About Granite Tiles

Granite tile is a stunning, natural-looking addition to nearly any surface in your home, and can add a breathtaking decorative touch to walls, floors, counters and anywhere else you can think of. Granite tile is extremely heavy, and if the adhesive or thinset mortar used to hold it in place does not cure properly, you can be facing serious slipping or future damage.

Thinset Drying Time

The thinset mortar used to hold granite tile in place requires at least 24 hours to cure fully before you can apply grout. This time can vary depending on conditions in the installation area, including temperature and humidity. The higher the humidity, the more moisture in the air, which keeps the thinset curing longer. The higher the temperature with low humidity, the faster it will dry. In general, if the room in which you have installed the tile features a humidity level above 70 percent, allow an extra 12 hours of curing time before applying grout.

Wait to Grout

If in doubt, wait longer to grout. The reason is simple: grout also contains moisture. If you apply grout to a surface on which the thinset has not fully cured, the adhesive will absorb moisture from the grout. This can result in slipping of tiles, due to the softening adhesive and to the grout drying unevenly, causing cracks in the grout surface that will not only mar the appearance of the grout, but also ruin the seal intended to keep water out.

During Drying

As the thinset cures, the heavy tile may shift, especially on vertical installations such as walls or countertop edges. For this reason, keep all traffic off the granite tile until the thinset has fully cured, and then again after the grout application until the grout has fully cured. For these vertical surfaces, use masking tape to hold the tile in place, anchoring it to a solid area nearby to avoid slipping and sliding of the material from the surface.

Types of Grout

Once you are ready to grout, you will need to carefully choose your product. The granite tile’s manufacturers will dictate the minimum space required for grout lines in the installation. If you want the lines to be wider for decorative purposes you can spread them out, but you can’t make them smaller. Once the grout lines are established (and held open by spacers while the thinset dries) you know what type of grout you need to use. Unsanded grout is intended for grout joints 1/8 inch wide or smaller. You can use sander grout, which features larger particles, for larger joints to effectively fill in the area.

Tags:

New Home Trends You Need to Explore!

Just like anything else that changes with the times, preferences in residential style and function seem to change as well. These changes are frequently dictated by the current economic conditions, though that does not necessarily mean that it’s a bad thing. Today, buyers are seeking smaller houses and “greener” houses, which probably comes as no surprise; residences are also looked for that can really deliver on value per square foot.

Smaller is Better

A recent survey conducted by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) reports that home construction footprints are definitely decreasing in size, with the average single-family home estimated to be only about 2,100 square feet by 2015, as opposed to over 2,500 square feet in 2007. As average home sizes become smaller to combat the effects of economic change, buyers are also becoming more selective in regards to: built-in or customizable storage options; floor plans that allow for the greatest flexible usage of space; and architecture that aids in the reduction of heating and cooling expenses. A decade ago, the buying trend was the exact opposite with bigger and more spacious being the popular trend.

Kitchen Size is Up

Interestingly, as dwelling sizes have changed, kitchen sizes have either increased or remained basically the same despite the rest of the structure being considerably smaller. The biggest differences that are being seen in the kitchen is greater emphasis on counter tops made from more alternative material such as aluminum, glass, poured concrete and laminates, although granite and butcher block remain the definite favorites.

More and More ‘Green’

Another component being seen in current buying trends is a great emphasis on the desire to go “green”. Most dwellings today are already complete with energy-efficient appliances, low-energy lighting and low-flush toilets; however, those are only the beginning of a list of energy-saving products and trends. Water-efficient bath fixtures and low-consumption dishwashers have become more commonplace as money-saving, environmentally friendly options. More and more residences can be found outfitted with cabinetry and furniture built from more sustainable natural resources like wheat, bamboo, palm and other new materials instead of traditional lumber.

Health-Conscious

In regard to how healthy the house of today has become, trends are being created there, too. Super-efficient, low-emission heating and cooling as well as indoor air quality control has become the standard. Non-toxic, low- or no-VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) paints and stains are the surface coverings of choice and with good reason. Whole-house water filtration and drinking water systems are also becoming standard as water quality continues to be questionable.

Health-conscious eco-flooring and non-toxic laminates are beginning to gain popularity as well. Non-toxic, chemical-free carpeting and rugs made of natural, sustainable materials are beginning to be found in more and more residences. Wool is becoming more widely used and, underneath all of those environmentally friendly carpets, natural rubber carpet padding made from natural latex is increasingly being used.

Today’s housing market is definitely seeing new and changing trends, whether due to economic, environmental or health concerns. Whatever the reason, such new trends continue to be quite interesting and creative and should surely be explored!

Tags:

Several Options for Kitchen Remodeling

Remodeling is a highly skilled job. It requires an individual to be patient and willing to listen to customer needs. You can also hire a professional if you need to get home remodeling work done. Today there are several services that help you remodel your home so that you can make best use of it. These professionals would come to your home and take a look at the existing design and they also provide some excellent ideas. Some of the places in your home where you would be doing a lot of remodeling include the kitchen, the bath and also several different places. Let’s begin with kitchen remodeling first.

The kitchen is not only the place where food is cooked or prepared. It’s a place where you get creative with what you eat and a great looking kitchen just adds to that flavor. If you have been thinking of kitchen remodeling now would be a good as time as any. The reason for that is the number of options that are available to you. Custom cabinetry can be a good option to start with. You could get an extended arched platform where your family can have breakfast together while you prepare it along the side. This is a layout that most modern kitchens use. It makes a great looking kitchen.

You can choose from different kinds of woods for your cabinets or stone for your countertops. Your kitchen remodeling service should be able to provide you with the best option. The wood and the countertop often will be one of the few things that will add a great contrast to your kitchen. Log on to the Internet to find the best countertop replacement services. Like the kitchen even the bathroom needs remodeling. Today there are many firms that offer specialized services where you can only get your bathroom done up. You can choose from various options on the Internet.

Most kitchen remodeling services also provide bath remodeling. If you choose both these services from one place itself you might get a discount. Most people end up doing that because it is very convenient. The bathroom is the place where you usually relax and refresh your body. Choose from a wide range of comfortable bathtubs and also from great flooring options. You might like to try out some rough flooring so you don’t slip over and fall while you’re in the shower. The cost of these remodeling options would change depending on the number of things that your remodeling service feels would look better.

Remodeling is a great idea as it helps you in maintaining a great ambiance in your home and also incorporates new ideas in your house. You can choose from several different services that exist today. Most of the services that exist today are all contractors and provide you with high quality home décor options. These services provide you with options for kitchen remodeling like granite countertops, quartz countertops as well as bathroom remodeling. You could also remodel the other areas of your house. Some of these include your bedroom and living room. It’s better to hire an expert rather than try remodeling all by yourself.

Tags: