Monthly Archives: September 2017

Advantages of Travertine Flooring To Add Value To Your Home

If you are looking to add great value to your home then considering travertine tiles to add that spice of elegance and beauty. Travertine floors are made from the majestic natural stone and offer incredible depth and colour, adding a great aesthetic appearl to your home. Travertine flooring has its advantages and limitations. Understanding your lifestyle, needs and preferences is key to ensuring that the function of this flooring option is fully maximized for your home.

So what exactly is travertine?

Travertine flooring is made from travertine, a type of limestone that forms through mineral deposits, particularly in and around hot springs. Travertine limestone is composed of calcium carbonate, the same material that makes stalactites and stalagmites.

Travertine tiles have been used for many years not just for its durability but also for its looks and texture. The Romans, for example, built many of their famous buildings using travertine. A notable example is the Colosseum, a building made mostly from the material and has remained as one of the most enduring landmarks in Italy. It is also commonly found in some of the world’s oldest buildings.

So what are the advantages of travertine flooring?

Travertine flooring is quite durable and with sufficient care, it can last for many years and maintain its beauty. When sold, the material is usually displayed with a mark indicating its hardness on the MOH scale. In general, travertine registers at the MOH scale with a 3-4 rating, which is near or equivalent to that of marble. As long as it is sealed, treated and cared for, it can withstand regular foot traffic plus lots more.

If your flooring is not sealed and installed in its rough form, it offers excellent traction. This is why a travertine paver is safer to use than ceramic tiles outdoors in the garden or patio. Travertine also comes in several colours such as beige, white or ivory, brown, red and gold so tiles can be matched to a preferred colour scheme. It is also processed and sold in different finishes such as chiselled, brushed, tumbled and honed.

What are the disadvantages of travertine flooring?

Travertine flooring is made out of natural limestone. If it is unsealed, it can be damaged or stained by high-acid products because it is by nature porous. Travertine is alkaline and will react when it comes in contact with acids from liquids and foods. It can also be damaged over time due to corrosion if cleaned using acid-based products. It also tends to be rather slippery when wet, especially if it is polished.

This type of flooring is also a high-end construction material and as such, tends to be priced at a premium. It is possible it can be as expensive as granite tiles or even more. Travertine flooring also behaves similarly to other natural stone materials in that it can chip or break and is vulnerable to scratching. It also tends to be quite heavy, particularly the larger 12″x12″ tile units, which can weight as much as 2.5kgs.

Travertine flooring also requires regular care and maintenance and may not be the best option in homes where there are kids and/or pets if it is unsealed. Very often you’ll find that it is used more often in the patio and living room areas and occassionally in the kitchen or bathroom.

How To Sharpen Your Blender’s Blades

Blenders have been flying off store shelves for years as more and more people experiment with different drink concoctions that blend a variety of exotic ingredients for a refreshing drink. If you currently own a blender, it’s probably seen a good amount of use between various get-togethers with friends and family as well as personal use for preparing breakfast smoothies in the morning and what not. Regardless, as with any other mechanical device, blenders being to show some sings of age after several months to year. You may have noticed that your blender isn’t quite as swift at blending those strawberries with ice as it once was. While you can always order replacement blades from your unit’s manufacturer, or simply buy a new blender altogether, you have the option of sharpening the existing blades yourself. The process isn’t exactly complicated nor is it dangerous if you take the right precautions.

The first trick in restoring your blades to peak performance is to blend some water with ice cubes. The fragments that will come apart from the cubes should provide some sharpening action hopefully restoring the unit back to its former glory. You can repeat this once or twice more if you would like to get the blades extra sharp.

If you’re willing to do a bit more work, you can go buy a ceramic sharpening stone designed to sharpen knives and such. You will have to remove the blades from the blender. Instructions on doing this will vary, so check with the instruction manual included with your blender or head online for a digital copy. Once the blades are out, begin moving in them in a single direction against the sharpening stone. After a few rounds, switch to the opposing edge. Do this for each and every blade. Be sure to be extra attentive and keep from rushing as you might cut yourself. Once everything’s been sharpened, you can slap the blades back on the blender for use.

If even after sharpening the blades you see little in the way of improvement, it might be time to give in and buy a new unit. Prices for these devices have fallen considerably in recent units, and new features continue to appear on the latest models. If you decide that this is the pathway for you, take your time in scoping out all of the models that have received rave reviews from consumers and professional alike. When you narrow the decision down, you can then choose whether to purchase form an online retailer or a store.