Concrete Floor Coating? Points to Consider

Concrete is a commonly used material for floorings in industrial structures mainly due to their load bearing capacity, surface hardness and finish. Concrete floors are highly durable and needs less maintenance compared to other types of floorings. But, concrete floor come with their share of problems too and the biggest problem is painting concrete floors. Though painting is a great way of transforming appearance of flooring and giving it a protective layer, painting concrete floors can become messy if not done properly. Concrete floors require special attention and preparation for painting, and if a person tries to cut corners, he may face grave paint problems later. If industrial painting of concrete floors is not done properly, it can result in several problems like peeling from concrete floors.

Concrete floors require more attention while painting due to the nature of its surface. Here are some points you need to consider while commercial painting of concrete floors ?

• Check whether the concrete surface is porous or not. If the surface is not absorbent, it will simply sit on top and peel off over the period of time. To create absorbency, you need to prepare the surface by abrading it manually or with application of chemicals. Scrape and sand glossy surfaces to make them dull, before you apply paint.
• Seepage or presence of moisture below the concrete floors can create problems. If moisture seeps through the concrete slab, it will cause paint to peel off the floor. Hence, if the concrete slabs are installed over moist or wet soil, install a moisture barrier below concrete surface.
• Make sure the surface of concrete is completely clean before you start painting. Due to the nature of its surface, concrete easily collects dust, oil and other contaminants. Presence of contaminants gives an uneven finish to the paint and also affects its durability.
• Choosing the right kind of paint is very important for its durability. You can opt for special epoxy coating for concrete floors as they are high performance coating and wit'stand different conditions industrial floors are exposed to.
• Always apply a primer before applying paint to the surface. Primers use for concrete floors are called block primers. Allow the primer to dry off completely before applying layer of paint.
• If you are repainting a concrete surface, scrape off old paint from the floor completely. Also repair holes or any other defects present in the concrete. Let the floor get repaired completely before applying new coat of paint.

If a concrete surface has been painted perfectly, you can expect it to last for a long time. Hence, to increase the life of painted concrete surfaces, pay attention to minute details and points you need to consider.

Welcome to the final part of our three-part blog series on basement options. Like we said in Parts 1 and 2 of the series, we know that there are many decisions that go into refinishing or remodeling a basement, which is one of the many reasons we offer our unique TruYouDesign? process. Some of those decisions will be based solely on the needs and wants of the homeowner having the work done. Others are decisions that are sometimes hastily made. That?s where we want the focus for this series.

For today's post, we are going to discuss some of the options homeowners have for windows and lighting in their basement. Basements aren?t usually known as ?light-filled rooms.? They tend to have few windows and many of those are small, with little chance to bring in much daylight. To compensate for that, you will need to employ good home-lighting design principles. The window and light choices you make go hand-in-hand and will determine whether your basement is a pleasant, well-lit and usable space or if it resembles a dark and dismal dungeon! With this in mind, here is our list of recommended window and lighting options for finished basements.

Basement Window Options

? Enlarge Those Small Windows.
Lots of basements have small rectangular windows that Don't provide much light. If this describes your situation, consider opting for a larger window. It may require some foundation work and some excavation to make a larger window well outside, but there are many sources that specialize in this kind of work. You can choose between fixed or operable windows that offer fresh air and an alternate means of egress.

? Get Light But Opt For Privacy.
Regardless of whether you have small or larger basement windows, there are scenarios where you want more privacy?maybe for your home gym. In these circumstances, consider using acrylic and glass block windows. Small or large, they offer the benefits of valuable daylighting while keeping your space private.

? Use A Faux Window If You Have No Windows At All.
If your basement has no windows at all, here?s an idea that may not necessarily fool the eye but adds some needed atmosphere?hang a faux window on the wall and back-light it with rope lighting or something similar. One suggestion is to restore an old barn window or some other type of cool-looking window that still retains its glass. it's obviously a decorative trick that will lift the spirit of an otherwise windowless room!

Basement Lighting Ideas

? Recessed Ceiling Lights Are Tailor Made For Basements!
Recessed lighting is a good, if not obvious, choice for basements with minimal ceiling height. If you're fortunate enough to have a generous amount of headroom, then you have more latitude to choose other types of light fixtures that hang from or attach to the ceiling. Otherwise, recessed lights are a good option because they can be incorporated in both drywall and suspended ceilings.

Getting the right recessed lighting spacing is important, but Don't worry too much about needing to hold to some exact standard. You may have to work around existing structure, pipes or ductwork, particularly in this area of the house.

? Consider A Walkout For New Home Designs.
A walkout design was mentioned before, but it's also worth mentioning again relative to lighting. Larger daylight windows and patio doors make a basement feel less like a closed-in vault. If the home?s site orientation is situated to capture a lot of sunlight you can fill a basement with lots of daylight, which can minimize or eliminate your daytime lighting needs.

? Light Tubes Can Add Daylight Too.
The conventional use of light tubes is to add daylight by gathering light from the rooftop and channeling it to an interior room. However, it's not out of the question to use light tubes on a side wall to help light areas below grade. The viability of doing this on existing basements depends on many things?including your home?s specific design?however, it may be an option. it's also something to consider for new construction, particularly if a walkout design isn?t in the cards. The technology associated with daylighting tubes is such that they can transmit light over long runs and around corners with little to no loss in light effectiveness.

