Worlds most Artistic Architecture: 6

The Robot House: Thailand

The Robot Building, located in the Sathorn business district of Bangkok, Thailand, houses United Overseas Bank's Bangkok headquarters. It was designed for the Bank of Asia by Sumet Jumsai to reflect the computerization of banking; its architecture is a reaction against neoclassical and high-tech postmodern architecture. 

The building's features, such as progressively receding walls, antennae, and eyes, contribute to its robotic appearance and to its practical function. Completed in 1986, the building is one of the last examples of modern architecture in Bangkok and has garnered international critical acclaim. 

Worlds most Artistic Architecture: 5

The Crooked House: Poland

Polish architect of the Crooked House, Szotynscy Zaleski, was inspired by the fairytale illustrations of Jan Marcin Szancer and the drawings of the Swedish artist and Sopot resident Per Dahlberg. The most photographed building in Poland, the 4,000 square meter house is located in Rezydent shopping center in Sopot, Poland. 

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World Most Artistic Architecture: 4

Kansas City Library

Kansas City Library has one seriously cool façade. Local residents were asked to nominate influential books that represent Kansas City, humungous versions of the winning nominations were then used as the exterior of the library car-park. 

Worlds most Artistic Architecture: 3

The Piano House: China














This unique piano house was built recently in An Hui Province, China. Inside of the violin is the escalator to the building. The building displays various city plans and development prospects in an effort to draw interest into the recently developed area. 

Worlds most Artistic Architecture: 2

The Dancing House: Czech Republic

The Dancing House is the nickname given to an office building in downtown Prague, Czech Republic. It was designed by Croatian-born Czech architect Vlado Milunic in co-operation with Canadian architect Frank Gehry on a vacant riverfront plot (where the previous building had been destroyed during the Bombing of Prague in 1945). The construction started in 1994 and was finished in 1996. 

The very non-traditional design was controversial at the time. Czech president Vaclav Havel, who lived for decades next to the site, had supported it, hoping that the building would become a center of cultural activity. Originally named Fred and Ginger (after Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers - the house vaguely resembles a pair of dancers) the house stands out among the Neo-Baroque, Neo-Gothic and Art Nouveau buildings for which Prague is famous. 

On the roof is a French restaurant with magnificent views of the city. The building's other tenants include several multinational firms. (The plans for a cultural center were not realized.) Because it is situated next to a very busy road it depends on forced air circulation, making the interior somewhat less pleasant for its occupants. 

The team that builds your dream home

The team that builds your dream home

You need a good team to give shape to your dream home. You have to plan well while choosing the right team, from the architect to the carpenter
Time and resources alone do not help in the construction of your dream home. It is a concerted effort of several people that builds your house brick-by-brick and day-by-day. 
Among the good construction practices is planning which essentially includes budgeting and scheduling of work. But in effect, another element is choosing the best available people right from drawing the plan of your house to the final stages of occupying your house.
Choosing the right people for various tasks help complete your job successfully and without much pain. 

Architect 
An architect is the foremost person who gives shape to your dream house. He is the one who understands your requirements and puts on paper a plan for your house on the land selected by you. 
But do you need an architect? Many people would ask. It is the architect who ensures that the plan for your house meets the necessary guidelines and legal requirements of Government and local bodies. Apart from that, a professional supervises the construction from the beginning to the end. An architect is the most important person involved in building your house.
An architect helps you in the selection of labour contractors as well as materials. Normally his/her terms of payment are calculated either per square foot basis or a percentage of the total construction.


Engineer 
The next important person in the construction of your house is the engineer. He/she is the one who prepares the complete construction designs for the structure from foundation to roof. He/she is also responsible for the quality of construction. Usually an engineer employs a work supervisor and a site supervisor to assist him and to make the construction activities go smoothly. 

Contractor 
A contractor arranges and supervises the laborers and workmen for various types of work. Only a committed and good contractor can contribute to the quality of construction. Choose him wisely. Signing a work agreement between you and the contractor is always good. A reliable contractor can be selected after consulting your architect and friends. 

Mason 
It is the mason who actually does the construction work of your house. Make sure that the mason who is constructing the house has an excellent knowledge of all aspects of construction, including mixing of water and cement in proper proportion, healthy concreting practices, maintaining proper surface layouts and perfectly adhering to the house plan. 

