As temperature drops during winter, many people look for ways to keep warm. Given the limited amount of sunlight available, this comes in the form of wearing warmer clothes or using a heater in the house. Unfortunately, the use of electricity to keep warm during winter leads to unusually high power costs, which can be hard to pay. The best way to keep it low is to make your home more energy-efficient. Below are tips and tricks that you might find useful
Stop Fireplace Heat Loss
The sound of crackling open fire during winter is a highlight that many people look forward to in the winter. However, it’s one of the worst ways to heat a house, especially if you are looking for ways to make your home more energy-efficient. To eliminate the wastage, employ EPA energy saving tips of investing in an airtight fireplace. The 50-inch electric fireplace is an excellent choice as it gives the aesthetic beauty of the open flames. You get to save heat as heat loss from the door is limited with an airtight door to keep the heat from the inside. Overall, it uses less power to heat up hence a great save.
Replace Incandescent Bulbs
Though there is much improvement in the lighting industry, many homeowners are still holding on to incandescent bulbs as their primary way of lighting up their houses. However, research has shown that they are less efficient and require more power to light up and lose energy through heat loss. For this reason, many manufacturers have stopped the production of incandescent light bulbs and are phasing them out. To save on power costs, choose to invest in home energy savers, including halogen bulbs, fluorescent lamps, and LED light bulbs, which are more energy-efficient and long-lasting.
Seal All Windows
When you are trying to heat your house, it makes sense to want to keep all the heat generated inside. Unknown to many people, heat escapes through various air leaks around the window of their home. To counteract this and keep all the warmth inside, go that extra step and seal your windows. Do this by adding a weatherstrip around the various window frames, silicone caulk, or shrink film to the edges of your window. Though this is an easy and inexpensive energy efficiency tips, it will significantly lower your energy costs.
Unplug Unused Electronics
To save on a few seconds, many people leave their gadgets on and ready for use. In many homes, it’s not uncommon to find devices such as the toaster, microwave over, phone charger, computer systems, and shower heater on. However, though they tend to use little electricity when on standby, the fact remains they still use power, and they add the cost adds up in the long run. A practical energy saver tip for home is to get into the habit of unplugging electronic accessories when not in use. By switching accessories off, you will help reduce your power electricity bill by 10%.
Put Your Thermostat On A Schedule
The use of the thermostat to regulate the temperature in the house is a popular way of keeping your house warm during winter. A simple way to make your home more energy efficient is only to use your thermostat when it’s necessary. With an energy-saving thermostat, you can schedule automatic power-on function when you head home. By doing this, you will eliminate unnecessary house heating when no one is at home. Additionally, you can lower the need for heating during sleep hours as you will have a blanket to keep you warm.
Conclusion
Try and use the limited sun to your advantage by opening up your blinds and letting the sun warm your house for a while. Additionally, keep looking for ways to limit power usage and instead use tips and tricks to stay warm. As seen above, stopping heat loss and switching power outlets when not in use is the best way to help make your home more energy-efficient, especially during winter.
Bifold doors have become a popular home design choice over the last several years. Homeowners love how easily the doors bring in natural light and add aesthetic charm to any dual indoor and outdoor space. Despite their popularity, however, some prospective buyers still have reservations. Chief among them is security.
One of the most common questions we hear from clients at the Bifold Shop is, “Are bi-folding doors safe?” Understandably, homeowners are concerned about having glass-panel doors. They wonder if such a design will attract burglars, nosy neighbors’ prying eyes, or if the doors are equipped with adequate locks. If you’re looking to install bifold doors and you share these worries, then let us put your mind at ease. Bifold doors are completely safe and secure, for several reasons.
Thief Magnets?
Many prospective buyers are afraid that bifold doors will attract thieves. The thought is that burglars can see into your house more easily and size up things to steal. Or that glass doors are somehow less secure, and thieves assume there are shoddy lock systems.
These couldn’t be further from the truth! If you’re worried about privacy, you have options for screens and blinds that you can install along with your bifold doors. Some aluminum bifold doors include shades you can slide horizontally across the panel, all the way to the doorjamb. Other shades and screens are even automated, so you can control their opening and close through a smartphone app.
It’s also possible to install security screens, which fit in place just behind your bifold doors. Security screens are ideal for those who want to leave the bifold doors open at night. This is typically more suited to homes in warmer climates, but security screens can still add a layer of protection to your bifold doors if you so choose.
Bifold doors are designed to ensure your privacy, comfort, and protection. Along with built-in screens or shades, bifold doors also have sophisticated lock systems. Let’s look more in-depth at secure design and locking.
Bifold Door Design:
High-quality, slimline bifold doors should be designed to withstand tampering. Reinforced, secure hinges, as well as extra linear bolts, keep the panels secure and in place. The panels are also protected against thieves removing them from their track. An inline track system will have the doors fixed to metal gears, and the track is secured with steel lock pins. Consequently, a thief would have to remove all of these components to remove the whole door.
In addition, the panels provide the extra defense with internally beaded frames that overlap with the glass. Most units are also double-glazed as well, making the glass harder to penetrate. Bifold doors are, therefore, designed to maximize security – and we haven’t even discussed locks yet.