? Use Sconces And Off-the-Floor Lighting
Wall sconces add to the layered light concept that?s part of good lighting design. Another benefit is that the more light sources you can put on walls or ceilings, the fewer floor lamps you'll need ? if any at all. Floor lamps take up floor space, which is a valuable commodity in small basements, and add to visual clutter, particularly in rooms with low ceilings.

? Don't Forget About Efficiency.
Any good lighting plan should include efficiency as one of its objectives. Daylighting (using natural light) using larger or more windows is one way of achieving this. When it comes to artificial light, Don't overlook the new lighting technologies, particularly LED. it's more expensive initially, but it's designed to last well longer than any other type of lighting available, mitigating the up-front cost. it's also available for recessed fixtures and can be dimmable as well.

If you're interesting in learning more, or have been considering a basement refinish or remodel, call the experts at MDV Remodeling for a fast, free estimate!

*header image courtesy of Getty Images/Thinkstock

Growing up I was always around construction. My stepfather and most of my fathers family were builders or renovators and I was always helping out when needed. After a short run in university I left knowing I couldn't do a desk job and after a few years working with various renovators eventually gravitated towards masonry

I went to a college that specialises in masonry restoration and after graduation I got a job in the masonry dept of federal public works doing both shop and field work. While the projects were very interesting and the skills I learned were terrific I knew that work in the public sector wasn't for me and left for the private sector.

After several years of working for bricklayers I decide that it wasn't for me either so I set off on my own and mixed the two doing both restoration and new construction. 11 years later and a former business partner behind me here I am...outdoors almost everyday and rarely behind a desk.

- dom-mas

Open floor plans are becoming more and more popular with home remodels and new home builds because of the diversity of design options that become available to homeowners when the walls are torn down.

That being said, closed floor plans are still dominant in many older home designs and a have a very comfortable feel for many homeowners. For today's post, we are going to take a look at the advantages of both open and closed floor plans, and how to best determine which might be best for your home. But first, an essential question:

What is an open floor plan?

Like the name suggests, this type of home layout usually contains one or more large, open rooms that function as multiple rooms within a single living space. The most common of these is typically known as a ?great room,? which combines the kitchen, dining room, and living room in one shared space. Open floor plans are more commonly seen in homes with less square footage, whereas larger homes have more leeway to work with when integrating rooms into a floor plan.

Prior to the ?90s, most homes were designed to have numerous separate rooms, many of which were really only separated by three-quarters of a wall or an open walkway. The idea behind this layout was that the more rooms a house had, the more attractive, compartmentalized, and functional it was.

Since that time, designers, builders, and homeowners alike have realized that homes with open floor plan designs could fit more usable living space into the same amount of square footage.

The Advantages of Open Floor Plans

Over the last 20+ years, spacious homes with fewer walls and open floor plans have become more popular than ever. Some of the advantages of this design choice include:

• Providing a more social environment ? The person cooking or cleaning in the kitchen can converse with people in other rooms.
• Allowing parents to keep an eye on kids ? Great rooms allow parents to cook and do other household duties while their kids play in the same room.
• Increasing views and natural light through the addition of more window space ? The removal of interior walls allows sunlight from windows in the exterior walls to permeate throughout the house.
• Better entertainment space ? When guests are over you can be part of the group while you prepare and serve food.

The Advantages of Closed Floor Plans

Although We've made a strong case for open floor plans, many homes are already designed for a closed floor plan. As above, closed floor plans offer a larger number of smaller sized rooms that can provide the following advantages:

• Increased privacy ? Many family households have people contending with different ages and schedules, from babies to teenagers and grandparents or nannies that all live in the same home. Enclosed spaces may work better in a house where everyone needs their own space.
• Allows for more wall space to decorate ? If you like to decorate by hanging art or other objects, more wall space can be a good thing.
• Noise reduction ? Open floor plan designs have more acoustics and cause noise to travel farther, while extra walls can help contain and limit noise.
• Customized spaces ?Additional rooms allow for more separate spaces to be dedicated to individual uses, such as home offices, ?mancaves,? craft rooms, workout rooms, or guest rooms.

Choosing the Right Floor Plan for You

Open floor plans sometimes seem to benefit'single people or couples without children the most. it's a way to take advantage of more of the space in the home without having to contend with as many privacy issues.

But really, it's not like your household needs to pick one or the other. Most of today's homes contain some combination of open and closed floor plans, which offer a variety of layout options. It makes sense for most households to maintain a more spacious design on the main level and smaller, separate rooms on the second floor, in the basement or the attic.

Regardless of your home?s current floor plan, if the layout?s not working for you anymore, maybe it's time to think about how you can make better use of the existing space. And that?s where MDV Remodeling comes in! With our TruYouDesign? process, we can help you plan your remodel to suit your personal needs. Be sure to contact us for a fast, freeestimate today!

*image courtesy of Getty Images/Thinkstock