Stainless Steel Fixtures for Your Bathroom

When people think of remodeling their bathroom, they need to a wise decision regarding fixtures as it can alter the entire look of the room. Generally, a bathroom has sink and bathtub, which does not add to the style of the room; however with the help of elegant and stylish fixtures one can add to the aesthetic look. While choosing the fixtures, one needs to keep various things in perspective, such as finish, function, design, and installation. Certain changes to the fixtures can give bathroom a whole new look, without any need of changing or replacing every installation. Among the various options available in the market, stainless steel bathroom fixtures have become quite popular among homeowners.
Stainless steel fixtures can breathe new life into any bathroom by giving it a contemporary look. These fixtures are simple and stylish, which blend beautifully with any kind of decor. It especially looks great with traditional decor, amalgamating best of both. Lending a modern look to the room, these are strong and durable, particularly those with seamless welding and one piece construction. The heavy gauge stainless steel metal fixtures do not tarnish, spot or chip easily; instead these are moisture and heat resistant.

In case you are planning to renew your bathroom, you should choose amongst the various stainless steel fixtures available in the market. You can select stainless steel sink, countertops, bathtubs, faucets, shower-heads Quartz Linear drains, Ebbe Square drains, Shampoo baskets and many more. Additionally, you can also go for stainless steel door hook, towel bar, door knobs, and trash to remodel your bathroom. It is important to wisely choose amongst these fixtures because using just stainless steel fixtures in the bathroom can be overwhelming. If you use a stainless steel tub with a porcelain sink, then it may look a little weird. Hence, it is important to appropriately select the bathroom fixtures so that it adds to the look of the place, rather than making it unappealing.

Though these do not require much maintenance, over time, these bathroom fixtures tend to attract dust and scum that leave the bathroom in an unsightly mess. This can readily be dealt with the help of cleaning products, which are easily available in the market. Besides cleaners, there are home remedies that are also effective in cleaning stainless steel fixtures. For example, one can spray club soda on the fixtures and wipe it clean with the help of cloth or sponge. However, one must ensure not to use SOS pads as these are made of steel wool that can leave scratch on the surface of the fixtures or remove the finish. Some people may argue that these fixtures are expensive, but they do not realize that it is a smart investment; not only is it aesthetically appealing but also durable, strong, and long lasting.

Hence, if you plan to make your bathroom look sleek and appealing, stainless steel fixtures must be your foremost choice. These fixtures can even make a bland and normal white bathroom look more attractive. However, striking a balance and not going overboard is essential in remodeling your bathroom with these fixtures.
Copyright © 2006 – 2012 FlooringSupplyShop.com

Shower recessed shelves Make your bathroom glamorous!

Have you ever tried to imagine the latent power of your bathroom? Well, your bathroom can provide heavenly relaxation to your entire body and even help you completely recharge your batteries! Bathroom accessories like shower recessed shelves lend a very organized look to your bathroom and will make you feel like a princess.
Shower recessed shelves are the perfect accessory for the modern day shower. They provide you with a huge amount of space to store all your favorite shower materials like gels and soaps. A stone shelf will also add a rustic charm to your shower and help you enjoy a spa like experience in your bathroom!
Along with these shelves, the ceramic bathroom tiles and mosaic tiles also bring in a lot of elegance to a bathroom. The natural colors of these tiles allow them to blend perfectly with your bathroom interiors and create a mesmerizing appeal. The modern day stainless steel tiles are also anti slip, ensuring complete safety for your family. So light up those aroma candles and soak your body and mind into that heavenly experience right in your shower!
Flooring Supply Shop offers shower recessed shelves and other bathroom accessories. The website www.flooringsupplyshop.com offers complete information about the company.
Copyright © 2010 FlooringSupplyShop.com

Things to Consider for Remodeling Your Bathroom

Bathroom, is the most integral part of every home, and thus, you should give due importance to its remodeling. Bathrooms can be redefined with new colors, designs, looks and styles. These days, you can find a number of themes for bathrooms, which are especially designed to address the contemporary demands of the people.
People pay special attention while getting their bathrooms constructed and make sure that their aesthetic and luxurious appeal is enhanced. On the other hand, when it comes to offices or work places, bathrooms are designed in such a way that they present a contemporary look. The designing, colors, accessories, fittings and themes incorporated in the bathroom depends on the space available and the budget.
There are lot of areas where one should focus on while going for a bathroom remodeling. Right from cabinets, fixtures and hardware to mirror, flooring, tub, shower and lighting, every aspect of the bathroom is equally important and needs to be highlighted accordingly.

