Sydney Handyman Hire
0418 901 366
  • HOME
  • Services
    • Property Maintenance Sydney
    • Renovations Sydney
  • Contact
    • Let's Fix It
  • Blog
  • Reviews

Sydney Handyman Hire - Porcelain Tiles and Ceramic Tiles

25/2/2015

0 Comments

 

For a sophisticated look that is durable and easy to clean, tiles are an excellent D.I.Y choice

Many renovation beginners may think of tiles as just being tiles that come in the form of different shapes and colours, patterns and styles. But when it comes to the experts, there is a world of difference between ceramic and porcelain tiles. It’s all in the name of the tile used, that will determine what satisfies the “Eyeball Appetite” when it comes to renovating your home. Porcelain and ceramic tiles are essentially the same, with a slight difference. Before you make the huge decision of investing in what could turn out to be an irreversible installation of tile, here are some tricks of the trade you need to know.
Picture
Porcelain vs Ceramic Porcelain clays are denser, therefore less absorbent than ceramic clays. This makes the porcelain tile more resistant to moisture than the ceramic tile.

Water Absorption Rate - The porcelain tile has minimal impurities and a water absorption rate of 0.5%. It’s formed of quartz, clay, and feldspar and often contains more kaolin than ceramic tiles. 

Are you in? Or out? Setting porcelain or ceramic tile outside is not recommended, however more and more home owners are using tiles for exterior use. Ceramic is usually not durable enough for exterior use, only because it absorbs too much water. Porcelain is expressly designated for exterior use even though stone is the better option.

All the way to the cutting edge… While ceramic is less dense than porcelain, it's also a far easier material for D.I.Y home owners to cut by hand. Porcelain is harder and may require an experienced hand to be cut properly.

Knock Out Round! Porcelain vs Ceramic. Take The Test! Not only is porcelain tile denser than the ceramic tile, it is also considered more durable and better suited for heavy usage. It has a higher content of feldspar, which makes it the most durable.

Take The Test!!
-        Chip into the porcelain tile. The colour of the tile continues through the chip and becomes nearly invisible. 
-        Chip into the ceramic tile. The colour of the tile is different to its top glaze.

Picture
Picture

Which “Tile” will you choose? For any other enquiries regarding these materials, contact the experts at Sydney Handyman Hire on 1300 336 547. 
#FeastYourEyesOnThis#EyeballAppetite#ArchitectureLovers#Inspiration#Tiles

Referrence: Diffen.com

0 Comments

Sydney Handyman Hire - Making It That Much Easier

16/2/2015

0 Comments

 

Save money on tradies with these 4 hot tips.

Good tradespeople are worth their weight in gold. When renovating an expert tradie can truly make all the difference in coming in or above budget.

For tradies, time is money and if you’re not working on a fixed price quote, then every hour tradies spend on site, you’re being charged.

Below are four tips you can do to help save time for your tradies and in turn save money. While they may seem small, over a large job these little things really add up.



1. Avoid the set up & pack up

Provide your tradie with a locked space they can securely store their tools in.

When tradespeople start and finish work there’s a large amount of setting up and packing up that needs to get done. In some cases, if the work site is not deemed secure, tradies will have to unpack their tools from their truck daily.

Picture
Picture
One great way to save on this one-hour task is to provide your tradie with a locked space on site that they can securely store their tools in. Give them a key so that they know their tools are safe when they are off site.
Picture
2. Clean the site

Paying your tradie to clean is hardly where you want to be investing your budget.

A dirty site slows work down. It also costs money. Pitch in and get active. Simply picking up rubbish and sweeping every few days can make a world of difference to the pace of work, efficiency and safety.


Picture
3. Be the sites Personal Assistant

The more time your tradies spend on the phone, the less time they are on the tools. So let your tradie know you are able to do some of the legwork for them, for example pick up supplies, arrange deliveries or check stock availability.

There are obviously many things your tradies won’t be able to delegate to you, but you’ll be amazed how many little jobs you can take off their hands.

Picture
4. Get dirty

There are a lot of jobs during a home improvement project that can be done by even the most unskilled renovator, like digging holes and moving dirt. So role up those sleeves and give it a go.

Obviously it’s essential to listen to your tradies and work within the workplace health and safety boundaries (which they 

will be able to guide you on), but in most cases you will find your tradie will welcome the extra help.