Locks on Bifold Doors
Bifold doors are the perfect way to let the outside in. But sometimes we’d rather the outside stay where it is, especially when it comes to home intruders or nosy neighbors. Fortunately, you can equip your doors with locks to keep yourself and your family safe.
There are typically 4 types of locks that can be added to bi-folding doors. These are twin points, drop bolts, childproof, and keyed. Twin point locks work with a handle in the middle of the door, which operates the bottom and top of the door when turned. With twin point locks, there’s no need for keys.
You can also opt for drop bolts, which are a great added layer of security. They shouldn’t be your sole locking mechanism, though. They’re typically attached near the top of the door, and work by sliding open and closed from the inside.
Concerns over comfort and safety increase exponentially if you have an infant or small child. Fortunately, you can childproof bifold doors as well. There’s no single way to add childproof locks, but zip ties are one of the easiest methods. Another might be a childproof top-mounting mechanism that you can easily slip over the doors.
Finally, you have traditional keyed locks. Most bifold doors separate an indoor-outdoor space, so they represent an access point into your home. Maximum security with keyed locks would be best for securing your bifold doors, just as it would for your front door.
Final Thoughts:
At the Bifold Shop, we work with our clients extensively to ensure that our bespoke bi-fold doors meet their safety standards. As you saw, bifold doorsare not only designed for comfort and appearance, but also for security. We believe that you shouldn’t have to compromise on safety to have your dream home. And with bi-folding doors, you won’t have to.
An investment in a certain type of building can be protected before, during, and after the construction of the said building. On top of that, a wise business owner will also save money if he or she knows how to prepare and plan the construction of the commercial building.
A commercial building can be anything – stores, offices, churches, schools, libraries, gymnasiums, museums, warehouses, hospitals, and so on. Therefore, there are some things that are specific to each type of commercial construction.
However, overall, there’s a series of tips and tricks that you should take into consideration when it comes to your commercial construction project.
Quantity Surveyors
First thing’s first – you should do your best to hire a professional to assist you during the course of a project. But let’s see exactly why you should hire a quantity surveyor!
For one, they are professionals in the construction industry with expert knowledge of contracts and construction costs. Overall, they are responsible for the management of all aspects of the financial and contractual side of your project.
In short, hiring quantity surveyors means that you’ll know the project’s cost estimate, planning, and management, the valuation of the construction work, as well as be given all sorts of advice!
Permits and Financing
After you know at least one or two quantity surveyors who may be able to assist you, it is time to get the permits, as well as the financing that you need for your commercial construction project.
You should get these early, as to avoid certain delays that can get very costly if not managed properly.
Reducing Maintenance Requirements
Naturally, a construction that requires less maintenance and upkeep during its life is properly built. Therefore, you should aim for a low-maintenance and durable construction from the planning phase of your project.
For this, rely on robust building systems and longer-lasting finishes.
Proper Sub-Contractors
Obviously, the cheaper contractor is not the one you should choose. Sure, they may get the job done faster – but this doesn’t mean that they do a good job overall.
It is important to understand that, when you are in need of sub-contractors, you should not consider them as your own team – the one you can trust.
On top of that, your quantity surveyor may also advise you to pick the more skilled and experienced ones as well.
Concluding Remarks
Overall, you’ve noticed that one of the essential parts of a construction project is the presence of a quantity surveyor. If befriended, they can help you with much more than the basics of what they can do.
For instance, they can assist you with:
The preparation of bills of quantities and contract conditions
Tender management and assembly of tender documents
Disputes and claims management
Almost everything related to finances and contracts!
In short, while a quantity surveyor makes sure that a project is completed within a certain budget, it’ll also give you the advice needed to overcome or solve certain issues.
This is why hiring a quantity surveyor is the first thing you should do when it comes to your commercial construction project!
Do you love eating pizza? Of course, everyone on this god green’s planet loves eating pizza. After all, PIZZA is not food, it’s an emotion! We don’t require any occasion to eat one, from friendship, breakup, birthday to patch up, no matter how, where, and when, pizza is an evergreen food for all of us. But what do you think about a homemade pizza that too made in the handmade wood-fired pizza oven? Interesting right? Here you can get the details how to build an outdoor pizza oven.
Ummm…Homemade oven… Sounds ancient! Hahaha…We know what you are thinking, but these ovens are hot new trends. The pizzas which are baked in these ovens are so tasty, especially the Neapolitan style ones. But now you might be wondering how is it even possible to make this alone? Don’t worry, we are here to tell you the best way to have a slice, baked in your own oven.
Building an outdoor oven seems like a complicated task, but believe us, it is not that tough. With all the steps and guidance that we are providing here makes the whole process easy and less complicated.
What is A Pizza Oven?
So before you start typing in your google ” how to make an outdoor pizza oven,” first understand what this is. Wood ovens or wood-fired ovens are ovens that use wood as a fuel for cooking, unlike nowadays modern ovens which run from electricity.
How Outdoor Pizza Oven Works?