The first thing that comes into notice in any bathroom is the cabinet. Any change made in the cabinets transforms the entire interior of the bathroom. For giving an illusion of space in the bathroom, you should go in for subtle colors like beige and mauve. You can also go in for cabinets in themes like rain forest and ocean blue.
Fixtures are the next important things which require a conscious decision before getting a bathroom remodeled. Faucets and sinks should be selected in synchronization with the style of cabinetry and the overall décor of the bathroom. One can go for trendy styles or can stick to the old elegant & sophisticated look.
Hardware that one wants to use inside the bathroom should be cautiously selected as these enhance or deteriorate the overall appeal of the bathroom. Lighting is another focus area that you should pay attention to, as it makes the room look brighter and gives depth to it. You would find a plethora of options in types and shapes of lighting options.

If you have a small bathroom, then you can make it spacious looking by altering the size of the mirror used. Mirror is a major point to concentrate on, while going for remodeling. These days people prefer to have large mirrors in bathrooms, majorly because they make the bathroom look larger.
While going in for remodeling of bathroom, you should also focus on the type of tub or shower to be used. These are available in different shapes, sizes and colors to enhance the overall interiors. Make sure that the bath tub blends with the color of the tiles & flooring, or is in contrast to them. You can also opt for flooring and tiling, which has a similar shower counterpart available. This would add finishing to your bathroom and make it look more elegant.
Keeping in mind these important points, you can completely transform the looks of your bathroom and give it a fresh appeal.
Copyright © 2010 FlooringSupplyShop.com

Tileware Promessa Series Brochure

Integration offers endless opportunities for the tile community. Innovation has just begun, TileWare is in the process of engineering new and creative applications. Each iteration expands the usefulness and function of tile and primes the industry at large for growth. Let’s embrace the connection with inventive surfaces and cover the world with TILE.
Values for Tile Professionals
FlooringSupplyShop is pleased to introduce an installation system designed and engineered specifically for tile mechanics. Traditional hardware installation requires drilling, compromising tile installations. Now, with the PermaTile™ System, tile mechanics have a clear advantage: a simple installation system that adds value to the tile professional and their specialized skill set.
Attach To, Not Through Non-penetrating, Non-intrusive Systems

It’s Time to Integrate
Is it possible to experience a modest revolution while integrating tile and hardware? The answer to that question, from TileWare’s perspective, is a definitive YES! These two industries have been separated long enough; it’s time for a comprehensive solution, one that will serve both tile and hardware communities alike.
New Solutions for Old Problems
The hardware industry has been asking tile professionals to drill through finished tile surfaces in an effort to attach all types of accessory applications. These archaic methods have been met with little opposition, even though the tile industry has developed significant advancements in both tile and mortar systems. This truth is specifically relevant when mechanics try to drill through solid body porcelain that has been engineered for density and hardness.
From a tile installation perspective, drilling into finished tile work will most certainly create problems. These problems translate into cracked tile, pierced plumbing, damaged electrical wiring and, most significantly, waterproofing violations.
TileWare, through its PermaTile™ System, offers an innovative solution to obsolete installation methods that require penetration and intrusion into tile and mortar.
PermaTile™ Fasteners
The first non-penetrating, non-intrusive tile fastening system

This high quality, stainless steel fastening component will attach with unprecedented strength to wall surfaces with latex modified mortar. This system provides a solution that is simple and measurably strong. PermaTile™ Systems will end unnecessary damages resulting from drilling finished tile work.
• Will not violate waterproofing, plumbing or wiring no more drilling
• Mortar-based fastening system
• Non-corrosive stainless steel fastener
• Over 10X the strength of standard fastener
• Tested by TCNA (Tile Council of North America)
• Designed specifically for tile applications by tile installers
• Will work with all standard tile products and thicknesses
Promessa™ Series Baskets
Our baskets have a distinctive look and one touch demonstrates their fine quality. All baskets are designed to fit a broad style palette and will work with any tile motif and pattern.
• Accessories that stay firmly mounted, even with everyday use
• Solid brass
• Each model is easily interchangeable
• 5-year finish warranty
All models are available in all finishes.
Watch the step by step Video installation – Tileware Promessa Series Brochure – Step by Step Installation Instruction

Installation Procedures for Promessa Series Baskets

Installation Procedures for Promessa™ Series Baskets

STEP 1 Determine Basket Location
Step 1 Procedures:

• Determine the wall surface where the PermaTile™ Fastener should be located.
• Apply thin-set mortar with no less than a 1/4″ x 3/8″ notch trowel.

Warning: Use only latex modified mortars that meet ANSI A118.4 performance standard

STEP 2 Understand PermaTile™ Fastener
Step 2 Procedures:

• Prepackaged plastic thumb screws should not be removed until after grouting.
Technical Fact:
• Each PermaTile™ Fastener is constructed from high quality, solid stainless steel materials.
• The welded fastener is equipped with 8-32 internal thread studs.

Warning: Each threaded stud is covered with a plastic thumb-turn screw to prevent thin-set mortar from corrupting thread. Do not remove until after grouting.

STEP 3 Install PermaTile™ Fastener
Step 3 Procedures:

1.Press the PermaTile™ Fastener into the combed thin-set mortar at the predetermined location.
2.Key thin-set mortar into the back side of tile to ensure proper contact and adhesion.
3.Adjust as necessary, setting stud directly on tile edge.
STEP 4 Notch Tile
Step 4 Procedures:

1.Mark left side notch location.
2.Mark right side notch location.
3.Using an angle grinder, remove enough material allowing 1/16″ of adjustment side to side and up and down.

Warning: Notches and holes should not exceed 3/8″ in diameter to ensure ferrule has sufficient surface area during mounting.

STEP 5 Install Notched Tile
Step 5 Procedures:

1.Key thin-set mortar into the back side of tile to ensure proper contact and adhesion.
2.Press tile into wall and adjust as necessary.
3.This completes the fastener installation portion. Continue setting all other tile, allowing proper cure time as specified by thin-set manufacturer.

Warning: Do not proceed with accessory installation until after thin-set mortar has met minimum curing requirements specified by manufacturer.

STEP 6 Install Ferrules
Step 6 Procedures:

• Immediately proceed to accessory mounting after grouting is completed.
• Simply slip ferrules over studs.
• Included with each basket assembly are 2 ferrule styles. Each style contains two pieces.
Technical Facts:
• Ferrule Styles
• Standard Wall Ferrules are 7/16″ in length and will work with all tiles 1/4″ to 7/16″ in thickness.
• Thin Wall Ferrules are 5/8″ in length and will work with all tiles thicknesses under 1/4″ in thickness.
STEP 7 Install Basket Accessory
Step 7 Procedures:

• Each basket accessory is drilled with 2 countersunk holes that will match stud locations.
• Simply insert 8-32 stainless steel screw through hole in basket and attach to threaded stud.
• Using a 6” phillips head screw driver, attach screw firmly to basket accessory. Observe in photograph that the screw driver is situated under top rail to avoid scratching.
• After basket is installed, use a level to determine if basket is level. Adjust physically with your hands, after which re tighten screws.

Warning: Make sure screw and stud are parallel to avoid cross-threading. Turn carefully, cross-threading will require fastener removal.

STEP 8 Install Decorative Plugs
Step 8 Procedures:

• Included with each basket assembly are 2 decorative plugs. Plugs will cover drilled holes for screw attachment.
• Place plug over exposed hole and press to insert. Ease of installation requires that all prongs evenly enter drilled hole.
• Installation complete.

Watch the step by step Video installation

Trend Setter in Home Furnishing

Home furnishing has always been thought off as the most tedious task in home management. The time consumption that takes place is something that has always been a hindrance in home furnishing. House owners these days have shifted focus to an all new concept of home furnishing. Popular trends in home furnishing include mixing old and new, classic and contemporary. Furniture has always been on prime radar of the house owners. They look for a mixed blend of beauty of the art and color in the furniture. But, choosing the right blend and in appropriate measures is the key. Furniture makers have been very responsive to this fashion, so now it’s easier than ever to purchase fine reproductions of vintage and modern collections. So here are some important trend setting aspects and designs that make your living area complete. You can either opt for singular collection or blend of many depending on your requirements and taste.

Gold Furniture: This is one of the major trend setters as far as home furnishing is concerned. Regarded as one of the oldest and royal home furnishing design, gold furniture types are no more luxurious and costly. Gold French furniture is nowadays usually finished in genuine gold leaf, and artisans make sure to give a distressing look to those areas where most natural wear would have occurred. The outcome is just awesome. This is a hard earned creation as it undergoes a multi tasking process of hand sanding, filling, sealing, painting and antique aging. Rich Rococo pieces, such as beds and chests of drawers are hand-carved, again, following the methods used hundreds of years ago.
The Vintage Style: Again a very effective and costumer centric furniture pattern. Vintage is generally a blend of Rococo furniture and chateau style. Versailles style is way over the top, but using a few rococo and baroque style items, such as a reproduction chateau de Versailles chandelier or a beautiful gilt mirror will give a glamorous look to your contemporary home. People with large dining rooms generally prefer this style of furniture.

The Mirrored Furniture: This is generally used when house owners want to bring some sanity to the house. Instead of glitter of artwork, many a times the mirror furniture is preferred by house owners. If you want something more exotic, choose a couple of items from a popular silver embossed range and mix them with white painted chateau furniture.
The Real Budget Design Ideas: If a budget based home furnishing is your cup of tea, then here are some important designing ideas for you. De Cluttering is always a good idea to start with. Minimizing accumulation is the key. This can be done by deciding which items must be retained and which can be thrown out or given away. Then be sure to maintain this system on an ongoing basis. Color management also plays a very vital role. Consulting a home furnishing expert also can be of great help. You’ll better understand how to incorporate color, lighting and texture into a room and also receive valuable tips on ensuring furnishings are in proportion with other things in a room for visual appeal.
With the wealth of information available, designing your first home or redesigning the interior of your existing home becomes a fun and exciting and cheap project rather than a stressful chore. By combining your creativity with tips gathered from various cheap or free publications, your home interior design project is sure to turn out to be a stunning success. As a final suggestion, surfing the internet and finding different combination’s and permutations that work can also provide relevant inputs.

I hope these inputs help you enhance some knowledge on catching the right trend in home furnishing.
Copyright © 2010 FlooringSupplyShop.com

Installation of a ceramic toilet paper holder without tile surrounding

Installation of a ceramic toilet paper holder without tile surrounding
(Same procedure with minor changes can apply to almost any of the bathroom accessories)

Installing a ceramic toilet paper holder is not a difficult task. Before you get started, you will want to gather these tools and materials:

• Hammer
• Keyhole Saw
• Razor Knife
• Chisel
• Caulk gun
• Tape Measure
• Level
• Shop-Vac
• Pencil
• Tube of Caulk
• Ceramic tile grout
• Masking Tape
• Construction Adhesive

The first step is to determine exactly where you want to install your ceramic toilet paper holder. Most fixtures are approximately six inches long by five inches wide. On the back of the fixture you will see a square that is slightly smaller than the fixture and raised about one half inch. This smaller, raised, area will be the actual size of the hole we are going to cut into the wall. For this example we are going to assume that the raised area is five inches by four inches.
Before we do any cutting, we need to mark the wall. Hold a level on the wall at the height where the bottom of your toilet paper holder will be. Make sure the level reads level. Next, place the fixture on top of the level. Trace around the two sides and the top of the fixture with a pencil. Then remove the fixture and draw a line across the top of the level.
You should now have a nice level square drawn on the wall. However, this square is going to be the actual fixture size six by five and not the smaller size of the raised portion on the back (the size we need our hole to be). Remember that most of the time your raised area will be about 1 inch shorter in both length and width. So, take a tape measure and measure one half inch from the bottom pencil line you made to the center of the square and make a new mark. Do this for the other three sides as well. Next, take the level and place it on the mark you made from the bottom and draw another level line, making sure not to allow your pencil mark to go outside of the original square you drew on the wall. Do this for the sides and the top as well.
Take a keyhole saw and carefully cut out the inside smaller square you marked on the wall. If you hit a stud while cutting you can use a razor knife or box cutter to finish the job. Now make sure that the fixture fits in the hole. If it doesn’t, make adjustments as necessary to get a good fit.
We are now ready to glue the fixture into place. You may use either construction adhesive or unsanded tile grout for this purpose. The grout is easier to clean up if you accidentally get some on the wall, but the choice is up to you.
Construction Adhesive:

