Bathroom Design Ideas

Even if you’re not into do-it-yourself, building your own, playing architect; even if your idea of repair work is to “dial a number” and get someone else in to do it, you still need to have a basic household tool kit for those little, unexpected jobs that crop up. Here are a few of the most-essential items everyone should have.

A Hammer – For putting up pictures, installing curtain rods, repairing an item coming loose, a medium-weight hammer will suffice for most household jobs.

Two Screwdrivers – Medium sized, one flat head, one Phillips at minimum. You may find it handy to also invest in a set of small screwdrivers for tightening or repair screws in electronics or glasses.

Screw and Nail Assortment – These can be purchased in small sets which include the most-used types and sizes or you can create your own.

Spirit Level – For hanging pictures and mirrors; building or hanging shelves, etc.

Pencils – For marking where to nail, where to drill, or record a measurement

Tape Measure – Measuring for curtains, shelf heights, picture placement, etc.

Wire Cutters/Pliers – Some pliers come with wire cutters built in, but wire cutters are an essential if you don’t want to struggle with trying to get scissors (ruining them in the process) to cut something they weren’t intended for. Two types of pliers are essential as well; needle-nosed and heavy duty for removing stubborn nails, etc.

Tape – Two types are essential, masking tape for painting and duct tape for repairs.

The construction of an outside patio is an example of a seasonal DIY project. It is best carried out during the spring or summer months, when conditions are likely to be dry and bright. Even during the optimal months, it is important to keep the weather conditions in mind, by ensuring you have waterproof covers to keep the rain off your work.

Planning for the patio should start by defining the space to be used. Measuring and then clearly marking the outline of the length and breadth of the patio helps in calculating how many paving stones will be needed, and what type of garden furniture can be placed on the patio.

For patios that are to be partially embedded in the ground, and thus requiring some digging, it is important to check with the previous owner of the property or the local authority if there are any water, electricity, or other types of pipe or cable running through the ground. Damaging these can be dangerous, as well as extremely costly to fix.

Raised patios that angle slightly downwards at the outer edges (more or less imperceptibly to the naked eye) are good for limiting the quantity of standing rainwater. Raised patios require strong sand and gravel foundations, as well as sufficiently thick paving stones.

It is essential to get the laying of the patio foundation right, as inconsistencies will almost certainly lead to a partially sunken patio. Where the underlying ground is particularly wet, use more foundation sand and gravel to avoid damage later.

As we move closer to winter, many homeowners are starting to review their current heating systems.  Now is the time to ask yourself a few questions regarding your heating system, including:

- How efficient is your current heating system?
- Is the heating system still cost-effective?
- Is your current heating system environmentally friendly?
- Do you think it is as effective as an underfloor heating system?

Installing an electric underfloor heating system or a water underfloor heating system should be considered if you answered “no” to any of the above questions.  If you’re an avid handyman or home remodeler, this makes for a great DIY underfloor heating project.  However, you need to take a few things into consideration when you are contemplating taking a project like this on.

Where overall cost-effectiveness and efficiency are concerned, the key component involved during the installation process is the insulation and the amount of it.  Granted, you can install an underfloor heating system without using insulation, but before it will heat up the room, it will be heating up an even colder sub-floor.  The amount of Marmox insulation that you use is going to depend entirely on the type of building you live in.

Finally, the thicker the layer of insulation that you install, the more cost-effective and efficient your underfloor heating system will be.  It is easier to install thick insulation when the home or structure is being built.  However if it is a DIY underfloor heating project, the thickness of the insulation is going to depend on how high the level of the finished floor is going to be.

If you are thinking of installing an underfloor heating system in your home, you may want to learn a little more about water underfloor heating.  The basic principle underlying the wet underfloor heating solution is quite simple – a series of pipes lies under the floor constantly circulating warm water.  Temperature is controlled by a mixing valve and an underfloor heating thermostat.

In most cases, a 65-75 mm cement screed is required, but water underfloor heating systems can also be installed over timber subfloors.  When you install a wet underfloor heating system in the case of a cement subfloor, the thermal mass will then become a background heat store. The temperature offset can be dealt with during off-peak or overnight times.

