Archive for September, 2009
The Beauty of Cork Flooring
wood floor can add to your household. The only problem is traditional wood flooring isn’t very comfortable, can easily be damaged and requires a decent amount of maintenance. However, consumers looking for the beauty of wood flooring have a solution; it’s called cork flooring.
That’s right, flooring made out of cork! You can get both cork flooring tiles and planks. You can even get them in virtually any color that you like; however, the beauty of the natural look of cork is sufficient to this author. The unique styles and patterns in cork floors rival all other wood flooring solutions. Plus, you get the comfort of soft flooring solutions with the beauty of wood flooring.
The best part is cork flooring is far better for the environment than traditional wood flooring. Trees don’t need to be cut down in order to make cork floors. Instead, the bark of the cork oak tree is stripped off to make cork. That bark will grow back in 8 to 12 years and be able to be stripped again; making this flooring solution a natural renewable resource.
If you think this might be right for you then you need to learn more today. You can follow the links below to learn more about cork floors and see if it’s right for your home today. Remember, you can get the beauty of wood floors, the durability of wood floors and the comfortable of carpet all in one. So, take your time and review the resources below.
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Care and Maintenance of Your Outdoor Wood Patio Furniture
Some of the most beautiful Outdoor Patio and Deck Furniture is made from wood. Wood is a natural product, but when exposed to moisture and changes in temperature and humidity, wood will respond in a variety of ways. Proper maintenance of your Wood Patio Furniture will ensure longevity through years of exposure to the elements.
Caring For Different Types of Wood
Teak is perhaps the most desirable and, arguably, the most expensive outdoor wood furniture available. Teak is a beautiful, honey-colored, dense, tropical hardwood that is resistant to insect infestation and contains natural oils which make it resistant to rot and decay. Unfortunately, teak trees require at least 60 years to reach harvestable size, and, because teak furniture is in such high demand, teak supply is not as readily available as supplies of other woods like cedar, oak, or pine. With supplies not able to meet demand, the price of teak has increased dramatically. The advantage of teak, though, is that, with proper maintenance, it can last for more than 50 years, which makes the initial investment worth it for many homeowners.
While cleaning teak is not necessary, it is not a bad idea to clean outdoor teak furniture each year to remove any buildup of pollen, sap, or mildew. Follow each cleaning with a coat of teak oil (optional) if you wish to keep the wood its original honey color.
Other tropical hardwoods, like Eucalyptus, have become increasingly popular as the price of teak has grown prohibitive for many homeowners. Eucalyptus wood, like teak, is beautiful, dense, durable, and resistant to rot and insect infestation. The rapid growth of eucalyptus trees makes them more readily available and more easily affordable. Like outdoor teak furniture, outdoor eucalyptus furniture can be treated with teak oil following an annual cleaning to help preserve the wood’s natural color (if desired).
Other popular choices for outdoor wooden furniture include cedar, redwood, oak, and pine. These woods, though (especially pine), must be treated with a preservative to prevent decay, which can occur quickly depending on weather conditions. Protecting this wood furniture with a water-resistant stain, protective oil, or polyurethane is also recommended. Your local hardware store will have many options from which to choose, and a store associate should be able to assist you in selecting the most appropriate protectant for the weather conditions in your area. Furniture should be cleaned annually, and the protectant you choose will need to be reapplied regularly (check manufacturer’s instructions for details).
Cleaning Your Wood Furniture
Outdoor wood furniture should be cleaned once a year. Mix one tablespoon of bleach, five tablespoons of a gentle dishwashing liquid, and a gallon of water, and gently scrub the mixture on the surface of your wood furniture with a soft bristle brush. Wash the solution from the furniture, and allow it to dry completely in the sun. Repainting or restaining wood furniture may be necessary at this time to cover and protect any worn or damaged areas.
Protecting Your Furniture From Water, Temperature, and Chemical Damage
No matter what type of wood is used for your outdoor furniture, all woods are susceptible to rot and decay if left in moist, wet, or shady areas for extended periods of time. Wood that becomes saturated with rain water is more likely to warp and rot, so using waterproof protective covers when your furniture is not in use is highly recommended to keep your wooden patio furniture in good shape. The bases of furniture legs are probably the most vulnerable when it comes to water damage. If wood furniture is kept in the grass, at the poolside, or on a surface that collects even a small level of rain water, the legs can become easily saturated and damaged. Covering the bottoms of each furniture leg with rubberized material or small sections of cedar fencing material will help protect your furniture from rotting from the bottom up.
In addition, temperature extremes can take a toll on wood furniture. During the cold winter months, keeping your wooden patio furniture protected in a shed or garage is highly recommended.
Finally, exposure to chemicals including solvents and chlorine, and exposure to common items such as alcoholic beverages, plants and flower nectar, and hot items (off of a grill, for example) can stain or damage wood and many wood finishes. It is also important to prevent plastic objects, like plastic table cloths, toys, placemats, and appliance covers, from lying on wood furniture for a long period of time because plastic can discolor wood. Plastic can also stick to and damage a wood finish.
Lifespan of Outdoor Wood Furniture
The lifespan for any wooden patio furniture depends greatly on the type of wood used and local weather conditions. Properly maintaining your outdoor wood furniture can significantly improve its lifespan and maximize your investment. Outdoor wood furniture makes a comfortable, natural addition to any backyard, deck, patio, or garden, and, with care, it will continue to make a beautiful impression for many years.
Children’s furniture made fun and enjoyable
Here is a lot of beautiful furniture indeed but the outside doesn’t manifest the inside. What is meant here is that not all beautiful furniture is of good quality and durability. Not all beautiful and attractive furniture are of good quality and lasts long. Instead of buying finished furniture why not shift your attention to unfinished wood children’s furniture. Unfinished wood furniture does not only pertain to the tables and chairs found in our living rooms and kitchen but it also pertains to our children’s furniture. Children are not difficult to please because they are happy with the simple beautiful things around them. Giving them a colorful candy and chocolate will surely make their day.
Wood children’s furniture will be a good choice for you if you are thinking of buying them furniture. Bedroom unfinished furniture are furniture made of real wood, just like indonesian furniture. You can assure its good quality because it does not have any mix of particle wood. Finished furniture have mixed of particle board and real wood that will cause the joints to eventually break. The reason why it breaks is because humidity causes the material to either expand or contract. So from the things mentioned above, you can really assure that wood furniture of your children are of good quality and do not easily break. And what’s beautiful is you can let your children have their choice on what designs of cartoon characters they want their beds, tables and chairs to have. This will also inspire your children in going to sleep early and doing their school works because they would love to see the things around them according to what they like.
Other advantages of wood children’s furniture are as follows:
> Contraction and expansion of real wood caused by humidity will not affect the real wood’s natural integrity.
> Defects and some damages can easily be seen so you can easily see its weakness.
> You will have the freedom to choose and have your own design, size and color of your furniture.
> Unfinished wood furniture is non-toxic because it is made from natural and environment- friendly materials such as hardwood and softwoods. You are assured of the all-natural materials that it is made of.
> Customization, redesigning and repairing can be done a lot of times with unfinished wood furniture so you don’t need to buy a new one which can be heavy in your pockets.
> Unfinished wood furniture has durable and good quality because of the materials it is made of.
Your children will enjoy the colorful designs they can have with their beds, study tables and chairs. Children will be more inspired in sleeping early and studying their lessons and doing their homework because they are having fun at the same time. It will not be a pressure for them with their studies because the cartoon characters they love are all in sight. Children’s furniture gives you no worries since all you have to think of is the style, size and design that fits your children.
