Interior-Design: you'll know that is fully ready when
nothing left to add hashtag#design hashtag#interior hashtag#majestic
hashtag#exterior hashtag#renovations hashtag#restoration hashtag#icondesign
hashtag#execeptionaldesign hashtag#spaceplanning hashtag#spacedesign
Sentric Design
Tuesday 12 February 2019
Thursday 27 September 2018
Repairing your ceiling stains
What A Feeling, Water
Damage On The Ceiling
There are a few ways water damage can happen. Sometimes ice
walls resembling The Wall from Game Of Thrones can form in gutters during
winter, skylights can let more than just the sun in, and sometimes it’s just
ordinary plumbing problems. Whichever one it is, the problem still needs
fixing.
Something besides the water also plays a part in causing
damage, and if you don’t know what it is, you won’t be able to make a permanent
repair.
Why Water Damage
Occurs And How To Stop It
Water damage could cause repairs to be anything from a light
staining to a complete teardown and re-installation.
The brown stain staring you in the face is caused by wood
tannins deposited by the water, creating damage. If you don’t properly seal the
damaged area with a stain blocker, your water-based paint will cause the tannins
to bleed through and discolour the ceiling again.
If you don’t want that to happen, follow these simple steps:
Plugging The Water
Damaged Ceiling
Here’s a quick rundown of what needs to happen to get rid of
that stain:
– Inspect the stained surface
Make sure the water hasn’t caused any damage to the drywall
or plaster. Any damage needs to be fixed before further steps are taken.
If the drywall feels soft and/or spongy, take a look at
https://www.sentricdesign.co.uk to see how to repair it.
– Repair any damage
This can range from a quick skim coat to cutting out the
damaged area and installing a new section of ceiling. If the damage brings up
the question “How am I going to fix this?” call a professional.
– Prime the affected area with a stain blocking primer
You’re going to need to put a defence on the affected area
like the Chelsea FC needs a special defender.
Oil or shellac based primers are best because they will
prevent the staining from being reactivated and causing problems down the line.
*Tip: make sure to get some ventilation for the room (open
window, fan, etc) because these primers stink and will give you a headache or
other symptoms if inhaled regularly.*
– Paint the entire ceiling
This may seem unnecessary, but unless you want a patchwork ceiling,
the whole thing will need to be repainted. Performing a localized touch-up on
the repaired area before recoating the ceiling is the best technique for a
seamless repair.
What Water Damage?
Follow these steps and you can once again have that perfect
ceiling. No more looking up and seeing a stain on the ceiling, wishing it
looked like Anthony Joshua or Halle Berry. If you have to repaint the whole
ceiling, look at it as a chance to start over and choose another colour. Make
this DIY project a masterpiece.
If you decide that the damage is too much for you to handle,
fill out our contact form www.sentricdesign.co.uk/contact or give us a call for
an estimate at 020 8935 5159.
Tuesday 14 August 2018
THE IMPORTANCE OF FINISHING TOUCHES
THE IMPORTANCE OF
FINISHING TOUCHES
Beautifully painted walls don’t stay that way forever. The
need for touch-ups on painted interior walls is something to think about in
advance. Not only can you avoid headaches by choosing a type of paint that is
easy to work with when small repairs are needed, you should be careful to save
some of the original paint for touch-ups later on.
Touch-up
Mistakes to Avoid
- Same
colour, wrong shade. White paint comes in literally hundreds of
shades, and touching up the finish properly requires choosing the same
shade of paint as was originally painted on the wall.
- Flashing.
Professionals use the term “flashing”
to describe the variation in the finish which occurs when retouching paint
that is shiny or old. Looking straight at a wall, flashing may not be
obvious. But when you view the surface from the side, imperfections are
visible where light is reflected. Common occurrences of flashing include
when a shiny paint finish is applied on patches of bare wall. Other steps
are required for the finish to look right, including using repair spackle
and latex primer prior to applying a finish of shiny paint.
- Covering stains in a way that produces bleed-through. Not all touch-ups should be handled in the same way. Stains such as cigarette smoke, ink, and water should be sealed before applying fresh paint. Block the stains with a stain-blocking oil primer or a shellac-based sealer.
The amount of trouble you have addressing the need for touch-ups on wall interiors is mostly determined by the type of paint you use on the original paint job. The following is information about the different types of paint, including how well they can be touched up.
Flat / Matte
Paint
Matte paint is the most common type of finish used on
interior walls. There is no sheen to the finish, and matte paint is ideal for
older houses which have imperfections. This type of finish is difficult to
clean, which is one reason it requires frequently touching up. The good news is
that flat paint is easy to touch up. Matte paint is not recommended for
bathrooms and kitchens, but it is ideal for living room walls, ceilings,
bedrooms, and walls which have many imperfections.
An Eggshell Finish
An eggshell finish has low sheen and is highly washable.
Many homeowners prefer an eggshell finish over satin because it does a better
job of hiding imperfections. Living rooms and bedrooms are perfect for an eggshell
finish, but it’s not a good choice for hallways and other high-traffic areas.
This delicate finish is easily marred, but touch-ups are easy.
A Satin Finish
A satin finish produces a warm, pearl-like, silky sheen.
This type of finish works well for children’s rooms, laundry rooms, bathrooms,
family rooms, and kitchens. A satin finish can withstand scrubbing; but the
problem comes with touch-ups, since slight differences in sheen will stand out.
Gloss
Gloss finishes are typically used on trim, mouldings, and
woodwork; very rarely is it used on walls, since imperfections are glaringly
obvious. This finish is the easiest to clean and the most durable. Gloss is not
easy to touch up, however, because any differences in sheen will be apparent.