With a wet underfloor heating system, it is advisable that the floor heating not be turned off completely during the cooler months.  The reason behind this is that the cement screed would cool down way too much to be efficient when turning it back on.  It could delay room warming for up to two hours!  It is a good idea to select a constant temperature and stick to it, depending on the time of year. This is where your underfloor heating thermostat will be most useful to you.

When compared to traditional radiator heating, wet underfloor heating definitely has its advantages, especially when installing it at the time of construction.  Remember, when the pipe work is incorporated into the flooring, the installation costs are no more than a traditional home heating system.  It is later that you will find the added savings of a water underfloor heating system. 

Underfloor heating systems come in two types: electric and water-based, each having their own benefits. For people looking for ease and quickness of installation, electric underfloor heating is often the best choice.

Standard versus high output heating cable

Most electric cable used in underfloor heating systems comes in one of two wattages: 150w and 200w. Standard output (150w) is suited for most projects. However, in instances where the room suffers high heat loss, like in a conservatory, high output (200w) underfloor heating is a better choice.

Loose heated cable versus heated cable mats

Electric underfloor heating comes as a loose cable or in mat form. Determining which is best depends upon the room you are installing the system into. Small areas like bathrooms, or complicated rooms where the shape or size is not conducive to a mat, are better suited to loose heated cable. In the same vein, underfloor heating mat systems are perfect for larger, more straightforward areas.

Heating large areas

For larger rooms, a combination of two or more mats running in parallel generally works well, as long as it does not exceed a maximum of 3,680 watts, or 16 amps. For even larger areas where only one underfloor heating thermostat is required, a contactor can be used to control up to 22,000 watts, or 96 amps.

Underfloor heating insulation

While not always mandatory, using underfloor heating insulation in conjunction with an underfloor electric heating system will improve the system’s performance and speed up warm-up times. The specific type of insulation to install will depend upon the type of flooring.

Your home is not just your castle, but is also an extension of your personality, so everyone’s home is different. It is a great idea to rethink what your home should look and feel like every few years, because we all change over time. If the house is not keeping up with us, we may find ourselves living in a place totally at odds with our personality and outlook.

You can pay someone to come and decorate for you, just as you can pay for someone to do the cleaning, shopping, ironing and looking after the kids, if you can afford it. But DIY is actually great fun, and a skill you can acquire and feel good about mastering. It also produces real results, impresses family and friends, and keeps you fit and healthy. Sportsmen, DIY enthusiasts and gardeners are some of the happiest people on the planet, because they combine passion with physical activity – a recipe for contentment and a sure cure for depression.

You can do many things around the house yourself, either straight off, or with a bit of trial-and-error, but there are obviously a few areas where you may need to get someone in. The lighting and electrics, for example, are potentially hazardous if approached ignorantly, and plastering is a real skill.

Fitting a bathroom or fitting a kitchen can be learnt, but these are probably better done by the experts, unless you have loads of spare time and a very understanding family who do not mind a few months of chaos. 

The latest trend in bathroom designs is walk-in shower cubicles. They are designed to enhance a small space, expand a larger area or provide extra accessibility for the disabled.

A walk-in shower cubicle is not a traditional form of a shower stall, but rather an enclosed area in the bathroom, generally made of tempered glass and customized for small bathrooms. An individual walks in near the shower spray area, and there is no need for anyone to step up over a shower stall sill or step down into a bathtub. This makes it an ideal option for those who have difficulties with a normal shower set-up.

For additional safety, handrails and stools can be utilized while a person is in the “wet” area of the shower. Most walk-in shower cubicles are designed with a drying area away from the shower spray. The walk-in shower cubicle is designed with either a wet floor or a wet tray technique. Both are similar, with drains in strategic places to forestall water accumulation. A wet floor is a more expensive method than a wet tray because of the installation requirements.

Newer models of the walk-in cubicle may feature sliding glass doors on any or all sides. This creates an illusion of deep dimension, offering a shower area that appears wider in proportion.

Walk-in shower cubicles blend appealingly with any décor or design in the bathroom. It is extremely easy to find walk-in shower cubicles, so know your measurements and budget requirements. UK Bathrooms has a great range of walk-in showers and can help you choose the right one to suit your bathrrom.

Installing electric underfloor heating is a great way to upgrade your home and turn a bathroom, kitchen, conservatory, or other room into a warmer, cosier place to be. While there are a number of good DIY underfloor heating kits out there to choose from, installing a mat system is fairly straightforward, whatever kit you go with.

Measure the portion of the room where the underfloor heating is to be installed. This will help determine what size kit you will need. Remove inward opening doors.

Your mat should always start and finish in the same place, so plan out the heating wire position so that the ends meet near a power supply. Mark the floor accordingly. Never place the matting under kitchen units.

Read the manufacturer’s instructions for trimming guidelines. Mesh DIY underfloor heating kits can usually be trimmed. However, you must be careful not to cut the wires themselves. Do not allow any overlapping.

Near the position where the underfloor heating thermostat is to be installed, cut a groove to hold the sensor. Place the sensor into the conduit, and use sealant to prevent any tile adhesive from setting around the sensor itself.

Apply tile adhesive on the mat, spreading it slightly thicker than normal, and fix the floor tiles. Installing DIY underfloor heating under wood or laminate may also require the use of insulation boards.

Have a qualified electrician or underfloor heating installer like Floor Heating Online come round to check the connection before plugging in to the mains.

Trim inward opening doors to accommodate the increased new floor height.

Painted walls don’t have to be boring; and wall paper isn’t the only way to create a unique look. Here are a few ideas using paint, glaze, and some common items for application:

Colour Wash – Colour wash creates a faded, country styled look and is good at hiding uneven walls. Apply a layer of colour wash over a light background and then blend brush strokes by dragging cheesecloth over the surface.

Sponging – Sponging is the art of applying paint or glaze using a sponge in a dabbing motion. A natural or sea sponge provides a coarser surface for a more provincial feel, while using a synthetic sponge results in a finer, more subtle effect.

Ragging – Dab a paint-saturated rag onto the wall or twist the rag and roll it across the freshly painted surface to create a creased fabric effect. For a more subtle look, use a dry rag to remove wet glaze.

Stippling – Use a stippling brush to gently dab on clear or pigmented glaze to create a subtle textured finish.

Dragging – Lightly run a dry paint brush down or across a glazed wall to create a wood grain effect. Control the look of your stripes by changing the angle of your brush to the wall.

Stencilling – Stencils can be used to create a visual at any part of the wall you desire: around the top, the middle, or near the skirting boards to create a border; or in the middle to create a focal point for the eye.

Renovating the bathroom is a project many people embark upon after deciding that they have become unhappy with their current bathroom. Depending on the size of the bathroom and the intended scale of the renovation, such a process can be either simple of very complicated, but there are some tips and general guidelines to take into account to ensure that the project will not get out of control and become too overwhelming, regardless of its size.

The first step is to decide precisely what in the bathroom requires alteration, and why. For instance, is the size of the bathroom a problem (too small?) or is it just that the style and general décor is looking rather out of date? Perhaps some of the bathroom is damaged, or there is not enough natural light coming into the room. Determining precisely what changes need to be made and why can make the whole process of bathroom renovation considerably less complicated, and possibly even less expensive in the long run.

Sometimes the renovation need only be purely decorative – giving the walls a fresh lick of paint, changing the wallpaper, or simply adding a few new bathroom accessories and replacing dated items of bathroom furniture. Sometimes the project can be so complex (particularly if the size of the bathroom needs to be increased, which would entail the knocking down of walls and the like) that the services of a professional contractor would most likely need to be engaged. On other occasions, the bathroom size problem can be solved far more easily by replacing cumbersome bathroom cabinets with far slinkier sink vanities.

Bathroom renovation can be simple or complicated – but knowing precisely what changes are required and how to go about implementing them before commencing the project, can make it proceed in a considerably smoother fashion.