Electrician, plumber 
Next are the electrician and the plumber. Choose only a qualified and licensed electrician and plumber. See that both of them are aware of the rules of the local bodies. Remember power and water are essential requirements for your house. 
Discuss with your electrician your needs. It is he who has to design and make all electrical layouts and arrangements of the house. Sometimes an electrical shop will help in choosing an electrician. But do not get cheated. See that both of them are not hand in glove to dupe you while purchasing electrical accessories. 
Similarly, a plumber should be selected after evaluating his experiences. A plumber arranges for water supply, sanitation and waste disposal of the house. He determines the best location and layouts and installs sanitary ware and pipes. Like choosing the electrician a plumber has also to be selected carefully. 
Mostly electricians and plumbers can help you to procure quality materials and even get discounts from shops for accessories. It is their experience and background that counts. 

Carpenters 
Choosing carpenters are also difficult unless you plan to purchase ready-made woodwork from shops found in the city. However getting good carpenters can make your doors and windows, wooden fixtures, grilles and other furniture look good. 

Painters
A painter is one who gives final touches to your dream home. Little defects in construction and gaps left behind at the end of construction can be rectified with painting. 

Material Suppliers
Suppliers of materials are another set of people to be chosen wisely. Purchase materials from trusted dealers and reputed companies. Check the quality and specifications of materials before purchasing them. Good quality materials are a bit expensive. But do not decide on costs alone since a house is a lifetime achievement. 
Last but not neighbors, relatives and friends are people whom you can rely on while constructing your house. Seek their advice. At least you can avoid the mistakes, which they committed during construction of their houses. Or how they solved a particular problem they encountered. 

We invite you to visit our full site here for more insights and ideas.
Fundi Mjanja

Worlds most Artistic Architecture

The Basket Building in USA

What started out as a dream by Dave Longaberger, Founder of The Longaberger Company, has been built Home Office into a giant basket to house the entire corporate offices of the company. Dave believed the idea was one of his best and would draw attention to the company, while simultaneously helping to build our brand. However, when he started spreading the idea of building a Home Office that was really a basket, he found that most people just thought that Dave was making a joke as Dave was a notorious practical joker. Not only did the bankers, architects and construction companies not take Dave seriously, neither did many of the employees who worked for The Longaberger Company, but Dave persevered. The dream was achieved on December 17, 1997 when the Home Office that is designed to resemble a basket finally opened for business. 

Stages in a construction project

The stages in a construction project can broadly be divided into the following. 

1. Preliminary or reconnaissance survey
This is a general visit to the site and is performed before setting out. This can only be compared to the due diligence background check that courting couples perform before tying the nuptials. At this stage one is able to identify the challenges that one may encounter during setting out & construction. This may include setting out in a swampy area or on a slopping site. One is able to identify the appropriate measuring and marking out equipment that will be needed during setting out. This is just like the young man who sends out ‘spies’ to find out the type of family his bride to be belongs and prepare himself by having enough presence of mind not to bolt during lengthy discussions.

2. Setting out
This is the science of interpreting architectural drawings and conveying the results on the ground ready for construction. This is discussed in greater depth in the preceding article titled ‘Setting out your building’. Usually the results & observations generated from the preliminary survey will go a long way in ensuring that the setting out exercise is conducted smoothly.

3. Site Clearance
This is the physical removal of all objects and obstacles that fall within the proposed building location. This includes trees and bushes, rocks and boulders or temporary buildings.

4. Substructure works
These are all the works that are performed while putting up the foundation of a building. They include excavation work, casting of foundation footings, construction of foundation walls and casting of ground floor slab. Successful substructure works heavily depend on accurate setting out. They must also be performed under the direction of qualified personnel because solid and enduring buildings entirely depend on solid foundations.

After the above 4 steps have been conducted successfully, you are one step closer to having your dream house.

Until next time, build safe.

Fundi Mjanja.

Setting out your building

Setting out a building is simply the art or science of interpreting architectural drawings and conveying the results on the ground. Simply put setting out is transferring the drawing from the paper to the actual site in order to facilitate construction and is usually amongst the first activities that are performed on site. It is where for example one is able to find out if the building will fit into the plot & exactly how many trees & bushes need to be chopped off in order to accommodate that new house.






The requirements for setting out regardless of the complexity of the structure broadly fall into the following 3 categories.


