovation ideas? Or does the thought of a month's DIY home renovation make you feel sick? Only you can answer these questions but believe me there are huge advantages of doing minor renovations let alone a full month's work on a property
So let's assume that you have 2-5 weeks to complete your DIY renovations, what is a realistic goal to try and achieve? To a certain extent this will depend on your budget but you would be surprised at how much you can get done if you find some good cheap renovation ideas. My DIY renovation budget is the same for every project I do - I like to call it the "Spend as little as possible" budget! Below is a list of the most obvious and important things that you should look at when attempting a cheap DIY renovation.
Interior Painting
A fresh coat of paint is the easiest way to make a house feel new again. The great thing about painting is that everyone can do it and it's such a rewarding job.
RENOVATION TIP: If you're going to paint the house beige don't even bother! Property investors always make the mistake or choosing plain and boring colours. Paint the house as if you were going to be living in it. If you're feeling really adventurous you could even include a feature wall.
Floors
Replacing the existing flooring is another way to make your property feel brand new.
RENOVATION TIP: This is one part of the DIY renovation process that you should contract somebody to do it. The professionals do such a quick, good and cheap job that it's hard to make an argument for doing it yourself. To save some money you can by and supply the contractor the tiles / marble floor finishes.
Bathroom & Kitchen
These two rooms are very important when it comes to renovating your investment property. If you do have some money in your budget then the Bathroom; Kitchen are a pretty good place to spend it. How much work you do here is up to the individual but I would recommend trying to get both of these areas clean, modern and usable.
RENOVATION TIP: Rather than re-tiling you can use Tile Paint to great effect. This paint is a acrylic paint which is commonly used to re-coat bath tub. It is a durable material which is sprayed on for an even coat. One such company is Bathroom Works in Kuala Lumpur.
Fittings
Replacing old Light fittings, door handles and cupboard fittings is a great DIY renovation idea. It is a very easy and cheap way to create a more 'modern feel' for your home.
RENOVATION TIP: Look at the expensive designer brands and then find good quality imitations that are a quarter the price.
Garden
One full day in the garden and you can make a big difference to overall appearance of a house. Pull out some weeds, trim some branches, mow the lawns, sweep the driveway and suddenly your home is looking pretty good. You might be saying "Since when is sweeping the driveway considered DIY home renovation"? Well I don't care what you 'call it' - Gardening, DIY, Renovations, Cleaning - the fact is that putting a day or two's work into your garden will definitely make your house more attractive.
RENOVATION TIP: This is a great part of the DIY renovation to get some help from family and friends with. Everyone has done some gardening at some stage and you can even turn it into a BBQ event. This will make it more fun and easy as the whole family can come.
Exterior Painting
This might not be your first priority but it will drastically improve the first impressions that people have of your house. If your property is a weather board then a few coats of paint is a great idea .
Hopefully there is something here for everyone. So my answer to the question "how much work should I do on my investment property"? Do as much as you can whilst spending as little as possible. In the perfect world you would complete all the ideas that I have mentioned in about month and for under a budget of RM$20,000 (for a double storey link home). Is this a realistic DIY renovation goal? Yes I believe it is very achievable, especially if you (or someone you know) have a few 'handy man' skills. Remember that renovating you home property should be fun and exciting.
Best of luck.
This is my first posting for this blog. And in Blogs to come I will update you on my pet project, in which I will be Renovating My very own Home.
My updates will include prices for renovation works, interior design, seeking financing and etc.
My main Goal is to ensure a Comfortable and Safe home, within an acceptable Budget.
Below are some photos of my property.
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