Simple And Economical Ways Of Improving Your Home’s Curb Appeal

house paintingEach and every one of us wants to change the curb of our house once in a while. That’s why most people are trying to give their house an overall change that’s according to their taste and mood. But how can we do it with such little time and money? You can do some home improvement upgrades which have a big effect on your property. The thing is you can do it without the help of a professional.

House Painting

When you think that the colours of your walls are not so clean and vibrant anymore, there’s a do-it-yourself paint kit that will help you add wonders to your home. The DIY paint kit will help you lessen the cost of improving your home’s curb appeal. However, if you want to have perfect paint into your house you can hire professional painters that will do this job. They might be the one to know which colour suit’s the style of your house.

Garden Ideas That Will Boost Your Outdoor Appeal

Our garden or yard is the first place our visitor usually step into when they visit our house. If we want to impress them, try to make your garden lovelier than the usual one. Trim, mow, or edge your garden once a week to be able to get that fresh look. Add some flowers and shrubs that will make your garden look much more colourful than the typical one. Adding different kinds of flowers will add colours and life into your garden. this might help you improve your home’s curb appeal.

There simple ways you can do to improve your home’s curb appeal without spending too much money on them you just need to give effort on the changes you like to give into your house. Just look at the things that are needed to be changed and try to maintain the beauty of your house without buying too many decorations. Just do it on your own way according to your mood and style.

Exterior House Painting – What You Should Know About HOA

exterior house painting forestdaleDo you know that Homeowners’ Associations or HOAs in your subdivision can also affect the choices you have on your exterior house painting? In some cases, they may prefer the paint colour choice made by the majority and not the individual.

While HOAs mostly protect property values by enforcing their members to conduct routine home maintenance, you may also get confused if there is a real need to get a permission from them when your vinyl lay sidings require the needed painting.

Don’t worry because most HOAs are harmless as they are the ones responsible for creating public basketball courts, cleaning the streets, and trimming the trees. However, there are others who have more restrictive regulations so to be on the safe side, better consult them if you are planning to paint your home exterior.

Some HOAs may even require you to an HOA-certified painting company while others will just limit your colour choices to a couple of neutral hues. If you intend a different colour choice though, you may have to go through a couple of board meeting with them so that you can get their approval.

Problems with HOAs may happen if a neighbour complains about the colour of your house exterior or if the colour you chose is not allowed. They may even give you a fine in the process if you do not comply. But do not be mad as they are just doing what they can to make everything organized.

However, you have to document everything. If you already got their approval for your colour choices and someone complains, you will need evidence of original colour approval. The good side though about this is that they do not care what colour choices you do in your house interior so you will have a lot of great choices to choose from.

All You Need to Know about House Painting

The years go by and your house is in desperate need of renovation. The first thing that comes to mind is to paint the walls. It is an inexpensive idea and you can do it by yourself, if you wish to save money.
Of course, the fact that you haven’t done it before should not be a problem. There are so many stores out there that offer “do it yourself” solutions. The only thing you need for an excellent result is to find the colors or the pattern you are going to use on the walls.
Obviously, before visiting a “do it yourself” store it is important to know the square meters of the wall and the colors you will need. In addition, it is crucial to clarify whether an exterior or interior wall is to be painted.
Cost of Color Paint
The cost of a color depends on the manufacturers. They have a variety of colors and materials. Painting colors are categorized, according to their exact substances. Some are based on water, whereas others are based on oil. Nowadays, oil paintings are not a favorite choice, because they are heavy and too much time is required for them to dry. They smell bad and consist of harmful substances.
If you wish to be more careful, prior to visiting the store you should estimate your budget and see how much you are willing to spend. After that, you need to clarify the exact color you wish to buy. Clearly, more expensive paints contain more color than cheaper ones. It’s because they produce a thicker, longer-lasting, more protective membrane.
Plastic Paint
This type of paint is dissolved in water and that is why it is eco-friendly. You will need one fifth of water for any quantity of plastic paint. Although it is typically used on plastered walls, with the appropriate preparation you can use them on other surfaces too. So you can also use them on cement, chipboard, etc.
Using a can of plastic paint, you are able to paint approximately eight square meters. However, the exact amount of paint you will need depends on the color and how much water you will add. The more water you add to the color, the softer it becomes. If you are going to change the color of your wall, then you will need more layers for the right result. Watch out because as time passes the color will get darker. So before painting the wall, it is always better to cover a small surface to be sure that the color you have chosen is the right one.