Now you might be thinking that it is similar to cooking over an open heat surface, but it is different from this style of cooking. It basically transfers the bulk of heat from the flame into the walls in the roof on the floor of the oven. And it has a separate chimney to release the smoke. If you’re interested in wood fired ovens, there are options for every budget.
You can’t build an oven inside your home; you obviously need an outdoor space to make one. It emits a lot of smoke and heat, and you certainly don’t wanna put your home on fire, so it’s better to construct it outside!!
Types Of Pizza Oven
There are basically two types of wood oven you’ll find in the houses. The first one is brick ones, and others are Portable Wood Fired Pizza Ovens. In this blog, we are telling how you can make an outdoor brick pizza oven. To learn how to make a pizza oven in your backyard by our step by step guide.
What You’ll Need:
Below is the list of materials that you’ll need to build an oven. Read the list carefully and collect all the items.
Materials For Oven Base
Quick-set concrete
4-foot by 4-foot piece of melamine-faced medium-density fiberboard (MDF) panel, common thickness 3/4-inch
Steel rebar mesh, 10 gauge, flush cut
Drywall screws, 1 5/8-inch
Silicone caulk, black or another dark color
Release agent: mineral oil or paste wax
Materials For Oven Top
Decorative bricks
Mortar
Scrap cardboard
(2) scrap pieces of MDF, OSB, or plywood, each 18 inches by 18 inches
75 pounds of sand
Plastic sheeting
6-inch diameter by 2-foot round metal duct pipe
Tools
Carpenter’s pencil
Circular saw
Cordless drill
Hammer
Jigsaw
Mason’s trowel
Masonry chisel
Metal snips or hacksaw
Rubber mallet
Spray bottle filled with water
Tub for mixing concrete
“If you don’t have that many tools and materials, You can also purchase an oven kit, which is available online or from a local store. But still, you’ll need some of the tools and materials.”
How To Make An Outdoor Pizza Oven?
After you got all your materials and tools, it’s time to start making an oven, here are the 11 steps to give you all the information that you’ll need:
1. Plan
Obviously, the first and most important step is planning. Decide where you want to construct an oven, and what is the size you want? Make sure the dimension of the oven is according to your yard; otherwise, it’ll look weird.
2. Create A Base
As a fuel, you are going to use wood, so your base should be strong and fireproof. Use concrete pavers and a solid slab to create one. Place bricks one by one onto each other in the square shape (which is opened at one side) and joins them with the cement paste. After you achieve the desired height of this square, put a slab on it.
3. Use Supports
You can also use temporary supporters to support the slab and walls.
4. Cover The Base
After this, the next step is to cover the base with the cement to get a finished and polished looking base.
5. Arrange The Bricks
After you’re done creating the base for your oven, it’s time to build the top part. Which is kinda tough but you can do it!! First, arrange your bricks in the perfect shape of the dome on the floor in the right measurements to actually visualize the oven top.
6. Create An Arch
When you’re done with the measurements, it’s time to do the task. Start with the bottom and place the bricks in a semicircle form. Make sure you decrease the number of bricks as you go up in height to create a dome.
To get a perfect shape dome, put the sand in the shape of a dome. It is to do with the sand and afterward place the bricks onto them.
7. Make Chimneys
And the most important part of the wood oven is the chimney, so don’t forget to leave the space in the top part of the arch. Without them, your oven will not complete, and if you start cooking in this type of oven, you’ll only get burnt food.
8. Layer The Outer Part With Cement
After you are done with the construction part, it time to cover your dome or arch with the cement to get a clean and finished looking oven. You just have to repeat the same process that you had done with the base part of the oven.
9. Remove The Sand And Supports
When the bricks and cement start to dry, you can get rid of the sand which you filled before and also remove the supports.
10. Let It Dry With A Small Fire Inside
To dry your oven entirely, put some wood in the firepit area, and burn them (lightly). The heat will thoroughly remove the moisture from it and make your oven sturdy and strong.
11. Paint it!!
And the final step is to paint them. Select the paint as you like and apply a fresh coat of paint, and ta da…your outdoor pizza oven is ready!!
Benefits
It is easy to make, and you can also use it as a fireplace.
You can construct it with the materials you already have in your backyard area.
You can make your own farm villa pizza any time you want.
And most importantly, you can not only cook pizza, but there are varieties of food like fish, chicken, and even muffins.
Precautions
Make sure the dimensions are correct.
When you cook, make sure that the flame is according to the food you’re making, because it is sometimes impossible to know the exact temperature, as compared to the electric ovens.
Transform your backyard in the ultimate entertainment place with these ideas.
Conclusion
We are sure that after reading this, your mouth starts watering and your stomach wants a pizza. But for now, you can order online, but next time you crave pizza, make it in your outdoor pizza oven!! And later, thank us for encouraging you to build an outdoor pizza oven.
From the tallest building in the world – Burj Khalifa to the symbol of love -Tajmahal, there are hundreds of pieces of art in the world. You may have already seen many spectacular buildings around the world and also got mesmerized by their designs and architecture. You’re not able to describe their beauty in words.
After all, “Architecture is a visual art and buildings speak for themselves.”