• Drawings
• Measuring & marking equipment
• Competent personnel


1. Drawings
Whether you have been commissioned to do the setting out of Kenya’s first nuclear station on Migingo Island or to do a humble ten by ten chicken pen in your own backyard, the common denominator is that you must have a drawing. If by chance you happen to find yourself in a frantic activity involving measuring out a building using strides & footsteps with no drawings then, the information contained in this article is not meant for you. Setting out specifically involves transferring the information contained in a drawing to the ground therefore you must have a quality drawing to begin with.



2. Measuring & marking equipment

Just as pen, paper & perhaps a dictionary is required to transfer ones thoughts to paper, equipment is needed to transfer your dream home from the architects blue print to terra firma. Measuring equipment may include tape measures, compass, levels and manila strings. Marking equipment may include pegs, chalk or paint. Equipment required entirely depends on the type of structure and the type of terrain. This brings me to the third and by far the most important requirement for setting out a building; competent personnel.


3. Competent Personnel
Having a qualified professional to do your setting out will ensure that guesswork is eliminated from this very important exercise. It will also save you, the client the hustle of having to buy expensive measuring equipment that might only be used once. Proper setting out also allows the client to visualize the exact position of the building in relation to other objects in the site area and avert encroachment to neighbors property or damage to utility lines like sewerage and water lines. Qualified personnel can be found in our website from the following link:
http://fundimjanja.com/index.php?page_id=7&pcat=17 

Building on a firm Foundation

Building on a firm foundation

What does the cervical, thoracic and lumbar vertebrae all found in human anatomy have in common with strip, raft and pad foundations found in building construction? The cervical, thoracic and lumbar vertebrae all form part of vertebral column or the back bone of a human and they are responsible for most if not all of our movements. They are also responsible for the stable functioning of other body functions by providing a stable foundation on which our limbs can find support. My limited physiological knowledge also tells me that damage to the back bone is one of the most detrimental injuries to a human. So how does these information tie in with the foundation of a house? The foundation or the sub structure holds everything together in a house. From the doors to the windows, from the sockets to the taps, from the paint to the tiles; no single component of a house is as important as a good foundation. Just like the spine in human anatomy, the foundation is what holds everything else together. It is therefore imperative that adequate time and resources are allocated in the construction of a house to ensure that it has a solid foundation.

A good foundation is one that is able to safely transfer all the dead and imposed loads from a structure to the ground beneath it. The dead loads refer to the foundation’s own weight, the weight of walls, doors, windows, tiles and roof. Dead loads are the vertical forces that are perpetually imposed on the ground below and hardly ever change. Imposed loads on the other hand are loads that change with time, this can be forces imposed on the roof due to rain and wind, forces on the floor slab imposed by occupants and furniture arrangements and the like. The foundation therefore is supposed to transfer all such loadings from the building to firm strata below.

And where do we start in ensuring a good foundation for a building? Most seemingly complex endeavours normally have very simple and straight forward answers and building a strong foundation is no exception.

As I have mentioned above “a good foundation is one that is able to safely transfer all the dead and imposed loads from a structure to the ground beneath it.” Therefore since ALL the loads of the structure will eventually be transmitted to ground below the structure it is important to conduct a proper ground investigation. For large complex structures like shopping malls, large school and hospital blocks, communication towers and the like; this will involve engaging a geologist who will prepare a geotechnical report based on actual site investigations. This is because such structures transmit complex loadings and forces on their foundations and exact site conditions must be verified to ensure safety. However, for your humble 3 bedroom house, ground investigation might just involve rolling up your sleeves, taking a pick axe and a spade and digging trial pits at the site of the proposed house. Your main aim will be to examine the kind of soil or rock formation that exists on your site. Before embarking on digging the trial pits it will also be prudent to find out if there are any service lines like electrical ducts, sewer lines, water lines or fibre optic cable lines that pass through the site and mitigate against damage to them. This might involve requesting the service providers to relocate them before starting construction. The trial pits investigation should yield three very important results namely; depth to firm strata, presence of ground water and type of firm strata. All of these have a direct bearing on the cost and type of foundation as well as the type of foul water disposal system that will be suitable for the house. It will be possible at this stage to tell for example whether to use a pad or a strip foundation on the house or whether to have a septic tank or a conservancy tank for the toilet water.

After determining the type of firm strata, the depth to firm strata, presence or absence of ground water and the type of soil on site; a building professional will be able to advise on the kind of foundation that should be used for the structure. Basically it will be the most economical and safe foundation option amongst the various types of substructure options that will suit the site conditions as well as the building design.