• Be careful and use it sparingly. A small bead around the back edge and in between the raised portion of the fixture is plenty
• Place the fixture into the hole and press firmly. Use masking tape to hold the fixture in place until the adhesive dries.
• Be sure to clean up and adhesive that got onto the outside of the fixture before it dries
• After the adhesive dries remove the tape and place a small bead of latex caulk around the entire fixture and you are ready roll

Unsanded Tile Grout:

• Mix a small amount of grout with water in a bucket. The grout should be about the consistency of peanut butter, and the size of a softball, when mixed.
• Place a softball size pile of grout on the back of the fixture and press it firmly into the hole.
• While holding the fixture into place with one hand, use the other to wipe off any excess grout. You can avoid using latex caulk by smoothing the joints around the fixture with your finger.
• The fixture should stay in place by itself, but you can use some making tape to hold it in place if it does not.
• Take a damp sponge and wipe the walls and any excess grout that may have gotten on the fixture.
• Once the grout is dry, you may install the roller and tissue.

Copyright © 2010 FlooringSupplyShop.com

How to repair towel bar

How to repair towel bar

How to replace a broken acrylic or plastic bar
1. Cut old bar using hand saw, (hold bar “gently” with one hand), remove gently form bar making sure not shaking the brackets

2. Insert one end to place and mark other end with pencil.

3. Remove insert and cut bar at mark, put back insert at end piece.

4. Put back, you may need to apply little pressure inserting 2nd end back in to bracket

Read all specifications above carefully.

The impact of moisture on different flooring types

The decision to install a particular flooring type depends on various factors such as its aesthetics, durability, price and effect of moisture. It is the impact of moisture on different flooring types that restricts the use of certain flooring options in high moisture areas such as the kitchen and the shower.
Hardwood flooring is highly sensitive to the surrounding moisture content since it is fibrous and absorbs and releases moisture. All wooden floors expand and contract according to temperature and humidity changes. Hardwood contracts when the relative humidity is less than the moisture content of the wood. On the other hand, hardwood expands when its moisture content is less than the relative humidity. Fluctuating moisture levels can significantly affect the shape of your hardwood flooring.
Another flooring material that is affected by the moisture levels is bamboo. Since bamboo is actually a type of grass, and is fibrous as well, it also absorbs and releases moisture. Excess moisture in the air will cause your bamboo flooring to swell and bend. In contrast, less moisture in the air will dry the bamboo flooring and cause cracks in it.

Although laminate flooring is considered to be the most durable out of all the flooring options it is still susceptible to moisture. During the manufacturing process, a durable coating is applied on laminate flooring to make it resistant to moisture. Even after this coating excess exposure to moisture can cause laminate flooring to expand significantly.
Cork is another flooring material that is impervious to water seepage. Cork contains a natural material that makes it highly durable and ideal for use in areas such as the kitchen as well. However, since cork is a natural material it is affected by humidity changes. Although cork is not affected by moisture in the same way as hardwood is, yet it should be properly cared for to prevent damage.
Even though different flooring materials respond differently to fluctuations in moisture levels, it is important to limit the exposure of moisture to your flooring. One of the most effective ways of ensuring the relative air humidity does not affect your flooring is known as acclimation.
Acclimation is a pre installation process to ensure that the flooring adjusts to the humidity level in a particular room. Generally, this process consists of placing the flooring material in the room where it is to be installed, for a period of 2-3 days. During this time, the temperature as well as the humidity levels in the room should be controlled for maximum effectiveness.

Controlling the moisture levels around your flooring is important for a number of reasons. One of the main reasons is that excess moisture, or lack of moisture can cause the flooring to shrink or expand. This in turn would affect the integrity of the flooring. Another reason is that unless proper maintenance of the flooring is done the warranty on it would not be valid. It is for these reasons that you should ensure that your flooring is not exposed to moisture, or excess fluctuations in humidity levels.
Copyright © 2010 FlooringSupplyShop.com

Maximizing your bathroom space

Bathroom is an integral part every house and generally these are designed keeping functionality in mind, thereby most of the bathrooms are cramped and small. Sometimes, it is so cramped that there is not even enough space to move around. Most of the bathrooms are stuffed with tub, shower, sink, shelves and other necessary things in a small area. As a result, the place looks cluttered, probably the most disorganized room in the entire house.
In case, your bathroom is also small and cramped which you wish to renovate into a beautiful and functional bathroom, then there are several steps which can take, without having to incur heavy expenses. Foremost, for the walls of the room, choose light colors where stripes can do the trick as it help elongates the walls’ appearance and the space seem bigger. Moreover, you must choose an even lighter shade for the ceilings, as compared to the walls, as it will make surface recede from view and enlarge small space. You can use light colored tiles, paints or wallpapers with small prints as large, bold prints can make the place look cluttered. The most important factor is to keep it simple or otherwise it will impede all the efforts to maximize your bathroom space.