Looking at them, you might wonder how is this even possible? Your eyes and mind got puzzled with the architectural beauty of these majestic buildings. These buildings describe not only the present but also the past and future of our life. Even when you just take a look at the pictures, you’ll get mesmerized by them and feel excited with immense joy.
But have you ever thought, who is behind these incredible structures? Of course Architects!! what do you think, a single person had completed this whole project? Of course not… it requires a whole team to make this possible. That’s why today we have collected the architecture companies that are globally famous and known for their outstanding structures which they constructed all over the world.
Today, we have listed the top architecture firms in the world, and from here, you can get a fair idea about which company constructed what structures in the world. They are globally famous and known for their bizarre and creative concepts.
Read the blog till the end to find the top most ranked firm in the world!!
Below is the list of the eleven best architecture firms in the world (in the descending order):
11. Samoo Architects & Engineers
Location: Seoul, South Korea
Establishment Year: 1976
Number Of Employed Architects: 712
Fees Income: $250-259m
SAMOO (Samoo Architects & Engineers) is one of the most recognized architecture organization. And they have offices over 16 countries including the US, China, and UAE. It provides services in Construction Management, Building Information Modeling, Interior Design, Sustainable Design, and urban and architectural designs.
10. DP Architects
Location: Singapore
Establishment Year: 1967
Number Of Employed Architects: 767
Fees income: $110-119 million
It is a private architecture company that deals with multi design projects. DP Architects have done a variety of projects which include The Dubai Mall, Resorts World Sentosa, Singapore Sports Hub and Theatres on the Bay.
9. Aedas
Location: China
Establishment Year: 2002
Number Of Employed Architects: 788
Fees Income: $230-239 million
This firm is recently established, but it grows so rapidly. It started with the low staff, but now it has more than 700 architects. Crazy right!!
Aedas provides architecture practices in urban design, interior design, landscape designs, retail and residential designs, and civic and education designs. Their main projects are Hong Kong Hotel, Express Rail Link West Kowloon Terminus, DAMAC Heights, Dubai, and Boulevard Plaza.
Aedas is an architecture company established in 2002. Furthermore, the practice provides architecture, interior design, landscape design, urban design, office, retail, residential, hotel, infrastructure, education, civic and culture, and urban planning.
8. HOK
Location: USA
Establishment Year: 1955
Number Of Employed Architects: 821
Fees Income: $270-279 million
Bill Hellmuth is the CEO and Chairman of the HOK (Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum) organization. According to a survey, HOK is the largest US-based architectural and engineering firm in 2018.
7. Woods Bagot
Location: Australia
Establishment Year: 1869
Number Of Employed Architects: 840
Fees Income: $150-159 million
The Woods Bagot venture came in the limelight for their work at the University of Adelaide. Edward John Woods and Walter Bagot founded in the architecture firm in 1869. Qatar Science & Technology Park, Doha, SAHMRI building, Adelaide, and National Australia Bank, Melbourne Docklands are the main projects of the Woods Bagot.
They expanded at a tremendous level; now, they have centers in five regions in the world (Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East, and North America)!!
6. IBI Group
Location: Canada
Establishment Year: 1974
Number Of Employed Architects: 851
Fees Income: $220-229 million
There are nine partners in the IBI Group, who provide planning and design services for urban development and transportation. Now the company takes projects like designing the high-rise buildings, transit stations, industrial buildings, highways, airports, and even they design schools and hospitals.
5. HDR
Location: Omaha, Nebraska (USA)
Establishment Year: 1917
Number Of Employed Architects: 1072
Fees Income: $310-319 million
Henningson, Durham & Richardson, Inc. (HDR) is founded by Henning H. Henningson. Before it became a brand architectural firm, it designs sewer and water systems for the new cities. But after 1950, it started designing buildings, and you’ll see many beautiful creations by them.
The projects designed by this company include Cleveland Clinic in Abu Dhabi (UAE), which won the Building Healthcare Middle East Awards and Building Healthcare Middle East Awards in 2015.
Also, it becomes the 2015 Best Hospital Design and 2015 Best Sustainable Hospital Project.
Another amazing project by HDR is the office space for Lincoln Haymarket Development Corporation (LHDC) and American Institute of Architects Nebraska Chapter (AIA NE), which also won the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) and Gold Award in 2014.
4. Perkins + Will
Location: Chicago Illinois (USA)
Establishment Year: 1935
Number Of Employed Architects: 1140
Fees Income: $350-359 million
Perkins + Will have done many notable projects around the globe like Young Research Library, Florida International University Science Classroom Complex, Shanghai Natural History Museum in Shanghai, Albert Einstein Healthcare Network New Regional Medical Center, and Shanghai Natural History Museum in Shanghai.
3. AECOM
Location: Los Angeles, California (USA)
Establishment Year: 1990
Number Of Employed Architects: 1491
Fees Income: $320-329 million
In 2015, AECOM became the World’s Most Admired Company (according to the Fortune magazine).
“You’ll be amazed to know that The Rio 2016 Olympic Park, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, World Trade Center Rebuilding, Abu Dhabi, World Trade Center Rebuilding and Woodrow Wilson Bridge in Washington, D.C., U.S.A, all these were designed by AECOM.”