Most site soil conditions including the dreaded black cotton soil can be made to transmit the weight of a building. Bridges like the Mtwapa Bridge and the New Nyali Bridge at the coast have been made to pass over the ocean and still carry their own weight and the weight of vehicular traffic. I therefore find it’s nonsensical and comical for someone to suggest that house or a boundary wall has cracks due to the fact that it is built in an area that has black cotton soil. To paraphrase from Hosea of old who wrote centuries ago; your wall is cracking because of lack of knowledge. Don’t blame the ground or the weather.

Most of the enduring buildings and structures in Kenya have one thing in common; a firm foundation and knowledgeable construction techniques. When Giovanni Battista Cairati was commissioned to build Forte Jesus de Mombaça or Fort Jesus in Mombasa in 1593, he must have used his engineering knowledge and conducted a proper ground investigation before laying his foundation. He would have done the same if he had been commissioned to build the fort in Ruai or Kamulu and it is safe to assume that the fort would still be standing centuries later. Why pray tell does a simple two meter high masonry boundary wall built in Nairobi develop cracks a couple of months after it has been built? The answer to this boils down to the quality of the foundation, and the knowledge or lack thereof, of the builders.


Till next time, keep well and keep safe.

Fundi Mjanja.

Reducing Weight in Suspended Concrete Floors

Suspended concrete floors are found in storey buildings. The self-weight of concrete without additional live loads is great but buildings where the spans are large, weight reduction is done to avoid buckling of the floor. Buckling is where the concrete sags at the middle. The concrete is laid the same way but hollow blocks are added to reduce weight. The blocks are hollow in the middle and the reinforcements are laid in between them then concrete is added and vibrated to hold them together. The top concrete is about seventy six millimeters (three inch) thick.

The suspended concrete floor hollow blocks are either clay or concrete blocks. The blocks are two hundred to two hundred and fifty millimeters thick. The blocks that are at the beginning and at the end of a row are blocked on one side to avoid concrete from flowing inside the blocks. The ceilings from this kind of floors are flat and the ordinary down stand beams are not visible from below the slab soffits. These floors are ideal over big rooms like lounges, dinning and offices.

When the suspended slab form work is ready, the laying of the hollow blocks commences. The external beams are then laid into the forms. The internal beams for this kind of floors are laid within the slab thickness. These beams will span from the external ones across the room to the other end. The beams are also laid where walls are to be built on the slab. The hollow blocks are then laid on the form work in between the beams. They are arranged in rows of nine hundred millimeters wide with a spacing of a hundred millimeters in between the rows.

Once the hollow blocks are laid, the gaps in between are fitted with reinforcements. This bars span from the end beams and they are to hold the concrete together. A mesh fabric is then laid on top of the hollow blocks. After this is done concreting work commences. The concrete should be well vibrated to ensure the blocks are held tightly together. The concreting is done normally and is leveled and made smooth. Curing is done for twenty one days before stripping off the form work to pave way for plaster work.

Fundi Mjanja.

Laying Hardcore Under Concrete Floor Beds

Hardcore is the material put under floor . It is used as a sub base after building the foundation wall to make up levels before casting the ground floor concrete slab. The recommended kind of hardcore is hard stone ballast or quarry waste that should not pass a sieve of more than six inches when broken down. Care should be taken to ensure that the hardcore is free of weeds, roots, vegetable soil, clay, black cotton soil or other unsuitable materials. Broken stones or brick cuttings can also be used as hardcore.

To lay hardcore under floor beds, use well graded smaller pieces mixed with fine materials. This will give a dense compact mass after consolidation. It is laid in layers not exceeding two hundred and fifty millimeters of consolidated thickness. Sufficient fine materials shall be added to each layer to give a gradation necessary to obtain a solid compact mass after rolling. A ten ton smooth wheeled or two ton vibrating roller should be used to compact each layer.

Compact each layer with eight passes of the roller when laying hardcore under floor beds. Add sufficient water with every pass to obtain maximum compaction. To each layer add a fine layer of sand or quarry dust forced into the hardcore by a rolling vibrator. All the materials used must always be dry to avoid caking or stickiness as this may allow pockets of air or free spaces which may result in sinking when the hardcore is loaded with weight. If the sand or quarry dust is absorbed into the holes between hardcore then keep compacting.

Thoroughly compact the hardcore filling under floor beds until sand or quarry dust is not absorbed. The top surface should be made level. The levels are done or graded to the required falls. After this is done a blinding layer of at least twenty five millimeters in thickness is added. A ten ton roller is used to level the surface. After the mass of hardcore has been compacted and rolled to the right level anti-termite is applied to the surface. Damp proof membrane and mesh reinforcement material are then laid on the surface in readiness for concreting of the slab.

