June 14th, 2010 by Randy
There is almost nothing worse than coming home after a large storm, or even after just a little bit of rain, only to find out that you have water in your basement. This is a problem that occurs in many homes in all different locales, and it occurs for different reasons as well. But, if you want to try to avoid basement flooding, like most people do, there are a few ways you can try to ensure that your basement stays dry and your belongings are not ruined.
photo credit: Massachusetts Dept. of Environmental Protection
The first thing you need to do is to determine the reason that you are getting water in your basement in the first place and where it is coming from. If you can pinpoint the location of the problem, it is usually easier to fix the problem so that you do not have flooding occur again in the future. For example, if you find any cracks near a window or door, or in a foundation, you can seal them up to stop them from letting water in.
Your whole foundation, on the other hand, may need to be sealed with a waterproof sealer that will provide a barrier so that water stays where it belongs – outside. This is a rather messy job, but something you can handle yourself, and the good news is that it only needs to be done once in order to be effective.
Another way to protect your basement from damaging water is to inspect your guttering system. This consists of the gutters and downspouts that run along the roofline of your home and down the side of your home and are intended to funnel extra water off the roof and away from the foundation of the house. If these get clogged or are broken in any location, too much water winds up running down the side of your house, which can cause major problems with flooding in your basement.
Tags: basement flooding, guttering, Waterproofing
Posted in General Home Remodeling | 1 Comment »
June 9th, 2010 by Randy
Are you thinking about using pine dressing tables in your bedroom to give the room a classic look? There are a lot of different types of wood that can be used but pine is one of the best. Pine has been used for many years to make furniture and is one of the least expensive types of wood that can be purchased. There are a lot of other benefits that you will be able to receive when you decide to buy dressing tables that are made of pine in your bedroom that you will want to take the time to learn about.
photo credit: CedarBendDrive
One of the great benefits that you will be able to get from furniture made of pine is the durability that it provides. Pine is one of the most durable types of wood that can be used to make furniture. It will last for a long time and can take a little bit of punishment without becoming damaged. This means if you are someone who moves around a lot you will not have to worry about your dressing table and other furniture getting damaged in the move. Pine is also one of the best looking types of wood especially if you cover it with a great looking stain that matches the other furniture that you have in your bedroom.
If you are going to buy any type of dressing tables for your bedroom then pine dressing tables are the ones to get. You will be able to receive many great benefits that you will love for years to come. There are a lot of different types of wood that can be used for the bedroom furniture that you are interested in but pine is one of the best. If you want to have a great look and durable furniture then make sure that this is the type you use in your bedroom.
Posted in Basement Room Decorating | 1 Comment »
June 6th, 2010 by Randy
Do you have a basement with a concrete floor that you just can’t figure out how to cover? If so, look into epoxy flooring as a solution that looks great and protects the floor from abuse. Now, an epoxy coated floor may not be for every basement but it has worked out great for mine. We use our space mostly as a play room for the kids and they can get pretty wild on long days where all it does is rain outside. With the floor coated they have a great play area for anything they want to do, but they aren’t directly on the damp concrete.
photo credit: Patrick Hoesly
An epoxy floor coating is actually comprised of two liquids which when mixed together form a very hard, solid surface. The two parts are called the resin and the hardener. If you have been around fiberglass projects at all these names are familiar to you because fiberglass construction uses the same materials. The only difference is when you build with fiberglass the strength is supplied by a mesh cloth. When you apply an epoxy coating to the floor the strength actually comes from the underlying concrete.
One thing to be sure of when you apply your coating is to apply some anti-slip materials before the coating hardens completely. Epoxy cures very hard and smooth so it can be slick if water or juice is spilled on it. You have a choice of a sand like material, which really is too gritty for my taste, or color chips. I really like the chips because they add another dimension of color to the surface. You can choose either a complimentary color or a completely different hue than the base material. Either way, it makes the floor look much better than that ugly grey from the concrete and it takes care of the slipping issues.
If you decide to apply an epoxy floor be sure you can leave the windows open for a few days as the fumes can be overwhelming. But once it cures, you have a great floor surface for life.
Tags: concrete floor, epoxy flooring
Posted in Basement Remodeling Ideas | 2 Comments »