2. Nikken Sekkei
Location: Japan
Establishment Year: 1900
Number Of Employed Architects: 1796
Fees Income: $500-599 million
The headquarters of the Nikken Sekkei company is located in Chiyoda, Tokyo. It is a Japanese architecture firm that constructs many remarkable buildings in the world.
And one of the examples of their innovative concepts is Tokyo Skytree.
“Tokyo Skytree is the tallest free-standing broadcasting tower in the world.“
1. Gensler
Location: USA
Establishment Year: 1965
Number Of Employed Architects: 2570
Fees Income: $1-1.5 billion
The leading architecture firm in the world is Gensler. This organization is opened in 1965 by Arthur, Drue Gensler and his associate James Follett. They have done many amazing projects such as the Abu Dhabi Financial Centre in the United Arab Emirates, San Francisco International Airport terminal 2 and 3, and Shanghai Tower in China.
“They have even designed the Facebook Headquarters!!”
Final Thoughts…
We have made the list according to the company’s annual income and the number of architects working for them. But, please remember that each architecture firm will have its own benchmarks and criteria to measure success. Currently, Gensler comes first on our top architecture firms list. However, the important thing to remember is that these rankings may vary on a month-to-month basis or even a single project can have a major impact on the overall rankings. You might have understood that architects work really hard and give their sweat and blood in each project. In the end, do not forget to read about the most remarkable buildings in the world.
High-quality garage doors are in demand as cases of theft and break-ins rise in Canada and the United States with garages being one of the main entry points. Homeowners need to be vigilant and always look out for any weak spots. Figure out which area of your home intruders are very likely to come in.
There are many types of garage doors sold in the market today. From steel to wood and customized, you can find the best one that compliments the look and feel of your home and without compromising home security.
Aside from material and style, homeowners should also consider the power requirement needed for garage door openers. Your choice of garage door material and mechanism may dictate the amount of energy needed to power up your door.
In addition, homeowners need to remember that the type of garage door opener they choose can also impact their energy consumption. By selecting an efficient material and mechanism, homeowners can save money on their electric bills and get the best energy rates. It is worth considering these factors to make an informed decision and get the most out of your garage door opener.
Furthermore, getting the best energy rates can also contribute to reducing your carbon footprint and promoting sustainability in your home. So, it’s a win-win situation for your wallet and the environment
Quick Guide to Garage Door Power Requirement
Each type of door has its own power requirement. It usually depends on the type of garage door opener you buy. Although we don’t use garage door openers for a long time, these machines can still acquire a lot of electricity even when it switched off.
Door openers are very basic to operate. These are motors that open and close your doors. It can be controlled using a keypad on the wall or with a handheld remote.
Automatic garage door openers can come in really handy. You can access your doors inside your car and park your vehicle straight right in. No need to step out on a rainy day to manually open the door. If you’re living with a handicap or seniors, automatic doors do wonders for them too.
The most common types of openers require about one-fourth (¼) and one-half (½) horsepower. This gives it about 1,100 to 1,400 starting watts, and 550 to 725 running watts. Since it’s very likely that you’ll only use your garage door opener a few minutes each day, this can be considered fair consumption.
Doors are available in different materials. The most popular materials are aluminum, steel or metal and wood. Obviously, the heavier your door is, the more power you need to run it.
Doors that are made with aluminum has a power requirement of one-half (½) horsepower. This also goes the same with fiberglass garage doors. Wood or steel garage doors, on the other hand, need three-fourths (¾ ) horsepower.
Aluminum and fiberglass are lightweight while steel and wood are heavier materials. Since these are heavier, openers work harder and therefore you need more power.
The dimensions and material of your door also have a bearing on how much horsepower your garage opener needs. A large door needs more power so you can lift it. Therefore, you need to get the door’s accurate measurement.
One-half Horsepower
Openers that require one-half (½) horsepower are cost-effective. Half horsepower is more efficient than the three-fourths (¾) horsepower garage openers. This saves you more money.
Half horsepower openers prevent short circuits and glitches that occur during instant pick-up. These openers are also known for their smooth operation. Higher power-consuming doors have a rougher operation. If you want a smoother, quieter operation, use belt-operated operated openers. Chain-operated ones make a lot of noise.
Single-car doors use a screw, belt or chain-driven opener without damaging the motor. Screw and belt-driven openers are less noisy compared to chain-driven openers. However, chain openers are easier to repair especially for the average homeowner. For double-car garage doors, you should use either chain-driven or screw-drive openers.
Half horsepower openers are mostly recommended for residential use. Average-weight double doors and heavier single doors also work well with half horsepower openers.
Three-fourths Horsepower
Three-fourth (¾) horsepower openers have a stronger lift making it perfect for heavy doors like wood or insulated double-car garage door up to 16 feet wide and 8 feet tall.
For doors that are above 16 feet wide or very heavy, 1 or higher horsepower openers are recommended to reduce strain on the motor. Although it consumes more electricity, ¾ to 1 horsepower openers do the work pretty easily.
So which one should you choose?