Have these 4 hot tips helped you to“Save money on a Tradie” ?  For any other enquiries regarding these tips, contact the experts at Sydney Handyman Hire on 1300 336 547.
#FeastYourEyesOnThis#EyeballAppetite#ArchitectureLovers#Inspiration#RenoTips
Reference: Realestate.com.au

0 Comments

Sydney Handyman Hire - Just Shelve It Where It Belongs!

13/2/2015

0 Comments

 

A "Bunnings How To..." guide on building simple shelving units.

Step 1. Timber
The most difficult process in building shelving is choosing your timber and brackets. There are various options for timber and brackets depending on your design and the size and weight capacity needed for the shelving. 

There is a wide range of timber that can be used for shelving. White melamine, chip board or a dressed timber such as pine are available at Bunnings. 

Picture
Your choice will depend on if you want to paint or stain your timber. Measure your dimensions and then cut your timber to length with a handsaw or circular saw. Bunnings can cut your timber to length on request.

Step 2. Brackets


There are three brackets that are widely used for making shelving. These are: wooden brackets fixed to vertical battens,  L shaped metal brackets fixed to the wall studs and metal brackets that clip into slotted metal strips fixed to the wall stud.
Picture
Wooden brackets ‐ These brackets are a basic three piece triangle construction which is screwed or nailed into the wall. Inexpensive and easy to make.

Metal Brackets ‐ These L shaped metal brackets come in varying sizes, and styles and achieves maximum strength if screwed directly through the wallboard and into the wall stud.

Metal Strips ‐ This system achieves a high weight capacity with vertical metal strips that are screwed directly through the wallboard into the wall studs. The metal strips and brackets come in varying lengths and are very easy to install and adjust.

Step 3. Attaching the brackets
Determine where you want the shelving to be positioned and mark the shelf line using a spirit level. If the wall is made of masonry, simply drill bracket pilot holes taking into consideration any electrical wiring.

If you have plaster walls you have to source the wall studs as they offer strength and increase weight capacity.

Picture
If you have plaster walls you have to source the wall studs as they offer strength and increase weight capacity. To find the studs, you can use a stud finder or simply tap 
along the wall until you hear a change in sound. It is now a matter of attaching the brackets on the masonry wall (use nylon plugs) or into the wall studs with screws.

Did these “Shelving Guidelines” help?  For any other enquiries regarding these materials, contact the experts at Sydney Handyman Hire on 1300 336 547.
#FeastYourEyesOnThis#EyeballAppetite#ArchitectureLovers#Inspiration#InstallShelving
Reference: Bunnings.com.au

0 Comments

Sydney Handyman Hire - Hardwood vs Softwood

13/2/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
Picture
Picture

It all comes down to its physical structure...
The genealogy of the plant will determine what timber to use in your next D.I.Y

Classifying wood as either a hardwood or softwood comes down to its physical structure and make up. Hardwood is not necessarily a harder material and softwood is not necessarily a softer material. For example, balsa wood is one of the lightest and least dense types of wood but is still considered a hardwood.
Picture
Picture
The distinction between hardwood and softwood actually has to do with plant reproduction. Hardwood trees are angiosperms plants that produce seeds with some sort of covering. This might be a fruit, such as an apple, or a hard shell, such as an acorn. Softwoods, on the other hand, are gymnosperms. These plants let seeds have no covering and fall to the ground. Pine trees, which grow seeds in hard cones, fall into this category. 
The hardwood/softwood terminology does make some sense. Evergreens do tend to be less dense than deciduous trees, and therefore easier to cut, while most hardwoods tend to be denser, and therefore sturdier. But, as the classification of balsa wood demonstrates, there is no minimum weight requirement to become a hardwood.

Sydney Handyman - Comparison Chart

Hardwood

- Uses: Hardwoods are more likely to be found in high-quality furniture, decks, flooring and construction that need to last.

- Examples: Examples of hardwood trees include alder, balsa, beech, hickory, mahogany, maple, oak, teak, and walnut.

- Density: Most hardwoods have a higher density than most softwoods.

Softwood

- Uses: About 80% of all timber comes from softwood. Softwoods have a wide range of applications and are found in building components (e.g., windows, doors), furniture, medium-density fibreboard (MDF), paper, Christmas trees, and much more.

- Examples: Examples of softwood trees are cedar, Douglas fir, juniper, pine, redwood, spruce, and yew.