Meteora, the Emblematic Floating Monasteries in Central Greece

meteora

Boasting their high altitude and fierce rock formations, Meteora have been included within the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. They are located in Central Greece, in the mainland, attracting worldwide attention. If you are a “Game of Thrones” fan, you have probably made the connection with the Vale of the Eyrie. Fortunately, here there is no Moon Door to throw the enemies of the Valley. But the truth is that George R. R. Martin was inspired by this magnificent landmark of Greece.

 

Meteora are also referred to as floating monasteries, because of their unique architecture and because they are placed on top of mountainous rocks, just like the icing on the cake. The whole landscape is mystical and the monasteries are cloud-hugged, creating an even more transcendental environment. They are located in Kalampaka, between two imposing mountains, and they date back to the 14th century.

 

There are twenty four monasteries in the area, but you can only choose to visit one of the six still in operation today. The rest have been isolated and they are uninhabited. So you can take the guided tour that will help you gather a lot of information about the wider area and the pilgrimage. Just remember to wear decent clothing, since there is a strict dress code. Due to the sacred nature of the site, people who enter the monasteries ought to be respectful in every way. Of course, the people in the monastery will help you by lending you a piece of clothing to wear over your clothes, if you do not meet the dress code criteria.

 

In order to reach the top and access the monasteries, there are carved stairs you need to follow. However, back in the days the experience was much more challenging. It required scaffolding or the use of a net. As you can imagine, the lack of modern or convenient access depicted the hardships of the monks and the isolated nature of the monasteries. Even the most trivial everyday routine became a true challenge for the people living in one of the monasteries, since they had to find a way to overcome the problems related to supplies and weather conditions.

 

Find the time to discover Meteora, a sacred site in Greek mainland. You will be lost for words, stunned by the majestic beauty of the landscape. It is an experience not to be missed!

 

 

Indulge in Exhilarating Water Sports for an Excellent Stay

 

Have you been scheduling your next travel and you cannot wait to enjoy your stay in the tropics? Have you booked your accommodation at a splendid resort, right by the waterfront? Water is mesmerizing, attracting the attention of travelers from all over the world. A beach of soft silky sand or an infinity swimming pool is the highlight of five star hotels and unspoiled Heaven on Earth!

But for an extra adrenaline rush, water sports are ideal! Besides soaking under the sun and swimming in the transparent waters, there are various other activities that will cheer you up and allow you to excite your senses!

Water Sports – Endless Fun

Scuba diving is definitely one of the most impressive water sports for you to indulge in. Dive in the waters with the special uniform on and enjoy the rich sea bed. There are coral reefs, shipwrecks and even hidden treasures in the depths of the sea. Follow the instructions of the special trainers and find out how you can master the art of scuba diving. Alternatively, you can try out snorkeling. Although it does not require any technical equipment, it is a great option for those who wish to see what lies underneath.

Jet skiing is a marvelous water sport, idyllic for those who enjoy speed. You can find a lot of different options, including water skiing and wakesurfing, surfing and windsurfing, bodyboarding and freediving. Every single option comes with its own pros and cons, obviously. But the best is for you to try them out and see for yourself which of them will make your heart pound faster!

For those who seek something entirely different, canoeing and kayaking are available. Rafting and paddle boarding, rowing and parasailing are able to offer you unique moments of excitement. And of course you should not forget about water polo and aqua aerobics as less thrilling but equally pleasurable water sports.

Whether you want to push yourself to the limits or find a leisurely activity to spend in water, you should check out the wide variety of water sports available within your reach. Depending on your experience, you can take part in those activities and have endless moments of fun. Just contact the concierge of your hotel and ask for their water sports facilities. They will be more than happy to help you out and provide a list with the water sports you can attend while you are traveling to your dreamy destination!surf

HOW TO PAINT THE OUTSIDE OF YOUR HOUSE

There are not many areas within your home where you can create an immediate visual improvement quite like the exterior of the house. If you’re looking to improve the value and aesthetic look of your home, considering painting the exterior of your house would be most advantageous.