Another simple way to address the lack of space in your bathroom is maximize the storage around sink where you can add vanity or shelves under the sink for cosmetics, toiletries and other belongings. In case you already have a vanity, then you can increase its storage capacity through simple modifications. Add shelves or half shelves, wire racks on the inside of cabinet doors, built-in nooks and include pullout elements, similar to the kitchen cabinetry, such as towel rods, shelves and wastebasket.
Apart from vanity, another simple option is to use shelves for placing pretty much everything you need. You can either mount it on the wall or recess it into the walls, without taking up the limited floor area. Amongst the different shelf options available in the market today, corner shelves are your best bet, which can easily hold all the indispensable items. In case there is scope for some space, you can even opt for free-standing shelves as these can be easily moved around for your convenience.

In addition, you can even use a lot of mirror in your bathroom as it easily creates an illusion of space. To further camouflage the lack of space in the small bathroom, you can use two mirrors placed opposite to each other as it creates an illusion of a never-ending room. Further, instead of shower curtains which clutter the view, you can use clear glass shower doors as it does not obstruct the space or its view. Moreover, keep the doors, trims and accessories in soft colors, such as pastels which reflect light or better yet, of the same color as that of walls so as to make the space appear wider.
Hence, these simple steps can help you maximize your bathroom space, without having to compromise on utility or aesthetic value.
Copyright © 2010 FlooringSupplyShop.com

Prevent cluttering in your shower

Modern construction designs have rendered space to be a premium commodity, so it has become all the more important to make maximum utilization of the space that is available to you. Utilization of space is especially important in a bathroom since it is one of the most important areas of a house. One of the most effective ways to ensure that you are able to effectively utilize the available space in your bathroom is by using shower recess and niches.
Earlier when a separate space for keeping accessories in a shower was required people used to install either a ceramic soap dish or a corner shelf. Although effective, this method used up a lot of space in the shower area; therefore, a more effective storage solution was required. It is in order to effectively utilize the space in a shower that the uses of shower recessed shelves have gained popularity. Most people use a variety of cosmetics and accessories while showering and cluttering in the shower area has become a common problem that is faced by many.

Not only can shower niche prevent cluttering in your shower; it can also act as an essential part of your shower’s decoration theme. These recesses and niches can be easily installed in your shower area thereby ensuring that there is no damage to the surrounding areas. Further, these porcelain recesses and niches are available in a variety of colors, shapes and designs to suit to the specific theme of your shower. You can even use these recesses and niches to create a special theme in your shower area thereby enhancing its aesthetic appeal.
For those who like to fix things on their own; while installing these recesses & niches would face the problem of effectively waterproofing it. Since even a minor leak in the shower area could significantly damage the walls, it is of prime importance to ensure effectively waterproofing the installed recesses and niches. This problem has been effectively solved by high quality shower recesses and niches such as those offered by FlooringSupplyShop. These recesses and niches do not require any waterproofing so you can easily install them within a matter of hours rather than days.

Manufactured using high quality porcelain, these shower recesses and niches are highly durable and offer longevity. You can easily clean these porcelain recesses and niches without using any special chemicals thereby ensuring ease in maintenance.
It is due to the high utility and ease of installation that these porcelain recesses and niches are widely being preferred. You can go through the website of flooringsupplyshop to get access to the various porcelain recesses and niches that are being offered. Available in a wide range of colors and designs, you can select the one that best suits the specific theme of your shower area. The unique feature of these recesses and niches is that you will be able to create space for all your shower accessories, thereby ensuring an effective showering experience.
Copyright © 2010 FlooringSupplyShop.com

Evolution of the shower

The showers that we find in most homes these days are far from what the early Romans and Greeks used. The first experience that man had of a shower was not under a man made structure, but under a natural one: a waterfall. However, the desire to have a personal shower led to the creation of customized shower areas inside the house.
The Greeks were probably the first ones to invent a shower by creating aqueducts made of lead, and a sewage area. This was an effective system that allowed pumping of water both in and out of the communal shower rooms. Similar to this system were the boathouses created by the Romans. The remains of these boathouses can be found around the Mediterranean as well as in the modern day England. However, after the fall of the Roman era, showering almost became a religious taboo and was completely abandoned until the Victorian era.

It was during the Victorian Era that the famous ‘English Regency Shower’ was invented. This shower was made out of metal, but was painted to make it appear like bamboo. The structure of the English Regency Shower consisted of a basin at the top and a drain at the bottom. A pump like arrangement at the drain forced the water to the top basin, from where it was pumped over the occupant through a nozzle. The English Regency Shower even had a basic shower curtain for the privacy of the occupant. Although the design of this shower was effective, the only drawback to it was that the same water had to be reused while showering. A number of modifications were done to this shower, including a hand pump, several sprayers and nozzles that could be interchanged.

It was after the invention of the English Regency Shower that plumbers started experimenting with new showering tools. It was during this time that the shower moved indoors and was being used only by a few privileged homeowners. Lead plumbing was introduced around the 1850s, and it was around this time that it started looking similar to what it is today.
Today, you can find a number of advancements in this domain, thereby leading to the creation of high utility showering structures. One such structure is a combination of a shower and a bath tub. This combination is generally used in small bathrooms where there is not enough space to construct a separate shower and bath tub. Such a combination not only results in maximum utilization of space but also leads to a significant saving in plumbing costs.

The ultimate in showering luxury these days is a sauna shower. A sauna shower provides a spa like experience to the occupant and ensures complete relaxation while showering. A typical sauna shower consists of jets, ceiling rain, Personal Massager and radio.
Thus, we can see that the shower has evolved in a significant manner over the years. Not only is the shower structure more effective, but the plumbing as become more reliable as well.
Copyright © 2010 FlooringSupplyShop.com

The increasing popularity of DIY projects in the current slowdown

Most people refrain from undertaking a DIY project since they neither have the expertise nor the tools to complete it in an effective manner. Further, the fear of expensive repairs and maintenance in the future in case the project goes wrong also deters a number of prospective DIY enthusiasts. However, the current economic slowdown has forced people to look at different ways to save money, and DIY projects instead of hiring a contractor as one such option.
Although there is no comparison between a DIY enthusiast and a professional contractor in terms of the experience and availability of resources, one factor that makes DIY project more attractive is the cost attached to it. What you would be charged by a professional contractor would be significantly higher as compared to what you would incur if you completed the job yourself. This financial motive is one of the biggest reasons why the current slowdown has resulted in an increased number of Do It yourself enthusiasts.
Although financial motive is important, the sense of achievement involved with completing a job is something that is characteristic of a DIY project. The fact that you get to call something your own is what attracts most people to completing a job themselves rather than hiring a professional contractor.
One of the most important benefits of hiring a professional contractor is the years of experience and the resources that they bring into a project. You can easily check on the references provided by contractors to know about the previous work done by them. Further, professionals have all the tools and equipments that would be required to complete a job. Although a DIY enthusiast cannot match up to the experience levels of a professional contractor, it has become very easy to get access to high grade tools and equipment in an affordable manner.
Be it tiling, carpentry, or a plumbing job; you would require a specialized set of tools to complete the task at hand. Without the right resources you would not be able to achieve the right finish; thereby resulting in future repairs and maintenance costs. However, you can easily find highly effective tools and resources such as the grout grabber, Pro Pan, Kirb perfect, tile sealers, Tuscan Leveling System and trowels on the internet. These resources will not only make your job much easier but will result in a much more defined and finished look to your renovation work.
Although the financial slowdown is what is forcing people towards Do It Yourself projects, it is not as easy as it sounds. A DIY work gone wrong can result in more repairs and maintenance expenditure than what a professional contractor would have charged. It is for this reason that you should properly analyze the job at hand and should be prepared with the right tools and equipment before starting your project. A properly completed DIY project will give you a sense of achievement and will save you on a lot of financial expenditure.
Copyright © 2010 FlooringSupplyShop.com

Reduce your efforts in building an effective shower area

All you ‘do-it yourself’ enthusiasts who have tried building a shower area would know about the time and effort that goes into the process. Technicalities such as the pan liner slope, depth of the mortar bed and the shower floor slope can get tricky and can easily ruin your showering area. It is for this reason that most people prefer using the services of professional tradesmen to take care of all the technicalities and to build a perfect shower area.