- Density: Most softwoods have a lower density than most hardwoods.


Which “Type of Wood” will you choose for your D.I.Y?  For any other enquiries regarding these materials, contact the experts at Sydney Handyman Hire on 1300 336 547.
#FeastYourEyesOnThis#EyeballAppetite#ArchitectureLovers#Inspiration#IntoTheWoods
Reference: Diffen.com

0 Comments

Sydney Handyman Hire - The Ultimate Illusionist

2/2/2015

0 Comments

 

There’s no such thing as too small. Create the right style to enlarge a room without knocking down walls.

When it comes to decorating a home, we find this task easier in a larger room right? Wrong! Small interiors can be challenging, but the team at Sydney Handyman Hire say you can give the illusion of space by following these simple guidelines.

Picture
INTERIOR COLORS: Use light, neutral colours to give the illusion of space and airiness.  Whites, beige’s, greys, and muted pastels can make your small space feel bigger. By tricking the eye, walls will seem to disappear, rather than stand out.


Picture
MIRRORS: You’ve always heard that mirrors and reflection enlarge a space right? What about the placement of mirrors? Use a mirror at the end of a hallway to give the illusion of length.Place a mirror on the opposite side of a window wall with a view to reflect 
light, and the beautiful view.  In bedrooms, replace sliding closet doors with mirrored doors. In bathrooms, replace a small vanity mirror with a mirror that extends along the full length of the wall. In kitchens, use a reflective back splash to give the illusion of space.

FEATURE WALLS: We at Sydney Handyman Hire consider colours that are a darker shade of the already used neutral colour. When using darker colours, use them on window walls, or walls with several openings.  The darker colour will actually seem lighter, because of the window light and breakup of doorways, entryways, and hallways.  

Picture

Your home is what you make it, focus on the quality and not how much space you lack.

Picture
Picture
STORAGE: In kitchens and bathrooms, take advantage of under counter and cabinet organization tools. Sydney Handyman Hire recommend items to be hung on the inside of cabinet doors, and drawers organizers will help put everything ‘in its place’. Don’t forget space on top of your cabinets, refrigerator, and back of the bathroom door.  In the bedroom, take advantage of space under the bed, and over doorways. Shelving over doorways for books is a unique and decorative way of adding the illusion of space. Use vertical book shelves to maximize storage and display decorative collectibles.
FURNITURE: Sydney Handyman Hire recommend the use of multi-purpose furniture that provides storage, function, and décor. For example, a storage ottoman that doubles as a coffee table and seating for guests is ideal. Dining room tables which have storage adjacent or below can double as a home office.  When buying a couch, opt for one that can double as a sleeping area like a futon.  Fold-out couches and daybeds can also be used in home offices to convert for overnight guests.

Picture
NATURAL LIGHT: In as many ways possible, maximize the quantity of emitting natural light. At windows, use light coloured fabrics, and sheers to diffuse harsh bright light. Consider having a skylight or sun diffuser tube installed in the ceiling. This way light can illuminate the small space and open it up. If you don’t have windows, use brighter lighting and colours to bring warmth and brightness into your small space.

Have these “Tips of illusion" helped you to enlarge a room? For any other enquiries regarding these materials, contact the experts at Sydney Handyman Hire on 1300336547. 
#FeastYourEyesOnThis#EyeballAppetite#ArchitectureLovers#Inspiration#EnlargeTheRoom

0 Comments

    Author

    Write something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview.

    Archives

    April 2016
    January 2016
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Click here now to put in an online request and get a response in less than 48 Hours.  Sydney Handyman Hire prides itself on integrity, dependability and high quality work. Sydney Handyman Hire is dedicated to providing you with a first class tradesman for all your handyman needs. Sydney Handyman Hire has an in house team of plumbers, electricians, carpenters and handyman and that's how the cost savings are past onto clients. Sydney Handyman Hire is your one point of contact for all your building jobs. 

© COPYRIGHT SYDNEY HANDYMAN HIRE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Our trades people are all qualified and certified operatives. Each operative have undergone the General Industry Induction by Workcover Australia.    
ABN: 49 167 350 414 - Builders Licence: 239324C 
SYDNEY HANDYMAN HIRE STAKEHOLDERS:


Address:6/17-21 Bowden Street, Alexandria 2015
Phone: 0418 901 366 , Toll free: 1300 336 547

Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture