Luxury Bedding

Bedding, be it a luxury bedding or bedding cheap, is an essential part of the house of a certain quality of life.

How to choose bedding is an act that will bring significant rewards and well-being at home.

A condition to have a fat wallet, bedding luxury bedding combines quality, design and even high-tech! Of the most classic to futuristic, here's a quick overview of what to offer luxury bedding.

For each brand, luxury bedding is a range of mattresses and box springs of very high quality. The mattresses are usually 100% latex, with shape memory and three sleeping areas to prevent back pain. The thicknesses are at least 20 cm, while the density is generally equivalent to 78 kg/m3. These mattresses have summer and winter sides, lined with cotton and polyurethane for perfect temperature control.

In a luxury bedding, the mattress is breathable for better hygiene, often made from natural materials and environmentally friendly pest control and anallergénique and always.

Side mattresses, bedding luxury set on electrical equipment. In a double bed, the bed consists of two independent pieces, and can raise the headboard for a moment of reading, or feet for those with circulation problems.

The firmness of the mattress is also adjustable. Luxury bedding assuring a good night's sleep, but also simple moments of rest and relaxation.

For those who can afford to spend thousands of dollars to equip, luxury bedding is wildly happy.

It is the fruit of the imagination of designers emeritus, which combine quality materials and high-tech facilities to enjoy a big screen built into the bed, light therapy or an internet connection! Luxury bedding favors bedsteads and mattresses large (200 * 200 for example), or circular shapes inspired canopy bed.

Choose it by yourself!!

What kind of Nails should I choose?

Nails are probably one of the first things that come to mind when the term ‘fixings’ is used. There is a huge range of Paslode nails available at Mitre 10.

Material
For most applications, you will have the choice of either bright steel or galvanised nails. It’s essential you know which ones you need, especially if working on an exterior
project.

Bright steel nails are manufactured without any form of protection and are cheaper but will quickly start to rust in an exterior environment. They are perfectly suited to interior jobs like wall and floor framing right through to smaller jobs such as shelves, chests and many other weekend projects.

Exceptions to this “rule of thumb” are in wet areas of your house like bathrooms, kitchens and laundries. In these cases the more protected electro-galvanised or hot-dipped galvanised should be considered. Failure to use protected nails in wet areas may result in unsightly timber staining.

Galvanised nails are coated with zinc, which protects the nail from corrosion, making them the perfect choice for outdoor work or interior wet areas.

Also available are stainless steel and silicon bronze nails, which are highly corrosion resistant and can be used in almost any situation. These are often used when working near the coast where prevalent conditions can cause the corrosion of other nails due to the amount of salt in the air.

Size
Nails can range in size from 150mm long down to less than 20mm, depending on which section of the store you are looking in and what you require them for.

Panel pins: Used for smaller jobs such as cabinet making or fixing thin sheets of material in place, they
can range in size from 19mm to 50mm long.

Standard nails: Available in lengths of 60mm, 75mm, 90mm and 100mm and should be selected based on the thickness of the material you are working with. For larger framing jobs, a mix of 75mm and 100mm nails
can be used.

Galvanised nails: Are available in the same size as standard nails plus 125mm and 150mm spikes, mainly
due to the larger sections of timber that are often used in landscaping and outdoor work.

To determine the correct length nail shank you should select, remember this simple rule of thumb – 1/3 to 2/3. That is, 1/3 of the nail length will pass through the material you are nailing and 2/3 of the nail will be embedded in the timber you are nailing to. To calculate this, measure the top timber thickness and simply multiply by three to get the appropriate nail length for the application.

Head

The two most common head types used in construction are jolt head and flat head but there are a couple of other types available as well. Flat head nails have a flat, circular head and are great for general-purpose tasks. However, because of the head, they are really only suitable for jobs where the nail will be seen afterwards
or where it will be covered with other material. Jolt head nails have a head that is only slightly larger than the shank of the nail itself, allowing it to be punched below the surface of the timber where it can be
covered with filler.

There are also clouts, which are shorter nails with a larger flat head and are usually used for fixing panel products to walls and ceilings. In many cases, manufacturers will make clouts to suit their own products but there are clouts available in the Paslode range from 19mm to 40mm long.

Applying sealants

Sealants (apart from brushable types) are applied using a caulking gun, which can take a little practice to use properly. Before putting the cartridge into the gun, the tip tube may need to be cut off to allow the sealant to be forced into the nozzle. Once this is done, screw the nozzle back onto the tube then clip off the end of the nozzle at a 45-degree angle, using a sharp utility knife. The further down the nozzle you cut it, the larger the bead of silicone that will come out. If you only need a very fine bead, clip it off quite close to the tip as it’s

always easy to make the bead larger if required.

Slide the handle of the caulking gun all the way back, then slip the tube into place before pushing the handle of the gun in until it stops against the plug in the end of the tube.