To choose the right opener for your door, determine your door’s size and weight. Single garage door, about 10ft wide and 8ft tall, work fine with smaller openers. Double doors need more horsepower.
Make smarter decisions. Take time to measure the height and width of your door with a tape measure before choosing an opener. Remember that the heavier and the bigger your door is, the higher the horsepower should be.
Furnishing a small space can be a little frustrating. People want to put everything in that little space to make it comfortable and appealing. But instead of looking nice, it will look messy and congested.
Do you also struggle with the same problem? Don’t panic; just relax and keep on reading. Because today we are not only going to give a solution to this problem but also it is under budget. So without spending much, you’re able to get a proper flawless-looking space in your house.
The solution is- build a murphy bed!! It is compact, cute and you can fit this in any corner of your house. A modern murphy bed is a perfect solution for the small and compact spaces. They blend with the wall in such a way that when you look from outside, it merely looks like a cabinet or bookshelf, but the magic begins when you open them.
They magically become the bed in just 5 seconds and become invisible in another 5 seconds!!
Cool right!!
What Is A Murphy Bed?
For those who don’t know what it is- “A murphy bed is also known as a wall bed, fold-down bed, or pull-down bed.” It is kinda connected to the wall from one end and comes down from another end. It is beneficial for spaces like dorms, small apartments, and places where there is less floor space. Did you know? William L. Murphy invented this bed that’s why it is known as Murphy bed!!
A bed + Occupies less space + Multifunctional + Under budget = A dream!!
And we are going to make this dream came true…
Types Of Murphy Bed
Before you start building your dream murphy bed, first decide the type and orientation of the bed. According to your space, select all these factors. There are 3 types of orientation: Vertical, Horizontal, and Folding.
And you know what the best thing about these types of beds is- that you can actually use them in multiple ways. Like you can add some features such as shelves, sofa, and a tv stand.
Types:
1. Bi-Fold Murphy Bed
2. Flip-up Desk Murphy Bed
3. Library Murphy Bed
4. Murphy Bed and Office
5. Desk Bed
How To Build A Murphy Bed?
Yes, it may sound complicated and hard, but it is really an easy task if done with proper steps and guidelines.
First, select a place where you want to build a wall bed. It can either be a separate room or a wall in any room. The best thing about these beds is that they don’t take much space, and you can easily fit these into any wall.
What You’ll Need?
You’ll need some specific tools and materials to build a fold away bed. All these things you can easily find in a murphy bed kit (online) or a hardware market. They are:
Tools Required
Brad nailer (or micro pinner)
Clamps
Drill with ⅛ inch counter-sink bit, ¼ inch bit and 1 inch Forstner bit
Hammer
Jigsaw
Miter saw
Nailer
Paint supplies
Pattern bit
Router
Safety goggles
Screwdriver
Stud finder
Table saw or Circular saw
Tape measure
Required a brad nailer for your project, check the best electric brad nailer reviews on this website.
Materials Required:
(4) 3/4″ x 4′ x 8′ plywood sheet
(2) 1/4″ x 4′ x 8′ plywood sheet
(12) 1x 2 x 8′ solid wood board
murphy bed kit
1-1/4″, 1-1/2″ and 2″ screws
Cabinet handles
Desired paint or finish
Finish nails
Wood glue
Veneer tape
Steps:
After you’re ready with your tools and materials, it’s time to build the bed. Here is the complete procedure to make a murphy bed.
1. Read The Instructions
You can easily find a murphy hardware kit online or at the local hardware store. After you get that, read the instructions carefully. Don’t skip anything; these instructions will help you in building the bed more easily.
2. Prepare The Materials
You can either use solid wood planks or plywood. After selecting the material, lay down all the things in front of you so that you don’t even miss a single screw.
3. Template
If the kit doesn’t come with image guidelines, you can also print the template online to get the exact idea. The whole process needs a lot of attention, and you have to cut all the pieces carefully.
4. Create The Struts
After deciding the orientation and type of bed, you can start cutting the struts. Decide the size and length of your bed and according to it, make struts. Glue the two struts in the L-shape and make a rectangle shape. After gluing, secure the corners with screws (½ or 1-inch screws).
5. Construct The Subframe
After making the struts, its time to build a subframe for your bed. Place the struts at 20 inches apart and attach them perpendicularly to the frame sides.
6. Round The Corners
Use a jigsaw and round the edges of each rail up to 2 7/8” radius. Make sure that these curved edges are facing up at the foot of the bed.
7. Assemble Head And Foot Rails
Drill holes at equal spaces by a 1 ¼ inches bit inside of the subframe and then attach foot rails and headrails with 1-¼ inches screws.
8. Position The Side Rails
Position the side rails with the rounded end facing up and beside the subframe. Mount leg hardware with the screws. Always drill the pilot holes from outside to the inside of side rails, all the way up to head and foot rails, and attach all the pieces securely with 2” screws.
9. Place The Panels
Lay down the panels face down and facing each other. Line the bedframe with the panels.
The panels should extend beyond the rails on the longer side about ¼ inches. 10.
10. Attach The Panels
Once the subframe is placed, attach the subframe and face panels securely with the screws or glue. But make sure everything is in line and correctly placed because after gluing, it is tough to move the pieces.