Fundi Mjanja.

ERECTING A CONCRETE COLUMN

Erecting a Concrete Column

Concrete columns are used for carrying loads of a building. They transfer the same to a suitable soil bearing capacity. They carry loads horizontally, vertically and laterally. They can be erected as free standing, used for hanging gates. Alternatively they can be incorporated within the walls of a building structure. Concrete columns are made from steel and concrete cast in a form work. Columns can be circular, rectangular or square shapes.

In erecting concrete columns the load to be carried is considered. This determines the size of column and type of reinforcement to use. The process of erection commences by setting up a base. A pit is first excavated to a suitable soil bearing capacity in depth. Blinding to the pit is done to protect the soil touching the steel reinforcements. When the base is cast, some steel reinforcement is left exposed. This is used as starter bars for the column.

Form work of the required column size is formed first aside. The already tied steel is joined together with the starter bars. This ensures the column starts from the ground upwards. The steel should be free from oils and rust. Use binding wire to tie together all steel.. When the steel work is complete, then form work assembly starts.

The form work for erecting a column is fixed by opening the sides. It’s then slid to have the steel inside the box. When fixing the form work care must be taken to ensure that the steel reinforcement is not in contact with the casement. Allowance should be left between the steel and the form work casement to allow the concrete to cover the steel all round. Once the box is upright, the form work is then fastened and supported on all sides. Concrete is then poured and vibrated until it reaches the top of the box. It is important to cast concrete in lifts as you vibrate. This should not exceed two thousand five hundred millimeters in height. The form work casement is then left on for seven days as curing take place. Curing is done from the top. After seven days the form work is then removed to expose the cast column. This is continuously cured for another seven days.

Fundi Mjanja.

For more insights and information please visit our full site at www.fundimjanja.com

TYING REINFORCEMENTS OF A STRUCTURAL BEAM

Tying Reinforcements of a Structural beam.

A beam is a horizontal structural member in a building. They are made using universal steel and reinforced concrete. They are used to carry a building load across a span with or without a wall below. They span from one wall or column to another. They are made in different sizes depending on the load to be carried and the beam design. They can be formed into rectangular or square shapes. The reinforcements are placed in a form work for concrete to be cast inside to form the structural member.

The reinforcements for the structural beams are either round or twisted bars. The bars should be free from rust or mill scale before being used in any work on site. The binding wire should be cut into lengths able to do two runs round the steel bars. A bench is prepared to be used for cutting and bending the reinforcements. For the straight runs, bars are measured the full length of the beam and bent at the end by one hundred millimeters. The binding rings or stirrups are cut and bent square or rectangle depending with the beam shape.

A sample beam reinforcement of five meters is made using this procedure. This beam is to be of two hundred by three hundred millimeter size. It shall use twisted bars of sixteen and twelve millimeter diameter bars top and bottom respectively. The four bars are measured five meters first. An extra one hundred and twenty millimeters is added to both ends. The bars are cut and bent to have hooks of one hundred millimeters on both ends. The rings are measured total length and bent into a rectangle which will overlap at the ends.

It is important to note that the finished beam size is two hundred by three hundred millimeters. The rings should allow for concrete cover all round. The ring length is measured nine hundred millimeters first. It is then bent into four sides of two fifty by one fifty millimeters for the three by two hundred sides respectively. The ends should overlap equally. The four bars are put into the rings spaced at one hundred and fifty millimeters. Binding wire is used to join all four bars and rings together. The reinforcements are then placed in a form work for concrete to be cast inside to form the structural member.

Fundi Mjanja.

For more insights and ideas, kindly visit our full official site at www.fundimjanja.com

CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT: MISUNDERSTOOD OR JUST OVERLOOKED?

CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT

Construction Management is the process of organizing and directing men, materials and equipment to accomplish the purpose of the designer. A special management service performed for the purpose of coordination and accomplishment of project planning, design and construction. It is a very old but untapped service that can save time, frustration and help control building costs.

Usually there are three parts of a building team, the General Contractor, the Architect/Engineer, and the Owner.

Another part of the building team that seems to be overlooked by the Home Owner and Small Business Owner is the "Construction Manager".

The Construction Manager is usually under special agreement with the owner. However, architects sometimes offer construction management services under separate and special agreements. Construction Management is not part of the architect's and engineer's basis services, but is an additional service sometimes included in their comprehensive services.