Semi-Gloss
Semi-gloss paint is resistant to humidity and can withstand
chipping, stains, and scuffing. This type of finish is often used in kitchens
and bathrooms as well as for mouldings and trim. Semi-gloss is highly scrub-able
but a challenge to touch up because of the sheen.
Please do not hesitate to contact us for your next
project:
Phone: 020 8935 5159
Email: info@sentricdesign.co.uk
Monday 23 July 2018
Sentric Design: Working With Contractors: Construction & Interior ...
Sentric Design: Working With Contractors: Construction & Interior ...: What is a contract: Every time you sign your name on the dotted line, you are legally staking your name to a contract. A contract is a ...
Working With Contractors: Construction & Interior (p1)
What is a contract:
Every time you sign your name on the dotted line, you are
legally staking your name to a contract. A contract is a legal document that
guarantees a service between two or more people.
Generally speaking, a contractor is any person who agrees to
fulfil the demands of a contract. When you hire a lawn care company to mow your
grass and a plumber to fix a leaky pipe, you are dealing with contractors. The
contractor then legally binds his or her name to the action spelled out in the
contract – and so do you.
When it comes to home remodelling, a “general contractor” is
the person who is in charge of the construction site. Contractors use their
contracts, agreed upon by both the homeowner and the contractor, as the blueprint
for all aspects of the job.
The vast majority of contractors are honest people who
simply want the opportunity to do the things you want done, and they want you
to be happy with the work. A contractor’s whole livelihood is based on your
satisfaction, but every contractor has had a combination of good and bad
experiences with customers. As a result
of those experiences, contractors rely on the written contract to resolve any
dispute over what was agreed.
Types of contractors: www.sentricdesign.co.uk
In a big remodelling job involving several trades, there are
two main types of contractors: General contractor and subcontractors.
A general contractor is a type of manager who is in charge
of overseeing the entirety of a project. For a home remodelling job, the GC
will meet with the homeowner to go over the initial project details, estimate
the cost of the project, draft a contract, hire workers, and handle the daily
operation of the job and all the rest of it. These guys don’t usually perform
any of the labour work, but instead hire skilled tradesmen as subcontractors.
A subcontractor is a worker who is hired by a general
contractor to perform the obligations of another’s contract. Also referred to
as specialty contractors or “subs,” subcontractors are typically hired to
perform a specialized type of labour. They are the plumbers, roofers, carpet
installers and electricians who are essential to any large remodelling project.
As the name implies, subcontractors work under contract with, and get paid by
general contractors.
There are also specialized, trade-specific contractors who
manage groups of workers under the same trade. For example, an electrical
contractor could be a business owner or firm that employs a team of
electricians. This type of contractor is usually needed for large projects, or
highly-specialized work.
TBC
Monday 28 May 2018
Sentric Design: #condensation problems
Sentric Design: condensation problems: Although there are many ways to reduce condensation problems in the home, truth is, relying on a quick fix won’t get rid of your condensati...
condensation problems
Although there are many ways to reduce condensation problems
in the home, truth is, relying on a quick fix won’t get rid of your
condensation problems permanently or prevent them from returning in the future,
it will only reduce them in the short term!
Condensation problems
Condensation forms on a surface when the temperature of that
surface is below the dew point of the surrounding air. The relative humidity of
your property rises when air is cooled, until it reaches a point (dew point)
where it is saturated and can no long retain the moisture in the atmosphere.
As an example, when you take a can of drink out of the
fridge or cooler, you’ll notice that small water droplets will have formed on
the outside of the drink; this is condensation. This happens because the
temperature of the canned drink is reduced when air passes over it, therefore
depositing the moisture from the air onto the cold surface.
Similarly, window condensation is very common in households;
you might notice that your windows stream with tiny water droplets when the
weather is relatively cold outside.
Why is important to reduce condensation?
Continued condensation problems can lead to peeling wall
paper, black mould on your walls, around window frames and in some cases on
furniture and carpets! Apart from making a visual mess of your home prolonged
issues with condensation and mould can also affect your health. Breathing in
stale, contaminated air can lead to headaches, sickness and lethargy – so if
your home suffers from condensation you may want to nip it in the bud now!
In order to put an end to condensation, you need to control
moisture levels in the air. However, no short-term solution will banish your
condensation problems completely…
Short-term condensation solutions
Although the following procedures can help reduce condensation
levels, they won’t banish the problem for good. The following ‘quick-fixes’
will have to be completed every time you participate in a household activity
that releases moisture (such as bathing, cooking, washing, etc).
Opening windows to air out the home – which means heat loss
and higher energy bills.
·
Shutting the bathroom door when bathing or
showering – if you don’t, humidity can migrate into the living areas of the
home.
·
Closing the kitchen door when cooking Keeping
the lids on all of your saucepans while cooking
·
Hanging your washing outside as opposed to
drying them on radiators
·
Painting over damp patches or black mould –
added inconvenience and more money!
·
Invest in a long-term condensation solutions
If you think that a long-term solution will prove to be
costly and a load of hassle, think again!
Preventing condensation and diminishing condensation
problems is so simple; all you need is good ventilation. In addition to
preventing condensation, damp and mould problems, ventilating your property can
help to reduce house dust mites, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and Radon
levels; all of which can take its toll on those living in the poorly ventilated
property.
Sentric
Design has a range of energy efficient condensation-control solutions that
can significantly reduce humidity, therefore providing your household with
fresh, filtered air for a damp, condensation mould-free environment. Contact us
today for more information on 020 8935 5159 or visit www.sentricdesign.co.uk to arrange a
home survey.
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