Monthly Archives: March 2016

Why You Should Install Grab Bars

 

If you are young and fit, you have probably never thought of installing grab bars in your shower. But what happens when an older relative or someone with a disability comes over? It can be difficult to accommodate their needs and may make them feel like an invalid. Not only is providing a grab bar in your shower a hospitable gesture to your potential guests, but if you accidentally slip in the shower one day, having something sturdy to grab onto may be the only thing that stops you from incurring serious injury. If you are thinking about putting a grab bar in your bathroom, talk to Tim Hmelar and his team at The Kitchen and Bath Company of Palo Alto. They can give you great advice on grab bars and a range of other safety features.

You may think that a grab bar could negatively affect the visual appeal of your shower, but they come in a range of styles, finishes and sizes, so they can look great in any bathroom setup. They can come in stainless steel, aluminum or plastic.

There are two types of grab bars. The first are wall mounted bars, which can help a person steady themselves while entering and exiting a bathtub or shower. They can also help people raise and lower themselves into the bathtub.

The second kind are portable grab bars. These are bars that are easy to install and remove, that help one steady themselves when getting in or out of the bathtub. They are not designed for people to support their entire weight on them.

There are many different grab bar combinations, but research suggests that having one along the faucet wall and one along the back wall are most beneficial for older adults. When buying a grab bar, make sure that it is certified to carry the weight of the largest person anticipated to use it. Also, make sure that it is the right length for the shower area, that it has a textured surface and feels comfortable in your hand.

Common Patterns For Setting Tiles

 

There are so many options to consider when remodeling a kitchen or bathroom – layout, what kind of sinks, color schemes, tiles and much more. One aspect that is often overlooked about tiles is the pattern that they will be laid in. Many people concentrate more on the style, color and texture of their tiles and don’t consider their options in tiling patterns. If you have a tiling job that needs to be done, talk to Tim Hmelar and his team at The Kitchen and Bath Company of Palo Alto for some great advice.

Straight Lay

The most common pattern for setting tiles is the straight lay. It’s the most simple way to lay them; uniform tiles are laid side by side in straight rows. The grout lines form a grid pattern that have a clean and modern look. The straight lay pattern is a great option if the room has a lot of other design features and you don’t want your tiling pattern to clash or seem too busy. It is also the simplest way to tile if you are planning on some DIYing. You don’t have to worry about complex patterns or angles, so it’s a great choice if you are new to tiling.

Diagonal

If you want another simple look that can make your room seem more spacious, perhaps the diamond pattern is the right choice for you. It’s exactly the same as the square lay, but set at a 45 ̊ angle to the walls. Diagonal lay provides an optical illusion, because the longer lines make the space seem much larger. It’s another more subdued style that can be great if the room has other features that you would like to highlight, or you would like something that’s not too challenging to try yourself. To mix things up a little more, you can even combine this pattern with accent tiles to add a little more complexity to the interior decoration.

Running Bond

The running bond is another simple pattern. It is also called the brick or offset pattern, because it is the most common way that bricks are laid. It is similar to the straight lay pattern, except that the rows are staggered, so that the ends of the tiles in one row line up with the center of the tiles in the next. It is good for uneven surfaces, because the staggered lines make it difficult for the eye to spot flaws. It is commonly used for walls and splashbacks, but it can be used anywhere. It’s another relatively simple pattern to lay, but you need to make sure that the gaps between the tiles are precise, so that the length of the overlap remains the same.

Checkerboard

Just like a chess or checkerboard, this pattern involves two alternating colors of tiles. It is a style that was traditionally done with black and white tiles, but any colors that match each other and the rest of the room can be used. This pattern can be set either straight or diagonally depending on your preference. It is a classic look, but it needs to be considered carefully along with the design of the rest of the room. The pattern can easily look overwhelming if there are contrasting aspects in the space. It’s just as easy to install as the straight or diagonal lay patterns.

Herringbone

The herringbone pattern is named because it looks similar to the rib pattern of herring skeletons. It uses rectangular tiles, each laid perpendicular to each other in a V-like shape. The tiles alternate, pointing outwards, in a way that can make small rooms seem bigger. For this reason, the pattern is commonly used in narrow hallways to make them look more spacious. Laying this tile pattern isn’t too difficult, but it is certainly a step-up from the straight-lay.

Modular

Modular tile patterns incorporate tiles of different sizes. The simplest designs tend to use three different sized tiles, while some of the more complex designs use a lot more. This style is commonly used in flooring, particularly outside, because the eyes cannot simply follow the lines to the edge of the space. It can be one of the more complex tile patterns to lay.

What is Tempered Glass? Why Does California Require It in Tub or Shower Surrounds?

 

Tempered glass is something that you only appreciate when things go wrong. It’s significantly more expensive than regular (annealed) glass, but a lot cheaper than your hospital bills if you fall through annealed glass. Tempered glass is a kind of safety glass that is five or six times stronger than normal glass. It’s because of this extra strength and other safety attributes that it is required by the California Building Code in bathrooms and other dangerous areas of the house. If you need some tempered glass installed in your bathroom, talk to Tim Hmelar and his team at The Kitchen and Bath Company of Palo Alto.

The main difference between tempered and annealed glass is the way that it is treated. For glass to be tempered, it either needs to undergo a chemical treatment, or it is heated up to well over 1000 ̊F and then rapidly cooled with drafts of air. This process puts the outer surfaces under compression and the inner surfaces under tension. The compressive forces close-up the surface flaws that would have otherwise existed in the glass. Not only does this make the glass stronger, but it also makes it crumble into granular chunks when it does break. These are much less likely to seriously injure a person than the large shards of normal glass.

The only downside of tempered glass apart from the cost is that it cannot be worked once it has been tempered. Any impact, such as cutting or grinding, will cause the glass to fracture. This is why it needs to be the perfect size and shape before it is fired.

Because of the additional strength of tempered glass, it is more resistant to impacts, earthquakes or fires. The California Building Code requires it to be used in many high risk areas, such as in doors, near stairs and wet areas such as bathrooms. The high risk of slipping in bathrooms make tempered glass a necessity to reduce injuries. Any glass in a wet area, where the bottom edge is less than five feet above a standing or walking surface, needs to be made of tempered glass.