One way to reduce all this time and effort, and to ensure that all the technicalities are taken care of effectively, is to use a ready to tile shower pan. Reputed ‘ready to tile‘ shower pans such as ProPan can be conveniently installed within a matter of hours, and can also be tiled within the same day. This is in sharp contrast to the time taken in installing a pan liner, mortar beds and tiles using the traditional methods.

Ready to tile pan liners are highly effective since they ensure a completely waterproof shower sub floor. Although installing a pan liner is considered to be the most effective ways of waterproofing the sub floor, there have been instances of a leakage in the pan liner damaging the plywood sub floor. Since ready to tile shower pans eliminate the need to install a pan liner, there will be no chance of a leakage to the sub floor. Further, these ready to tile shower pans are manufactured high quality polystyrene to ensure high durability and a longer working life.

Ready to tile shower pans such as ProPan also eliminate the need to slope the shower pan manually, thereby reducing the time involved in building the shower area. These ready to tile shower pans have a pre-formed slope of 1/4” per foot to ensure that any water that seep under the tiled floor is directed effectively towards the drain weep holes. Thus we can see that not only do ready to tile shower pans floors reduce the time and efforts involved in building a shower area, they also make the shower area more effective.

All those of you who are looking for a curb entry into the shower would find these ready to tile shower area to be of high utility. ProPan comes with an attachment for a curb, which can be installed on the site of the shower. Since building a curb involves a lot of time and a lot of precision, this facility of a curb attachment ensures that you are able to build an effective curb by spending a fraction of the time and energy that is involved in building a curb the traditional way.

Finally, in case you are worried that your shower area is not of standard size and that these ready to tile shower pans will not fit in your shower area, ProPan offers the ideal solution. ProPan can be cut or extended on the site according to the specific shower area size, thereby ensuring that you are able to use these ready to tile shower pans irrespective of the size of your shower area.

Copyright © 2010 FlooringSupplyShop.com

Ready to tile shower pans an ideal way to build a shower area

A shower pan is probably the most important part of a shower area since it prevents excess water from trickling down to the sub floor and causing damage. Traditionally, shower pans used to be made up of mortar; however, since mortar was not all that effective, a separate layer of pan liner used to be placed over the shower pan. Although this method is widely considered to be the most effective solution to the problem of leaky shower floors, there have been many instances of leakage in the pan liner as well.

It is in order to provide an effective solution to this problem that you can install ready to tile shower pan floors in your shower area. Ready to tile shower pan is an easy to install structure that can solve all the problems associated with traditional forms of shower pans. Let us take a look at some of the problems associated with traditional shower pans and how a ‘ready to tile’ shower pan solves those problems:

Creating a mortar shower bed is not an easy task and requires a lot of skill and labor. Multiple layers of material have to be used to ensure that water does not seep through to the sub floor. In case a pan liner is being used, it is essential to set it in the right place. Any miscalculation or problem during the creation of the pan floor can result in leakage and severe damage to other areas of your home. Since ready to tile pan floors are completely waterproof, there is no chance of a leakage to the sub floor.

In case you are concerned about molds that have appeared on your shower floor, the answer to this problem lies in the area in between the pan liner and the shower floor. Since your shower tiles are not completely waterproof, there is a chance that water might accumulate above the pan liner, thereby leading to the growth of mould. By using a ready to tile pan floor you will be able to eliminate this layer between your shower floor and the pan liner, thereby eliminating the chances of mould growth.

Finally, creating the appropriate slope on the shower floor can be a big challenge, especially for the ‘do-it-yourself’ enthusiasts. An inappropriate slope can lead to water accumulation on your shower floor, thereby leading to problems of leakage and water accumulation. However, most of the reputed ready to tile shower pans come with a pre-formed slope of ¼” per foot, thereby ensuring that your shower floor is perfectly pitched.

It is due to benefits such as these that ready to tile shower pans have gained in popularity across households. Further, these ready to tile shower pans are constructed using high grade material and are treated with waterproofing coatings to ensure that they remain waterproof for a long duration of time. So if you are looking to re-do your shower area or are considering building a new one, you should definitely consider using a ready to tile shower pan.

Copyright © 2010 FlooringSupplyShop.com