Construction Management is often practiced on extremely large building projects. One of the reasons construction management is used on larger projects is to permit the construction process to start while the design is still progressing which allows the construction manager to recommend construction options for better project and cost control and to allow the building project to be phased over a period of time.

These same construction management techniques are also available to home owners and small business owners for smaller projects.

Construction Management gives the owner the opportunity to act as owner builder (where the owner obtains his own building permit) instead of contracting with a General Contractor. The professional Construction Manager can assist the owner in obtaining bids from licensed and properly insured subcontractors and material men. The owner signs separate contracts for the construction of the various portions of the project thus saving the General Contractors markup on the separate contract prices. These savings can be substantial on the average project. The trade off, however, is that the owner signs separate contracts instead of having a single contract with a General Contractor. The separate contracts are often broken into the following phases:

1. General Construction
2. Plumbing
3. Heating (Ventilating, Air Conditioning)
4. Electrical
5. Sewage Disposal (if applicable)
6. Elevators (if applicable)
7. Specialties
8. Other

The Construction Manager will then assist the owner in overseeing and supervising the building project based on a predetermined scope of services and written agreement between the Construction Manager and property owner.

W. Gary Westernoff - Founder and CEO of Constructionplace.com

Choosing Floors

The floor is like a pair of shoes, it signifies class and personality. The type of floor you choose could significantly enhance the look of your home while adding great value.

Gone are the days when almost every other floor was cemented and was either green or red, with the higher class society having wooden floors or carpets.

Today, there is a lot more choice of floors without necessarily digging in too deep in the pocket. Some of the more popular floorings are;

Ceramic tiles

Ceramic tiles have grown in popularity in Kenya in the past few years. In fact, almost every other house has ceramic tiles as flooring. Tiles offer both class and beauty. They are easy to clean and have a wide variety of colors and designs. Tiles can be used both indoors and outdoors as they are waterproof and weather proof. They also vary in texture with the unglazed finish as the best alternative for outdoors. Anti-slip textures can be used in kitchens, bathrooms and stairs.

The drawback in ceramic tiles is that they can get really cold especially in the colder seasons, the gout lines could also be hard and difficult to clean.

Bamboo flooring

Bamboo is also quite popular in the Kenyan market. It is eco-friendly, easily available and easily replaceable. Bamboo closely resembles the more traditional hardwood flooring and is stylish and classy. Unlike the ceramic tiles, bamboo is much warmer to the feet and provides natural beauty. However, over a period of time, bamboo floors can become discolored or bleached out especially if exposed to sunlight. Being light wood, it can also be easily susceptible to scratches and greater care should be taken when dealing with heavy furniture and sharp objects- including heels and pet claws. The good thing is that the surface of the bamboo can be refinished by sanding it down and reapplying the finishing coats to give it a fresh look. Bamboo is a natural material, and can therefore be damaged by excessive moisture or humidity hence might not be suitable for kitchens, bathrooms or outdoors.

Hardwood flooring

This is one of the most expensive flooring available in the Kenyan market as the prices of wood are at an all time high. Hardwood flooring comes in maple, pecan, beech, cherry, oak, pine, birch, walnut, hickory and many more. Hardwood offers natural beauty, durability and style that you might not find in any other flooring. They are a longer lasting product with a wear resistant surface that can be refinished if need be. They are also easier to clean and maintain and are warm. Certain types of hardwood may darken with age and others could shrink and/or expand leaving gaps on the floor surface. Like the bamboo flooring, hardwood floors are also limited in color and design.

Carpets

Carpets will always have their place in the home. The greatest advantage with carpets is that they can be used with all other floorings, and since they are not permanent, they can be removed at will. A carpet can come in handy with the ceramic tiles as they can bring warmth in the colder seasons. They can also be used to cover unsightly scratches and damages in other floorings while waiting repair or replacement. Carpets can be picked to match up furniture or curtains or be used as an accessory by itself. There are different qualities on the market that vary in origin and in price. Local carpets are cheaper and easily available in leading supermarkets. Persian carpets are of a higher quality and much more expensive, usually available in selected stores and malls. On the other hand, carpets are vulnerable to stains and dirt and are not very easy to clean. They can cause allergic reactions as they easily capture dust and may not be ideal with such as asthmatic persons unless cleaned very, very regularly.

Please check out our full site at www.fundimjanja.com for more ideas and insights.