11. Assemble The Header
After your panels are ready, its time to place header. Drill holes in the header board and then tightly secure them with screws.
Tip: Use wood glue instead of nails in the front face as it is visible to the eyes.
12. Assemble the Cabinet
After these steps, your modern murphy bed is ready. Now, its time to construct the cabinet for it. Drill 2 inch screws to make an accurately sized cabinet for the bed, which is flush with the wall.
13. Mount the Cabinet
With the help of a stud finder, find the studs in your wall. After that, place the cabinet on the wall with the help of the screws.
14. Attach Your Hardware
After your cabinet is set on the wall, it’s time to put the hardware on it. But if you want to stain the wood, do it before placing the handles and other stuff. 66 inches from the ground is the approx height of the handles.
Tip: Attach the veneer tape to the plywood visible edges to get the finished look.
15. Attach Support Panels For The Mattress
After all these steps, the last step is to make the mattress supports. They mostly came with the kit; if not, then use rubber straps. Tightly fix them on the panels to cover the struts with the 1- ¼ inches screws.
Pros And Cons Of Murphy Bed
Pros:
There are various benefits of a wall bed such as
It saves a lot of floor space.
You can use this bed as an extra bedroom when the guest came over.
With a bed, you’ll also get additional space that you can use in numerous ways.
Wall beds are really cool looking and also very comfortable.
Cons:
You hardly count any disadvantages of a fold away bed. There is only one thing that can bother you is that they are fixed (bolted in the wall) and you are unable to change the position as you can do in the traditional beds.
Precautions:
Make sure that every piece is correctly cut in a straight line so that they perfectly fit each other.
Secure everything with wood glue and screws (use screws according to the plywood width).
Wear rubber gloves and safety goggles to protect your eyes and hands from dust.
Is it that simple to build a murphy bed? You might have this question or realization after reading these steps. Yes!! the construction is as simple as you have read these steps. By following these uncomplicated steps, you can quickly build your murphy bed and also install it without any difficulty. So, is it the right solution for your small space or not? Of course, it is. I hope this guide helps you in understanding the whole process.
Have you ever heard of a “Capsule House”? If no, and you are amongst the people who are hearing it for the first time a capsule house is a tiny room that features a small bed and other facilities. Maybe this is not very common in your area, but in Japan, it is very popular.
The Nakagin Capsule Tower is a perfect architectural example of Japanese “Metabolism.” This is the First Capsule Architecture Design that is built for actual use. It is located in the Ginza area of Tokyo, which is the most populated city in the world (Population: 37,435,191).
Theme And Design
The tower represents the Japanese history – as the ancient Japanese houses are made from natural materials, which are unpredictable and also not permanent. It perfectly shows the fast and compact lifestyle of Tokyo city.
Kisho Kurokawa was very imaginative and innovative with the designs of this tower. Most of the pieces were built in the factory at Shiga Prefecture. And then, later on, all the pieces were transported by truck on the site.
You’ll be surprised to know that it was completed in just 30 Days. Shocking right!!
Tower Structure
This tower has 13 storeys with a total of 140 capsules. These capsules are stacked and attached to a central core. The amazing part is, they also rotate at various angles.
Each unit can be attached to the central core and could be easily replaced when neccessary. You can say that it is a prototype of the architecture of recyclability and sustainability.
Inside A Capsule
Each capsule has 4 x 2.5 meters dimensions, which is enough space for one person. The interior space is also modifiable by connecting one capsule to others.
Another interesting fact about the Nakagin Capsule Tower is that each model is attached to the concrete core with only 4 high-tension bolts. So you can easily replace a single unit whenever you want.
Capsule interiors feature a built-in bed, bathroom, and also have modern utilities like T.V, radio & alarm clock. Each pod has a circular window; it is the common feature of all the capsules. Because of this, they kinda look like a cute small washing machine, when you look from outside.
Facts:
Nakagin Capsule Tower was also featured in the superhero movie “The Wolverine.”
A building that is very similar to Nakagin Capsule Tower appears in the “Transport Tycoon” video game.
The three documentaries – ‘Japanese Metabolist Landmark on the Edge of Destruction’, ‘Kochuu’, and ‘From Metabolism to Symbiosis’ have mentioned this tower.
A photographer Noritaka Minami published a photobook of this tower in 1972.
Here are some architecture photography ideas for buildings.
Disputes
The arguments over this building started after 2000. In 2007, the residents of the building voted to demolish the building and demand to replace it with a much larger and modern construction.
Their main concern hovers over earthquakes; the building has not proper resistance to that. Nakagin Capsule Tower had not been maintained from 47 years; that’s why residents face a lot of problems such as drainage and leakage of water. But architects all around the globe are working together and trying to preserve this building.
A firm told The Japan Times in 2014, “Right now, there are no ways to preserve the building at a reasonable maintenance cost, but the property cannot be destroyed without approval from at least four-fifths of [unit] owners.”
Conclusion
So what are your thoughts? No doubt, this is one of the finest examples of architecture. So until the fate of the Nakagin capsule tower is decided, know more about other breathing buildings and architectures around the world, for that visit Architecturesideas.