 

One area where a lot of homeowners fail, is they overlook the preparation required before beginning to actually paint. The best way to get a good painting finish is to make sure you have a good painting surface to start from.

 

If you’re repainting your existing house be sure to inspect the exterior walls and trims for any sort of deterioration, including shipping, peeling and other imperfections in the surface. If your home has any sort of mildew on the painting service you may need to get hold of a bleaching solution and clean this off before starting. The next thing to do following this, would be to make sure you get a high pressure cleaner for removing all dirt and old paint that maybe blues on the existing surface.

 

After cleaning the exterior the heart of the home and your painting service, you may need to do some patchwork if you have imperfections in the surface. Take particular notice of areas around window and door frames and fascia boards.

 

To make the best of your new paint job make sure you Prime the surface with a good quality sealant. Then of course you’ll need to consult with your local painting store to find a paint that is of suitable quality for your surface.

 

Before actually getting to this point, you will need to give careful consideration to what colours you will use to repaint your home. There are so many choices available it can become very overwhelming, so my suggestion would be to take a drive around your local neighborhoods and have a look at the colour combinations used in other homes that you like. You definitely want to make sure that your new exterior paint job will have street appeal and improve the value of your property.house painter brisbane

6 Steps to prepare your Home for Exterior Painting

If you’ve ever tried painting the exterior of your house or you’ve watched someone do it, you know that it’s a very demanding task. However, with proper preparations, your painting project can run smoothly and be a success. Of course, you must start with the basics; deciding the extent of the area, you intend to paint. Assuming you’ve already made a selection of your exterior paint colors, and you have everything ready, there are steps you must undertake to ensure efficiency and minimize frustration during the project.

It’s not just about getting some brushes and rollers from a nearby hardware store and getting started. You must be careful and take necessary steps that will go a long way to stretch and increase the longevity of the work. Here are steps to follow before you even open that paint can.  Of course, if you aren’t confident, you can call on the Brisbane House Painters team.

Start by Washing the Exterior

At this point, you haven’t even started painting your house. Start by washing your house exterior right from the bottom to the top. You may need to rent a pressure washer to help do this faster and efficiently with less effort and energy. If there’s mold growth or stains on your home’s exterior, be sure to use cleaning additives. Ensure the area is thoroughly clean to ensure maximum adhesion of the paint. Once the cleaned section has dried up, go ahead to step two.

Scrape the Area and allow it to Dry before Applying the Pint

As soon as the house has dried, use a paint scraper to scrape away the old, flaking paint present on the exterior. You may also need to use some elbow grease. Experts recommend allowing your house to dry after the first step before starting the scraping process. Don’t make the mistake of scraping your home’s exterior when the area is still wet as this will only lead to more flaking paint as soon as it dries.

Time to Bring Caulk before Tackling the Exterior Painting

At this point, your house’s surface is clean, dull and dry. You’ve removed any dirt, stains, and mold growth that might have been present. Now it’s time to deal with the cracked seams along the vertical joints and between clapboards. Make sure all the cracks and voids on the exterior are filled up before wiping away the excess caulk using a damp piece of cloth. Note that this procedure should be handled with caution and care. Don’t confuse ventilation gaps with cracks.

If any areas need repair, find a handyman to help. Only handle tasks that you’re sure you can, otherwise find a professional to help.

Apply Primer

One of the things you need is an oil-based primer. We recommend Dulux. The purpose of a primer when painting is to help in sealing any bare wood around the exterior surface to be painted. Furthermore, a primer also creates an air-tight barrier between the surface and the paint applied. Consider applying light sand around rough bare spots before priming.

Of course, if you’re painting inside the home, be sure to use dropsheets to protect your carpet & other flooring.

Trim nearby Trees and Shrubs before Getting Started

You want to have sufficient working space around your home when painting. It’s, therefore, recommended to trim any shrubs and trees that are near your home. This will not only give you an easier time when working but will also prevent tree branches and plants from affecting the painted area. Note that the branches can hit the wet paint thereby damaging your work.