To apply the silicone, turn the handle and then firmly apply constant pressure to the trigger until the silicone starts to flow out the end of the nozzle. To stop the flow, turn the handle until the pressure is released.

There are two ways of applying silicone – either ‘pushing’ the bead in front of the nozzle or ‘pulling’ it behind the nozzle. Try and produce an unbroken bead of silicone but, if necessary, smooth it out with a filling knife.

To create a tidy job, apply masking tape to both surfaces, creating a ‘valley’ where the silicone can be applied. As soon as the silicone has been applied, remove the masking tape. Alternatively, spraying the area with a fine mist of soapy water allows any excess sealant to be cleaned up effortlessly.

Sealants

There is a wide variety of sealants, with many of them  referred to generically as ‘silicone sealants’, even though this isn’t technically always correct. Silicone sealants are primarily designed as a waterproof seal, making them ideal for around baths, basins and showers and roof spouting downpipes.

When choosing a silicone sealant, select one that is designed for the right job (Roof & Gutter or Window & Glass), as these will have a different chemical make-up. Most silicone sealants are treated with a mould/mildew retardant, so they have improved resistance to those ugly stains that can sometimes appear in the sealants around your bath or shower.

Many are also resistant to paint, so take care when applying them or choose a pain table co-polymer sealant. Co-polymer sealants perform in much the same way as silicone sealants and can be used on surfaces that are damp or even wet, which is extraordinarily useful when working outdoors or in areas where moisture is a constant problem.

Selleys has a wide range of silicone sealants, including the new 3 in 1, which are specifically designed for certain purposes, but one of the new additions to the range is Wet Area Speed seal, which is designed to cure quickly, to a point where it is possible to shower just two hours after application.

Ados also has a number of different silicone sealants available at Mitre 10, ranging from a kitchen/bath option through to a roof/gutter version and a window/ glass formula, as well as their All Purpose silicone. Selleys All Clear, a co-polymer sealant, also comes in a tin rather than the standard tube, so it can be brushed onto awkward and irregular cracks.

Putties

With the advent of both flexible and rigid fillers in recent years, putties have become less and less common but they still have a place. Glazing putty is still used when glazing wooden windows and doors, while woodfilling putties and other products like Selleys Plastic Wood are still available for a more traditional approach to woodworking.

One recent advent has been the introduction of two-part epoxy putties, the perfect example of which is Selleys Knead It. Knead It (which has a couple of different varieties) comes in a roll that allows you to cut off what you need and then knead the two components together to create a putty that can be used for a range of different tasks. Knead It cures to an extremely hard, durable finish and can be sanded, filed, sawn, screwed and painted when dry.

Foam fillers

When undertaking renovations or repairs to a home, it’s often easy to be left with quite large cavities where pipe work or ducting goes through a wall. These can reduce the insulating properties in a wall or ceiling and provide spaces that can be draughty and cold. It’s also possible that awkwardly-shaped cavities and voids (such as under the edges of sheets of roofing material) will provide a haven for birds to nest or vermin to make their home, so it’s a great idea to fill them and seal these spaces off. 

 Expanding foam fillers, such as Selleys Space Invader or Polyfilla Expanding Foam, are an excellent solution to these difficult areas. Available in a spray can, expanding foam fillers can be applied through a nozzle into these gaps where they expand to fill the empty space. If it expands too far (through over application) it can be trimmed back with a sharp utility knife to sit flush with it surroundings.

Rigid fillers

If you have ever filled a nail or screw hole or had to repair a blemish in a wall, ceiling or on the surface of a panel, a rigid filler is the type of product you would have used. Normally these come as pre-mixed products in a tub or tin and can be used directly from the container and applied to the affected area with a putty knife, where they will cure (dry). They can be sanded back to match the surrounding area. In some cases, a second application of filler may be required.

 

CRC has a product called Builder’s Fill, which can be used on a wide range of materials, while Selleys has a variety of fillers including Permafilla and Rapidfilla, the latter of which also comes in a version called Coloursmart, which changes colour from pink to white when it has cured and is ready for sanding.

Mind the gap

Fillers and sealants are a necessity for your home workshop and can be used in a wide variety of applications. From filling nail or screw holes and fixing blemishes in the surface of panels, through to bathroom renovations, sealing up leaks in a gutter and filling annoying gaps around architraves.
There is a massive range of sealants and fillers available at Mitre 10, which can cause some confusion when selecting the one for the job you are undertaking. No need to feel overwhelmed, though, because a bit of How To knowledge will help you get what you need.

Flexible fillers

Flexible fillers are one of the most versatile on the market and are designed for sealing gaps where some type of movement will still be required. This makes it ideal for along the top of skirting boards or around door and window frames, which need that flexibility due to natural contraction and expansion. Although a wide range of flexible fillers area available for interior use, there are also a number designed for outdoor applications or where there may be high levels of moisture, such as in bathrooms or laundries.

The Selleys range of No More Gaps products has a number of solutions to your flexible gap-filling needs. One of their latest products – Selleys 3 in 1 – is a multiple-use product that seals, bonds and fills, so offers the versatility of a filler, adhesive and sealant in one tube. Ados has a flexible filler called Gap Filler, while Sika’s Fast Gaps Filler is also designed for this application. Another option is Bostik’s Fill-A-Gap, a
water-based, paintable, acrylic gap filler.

In almost every instance, you’ll find that flexible filler is paintable but it pays to check on the packaging beforehand. Generally, flexible fillers can’t be sanded so they require careful application to ensure the best
finish.

How is your bathroom?

First, throw out all the old back scrubbers, drooping net balls, jaded toothbrush holders and anything that has been there too long and looks worn. Be sure to give all the surfaces a good wash down with sugar soap, while a good polish and some elbow grease applied to the taps will make a world of difference. Check the windowsills and bath surrounds to see if the paintwork needs redoing. If it does, choose gloss paint as it will look sharp and its reflectivity brightens the room, plus it’s hygienic.

Mirror
Everyone needs good light in the bathroom, so have a look at your mirror. If it is damaged around the edges with the mirror backing breaking down, as often happens, replace it with a larger one. A big mirror will give the illusion of a much larger room, reflecting more light around. You can get one made to measure or purchase one from your favourite Mitre 10 store.

Quick ideas
• Alter the look of your bathroom with shower curtains – they are easy to clean and easy to change.
• Purchase fluffy towels with matching facecloths and hand towels.
• Put down a new floor rug in either a bath mat style or a rug made from man-made fibres, which will dry easily.
• Add scented candles and colourful scented soaps.
• Paint a stool or a chair to suit the colour scheme and place it in the corner with towels or a plant on it.
• Bottles of bubble bath, bath salts and body lotions can provide a wonderful aroma.

Windows and Curtains

Curtains can be difficult to keep clean in a kitchen and you do not want them anywhere near a cook top for safety reasons alone. If it is a sunny situation, choose a Holland blind or a sun filter blind. These will blend into any style of kitchen.

Taking your kitchen to a new level of space and style is easy and with the great range of products and ideas at Mitre 10, you’ll find it hard to resist some well-deserved DIY.

Simple extras

To gain more bench space, put up microwave support brackets or a microwave shelf. When selecting the position for the microwave support, remember that all microwave doors are hinged on the left. 

You will need 600mm of space, sometimes more, so read the manual that came with your microwave. Where there is some spare wall space, add a timber shelf in a country-style kitchen or a glass shelf in a sleek modern style for canisters and other items. If you have a breakfast bar, consider making a feature of the back panel facing out into the living/dining area.

Change it to another colour or glue on a series of horizontal timber batons or PVC-edged melamine of a contrasting colour. Add a toughened glass panel, back painted in a colour matching the highlight colour in the kitchen. 

Not enough bench space? A movable butcher’s table with chopping board and drawer from Hafele could solve that problem. Add a basket on the open shelf below for a country cottage look.

Maximising existing storage

Take one of your cupboards and change it to a set of three or four drawers. If the colour of the existing door is not available, look at a light-coloured, wood look melamine for this or some other contrast. It is always better to contrast than get a near match.

Use an extendable tea towel prong that screws onto the side or back wall of the cabinet.

Fix a cleaner slide inside the sink cupboard, which will hold brushes, detergent and other cleaning items, leaving extra shelf space.

A rubbish bin fitted to a door or the base of a cabinet is an asset. Ask at your local Mitre 10 as there are many styles to choose from.

How is your bench top?

Take an old laminate bench top and prepare with appropriate paint to get a good key then paint two coats of your colour choice, followed by 3-4 coats of polyurethane. The end result is robust enough to last years and will have cost you only your time and some paint. If you decide on a new bench top, consider the blank tops available from Mitre 10. There are three colours available, any one of which will suit most colour schemes. It is easy to take the next step into more expensive bench top material but always remember what your budget is and what you are ultimately trying to achieve.

Sink For Kitchen

Invest in some stainless steel polish and get the family to take turns with the elbow grease. You will be amazed to see the sink look nearly new again. Failing that, a new sink from Mitre 10 can be very cost-effective.

Taps For Kitchen

Dirty, corroded or old taps can detract from a kitchen. Give the existing taps a really good polish. If that isn’t good enough, look around for a replacement. Remember that if the existing tap has two outlets through the bench or the wall behind the sink, you will need to find a new tap that fits the spacing or face more work to modify the plumbing to suit. The range from Foreno is extensive, whichever way you decide to go, and their product is well worth investing in.