You’ve probably been through all of the dilemmas about moving or renovating your home and based on your decision to land on this page, we’re going to assume you’ve opted for the latter.
Unfortunately, it’s not all downhill from here. As anyone who has been involved in a renovation project will testify, it’s a tricky beast to conquer. Particularly if you are going for something that’s large scale, trying to live with the commotion is difficult, to say the least.
However, today’s post is more about your thinking process before you engage with builders. Suffice to say, some renovations are more sensible than others and today’s post will mull over some thoughts in more detail.
Is the Renovation a Financially Sound Idea?
First and foremost, this is one question that might not impact some of you. After all, some of you are planning to stay in your home for the foreseeable future and simply want to make the most of it – you’re not bothered about potential resale value in the future.
However, for others, this resale equation is something that you should start to look at. For example, you might be going all-out with a £20k kitchen – but will this increase your home’s value by such a figure? You may have already hit the ceiling for valuations in your neighborhood, meaning that such an action just isn’t going to reap you any financial benefits.
Just remember, not all renovations are equal – and some will do more for your home’s valuation than others.
How is it going to Impact your day-to-day Life?
In and amongst all of the excitement about this potential transformation of your home, it would be fair to say that many of us get lost in the practicalities. In other words, we don’t stop and think about the possible repercussions that will impact our day-to-day life.
For example, say if you have targeted a new kitchen, what are you going to do for basic cooking purposes for the duration of the renovation? Even if it’s not a room as practical as this, you shouldn’t forget the sheer amount of dust that can be generated through these works and the irritation this can cause.
There are of course several solutions. Some of you might turn towards home storage options to protect your furniture, while others might go a step further and even relocate yourself temporarily!
What are your timings?
If you are looking to hit a tight deadline, we would advise you to reconsider. Put simply, house renovations are stressful, and attempting to hit a nigh-on impossible deadline is just asking for these stress levels to rise to record levels.
Conclusion
Furthermore, there’s a point about seasonality. Some work won’t be able to be carried out during winter – the cold weather just won’t allow for it. This needs to be factored into your decision-making process, to ensure that the time of the renovation correlates with the right time in your life.
Keyless door locks are the best way to keep your room safe for a person and also his or her children. Home is actually a place where people used to return after their work and keep all their essential things. Hence, it is highly essential to keep your home secured and using door lock is the most common way to keep your home safe when you go outside. But one of the biggest risks in using door lock is losing the keys. Thus the best way to keep your home safe is to use keyless door locks. You can check here for keyless door locks recommendation. The following are the best keyless door locks that you can use for keeping your home highly secured:
Schlage Z-Wave Connect Smart Lock: This is one of the best types of smart lock that can provide you top-notch protection. Though this type of smart lock is quite costly but offers both convenience and safety. One greatest benefit of this smart lock is that you can control your lock from a remote location through your smartphone. It also has a built-in alarm and is very easy to install.
August Smart Lock: This is a second-generation smart lock and it comes up with some excellent features such as remote control, low battery alerts and secured Bluetooth connection. It works with existing deadbolts and as such, it is very convenient to use. This type of smart lock comes up with a sleek design and has an auto-lock or unlocks features. Thus, it has home automation compatibility and comes up with a simple mobile app.
Yale Assure Lock touchscreen deadbolt: This is another innovative and excellent type of touchscreen that comes up with a privacy setting. With this type of smart lock, people will be able to set and disable some or the entire code for a specific period of time. The best thing is that in this type of touchscreen lock you will be able to set up 250 unique codes. Apart from that, you will also not require any app to operate. You also have voice control in this type of lock with Alexa. It is very easy to install and operate.
Kwikset Kevo Bluetooth smart lock: This is another most well-known name in the industry and it comes with Bluetooth features. It comes up with high-tech functionality such as it has touch-to-open features and with these features it allows you to lock and unlock the door with just one touch. It also comes up with location detection and voice control features with Alexa. It also has eKeys, key fobs, and traditional key options as well.
So HoMill Electronic Door Knob: This is an excellent electronic keypad lock. This lock is suitable for both left and right hinged doors. But it does not have Bluetooth connectivity and smart home functions. Its installation is very easy and you can operate it very easily. It comes up with an affordable price and you do not require a smartphone to operate it. It has auto-lock features.
Benefits of using Keyless Door Locks at Your Home
Keyless door locks come up with enormous benefits and the following are some of its advantages:
Easy to use: It works on simple and easy principle and all that you need to do is to put a code. When you will unlock your lock you have to use the same code. Apart from that, the keyless lock also with voice features and both voices as well as code are easy to operate.
Access tracking: In the smart lock, you will get the benefit of Wi-Fi. Thus once you lock is connected to your smartphone you will be able to access tracking. With this lock, many companies can keep track of their employees and can easily determine whether the employee has arrived at the workplace or not.
High security: Safety is the topmost concern for every home and family. A smart lock is much more secure than that of the normal lock. The smart lock works on code and if you face any kind of problem with the code you can change it at any time and that too in less than 1 minute.
