Posted by Editor | Comments Off on A Beginner’s Guide to the Different Kinds of Interior and Exterior Paints
A Beginner’s Guide to the Different Kinds of Interior and Exterior Paints
Different paints have their own different properties. These properties are what make them suited for different parts of a building.
While paints for building or home interiors are made to resist staining or are made to be scrubbed for easy cleaning, exterior paints are made specifically to resist harsher environmental factors, such as fading and mildew.
What’s in the Paint?
In order to fully understand the difference between interior and exterior paints, you have to know beforehand that paint is essentially composed of the following things:
- Binder (typically resin, which holds the pigment to the surface),
- Solvent (which reduces the paint’s viscosity for better application),
- Pigment (which gives the paint its color and opacity),
- Extender (which improves adhesion in the paint), and
- Additives (which modify the paint’s properties).
Solvents and pigments in both interior and exterior paints are similar in a lot of ways. For instance, you can use either water- or oil-based paint for outdoor paint jobs, as the binders and additives in the paint make it so that they resist external factors such as prolonged exposure to heat and rain.
However, they also have their differences. For instance, oil-based paint is almost used exclusively as an exterior paint because of the difficulty in cleaning up, as well as the strong odors and potential fumes, and most interior paints are water-based because of this.
Interior Paints
Interior paints are made to be cleaned easily and resist staining, which means that the binding resins are rigid to keep the paint from getting scuffed or smeared. This usually means that interior paints are water-based, which in turn makes them safer for indoor use.
Interior, water-based paints also have a few other advantages, such as having a faster drying time and are easy to clean up using water.
Exterior Paints
Exterior paints are made to resist mildew and fading, as prolonged exposure to heat and rain are more likely to fade interior paints. Aside from the attractive gloss of oil-based exterior paints, they also have a smooth, durable finish.
The secret lies in their binders (aka resin), which are softer to allow the paint to better resist not just the previously mentioned environmental factors, but also peeling and chipping.
Which One to Use?
At the end of the day, the primary difference between the two is the solvent. There are certain paints that can be used for both indoors and outdoors, but they do have their own tradeoffs despite their versatility.
To know which paint is best suited for the job, be it oil- or water-based, always be sure to consult a professional painter or talk to a professional painting firm where a representative can walk you through everything that you need.
Read MorePosted by Editor | Comments Off on The Different Kinds of House Painting Equipment
The Different Kinds of House Painting Equipment
When painting your house, always be sure to have the right tools you need to complete the job. While you may already own some of these items, there may be others that you still don’t, and should consider investing in:
1. Paint rollers, brushes, paint sprayers
While all three are used for applying paint on surfaces, they are meant to be used in different ways. For instance, paint rollers are for painting smooth surfaces in broad swaths.
There are different types of brushes used in painting: bristle brushes, which clear up loose material from walls and floors, and wire brushes, which are great for removing plants, moss, and flaking paint.
There even mildew brushes, which remove mildew and dirt, as well as long-handled brushes for clearing out large, exterior surfaces.
Meanwhile, paint sprayers are used quick, even applications of paint that can be used in the place of paint rollers and brushes. The key to using a paint sprayer is having the right kind for the job you need done.
2. Paints, finishes, and primers
Primers are the first coat of paint and are the initial whitewash that will bind the other coats of paint to the surface you’re painting it on. Meanwhile, finishes are there to add the desired glossiness.
3. Roller tray, grid, paint pail
Roller trays and grids are used for loading paint into rollers, and the paint pail is a container for carrying paint to the site with ease.
4. Stepladder, extension ladder
For ceilings that can be a little hard to reach, having a stepladder will save you a lot of time and will even allow you to access areas that you wouldn’t have. It also keeps you from having to balance yourself on tables and chairs, which is highly unsafe.
5. Tape measure, painter’s tape, masking tape
Tape measure allows you to accurately measure surfaces (i.e. walls, floors, and ceiling) for marking off, which will in turn save you on how much paint you will need to use.
Painter’s tape and masking tape are a must-have when it comes to protecting trims or sections of surfaces that you don’t want to get paint on.
6. Spackling paste, caulk and caulking gun
Spackling paste and caulk are used to even out imperfections and crevices in wall surfaces, but they have their own different uses.
For instance, spackling paste is used mostly for filling nail holes and smaller imperfections in walls, while caulk is mostly reserved for evening out gaps and seams in woodwork. If you do happen to be working with wood, always be sure to use ones that can be painted on.
Read MorePosted by Editor | Comments Off on Why You Should Get Started at Yoga at Any Age (Especially in Your Forties)
Why You Should Get Started at Yoga at Any Age (Especially in Your Forties)
When you’ve reached the midway of your life or your golden years, regular exercise promises serious benefits. However, not all workouts are for everyone.
As we age, high-impact exercises can seriously strain the joints, so it’s really important to find a type of exercise that can improve both our physical and mental health while still adjusted to have as little risk as possible.
This is where yoga comes in as the exercise that anyone can appreciate and start doing as a routine at any age, and you’ll be surprised at the following benefits that yoga has:
Strength Training
Most people don’t think of strength training when they think of yoga, but you’ll be surprised at how much time you’ll be spending doing different bodyweight exercises and holding them for extended periods.
Flexibility
Yoga has a lot of exercises that allow you to stretch your arms, legs, hips, back, and even shoulders without straining them too much. As you continue with these exercises, you’ll find that your flexibility improves each session.
Mental Health Training
The emphasis on breathing and holding poses for certain lengths of time means that yoga was originally developed to prepare for meditation. For those dealing with a significant lack of sleep, stress, anxiety, and even depression, this is good news.
Getting started in yoga doesn’t take up too much time – all you need are a few minutes in your day alone.
This means that you have a lot of control in how you can get started. You can enroll in a class, look up different poses and breathing techniques on your own time at home, or even hire a private instructor.
Yoga comes in different types with their own purposes, intensities, and pose sets, such as the following:
• Hatha – The slow pace and the general introduction to basic poses and breathing techniques make this type of yoga great for beginners who are just starting out.
• Bikram – Also for beginners, this type of yoga is both meant to improve flexibility using a predictable routine and an environment with high humidity.
• Ashtanga – For those looking for a more intense routine, Ashtanga is based in ancient yoga and uses a more difficult set of poses, each connected to a certain breathing technique.
• Iyengar – This type of yoga uses different props to help you achieve certain poses and forms more accurately, and is best for those recovering from injuries.
You’ll also find that there are different breathing techniques and sequences that you can use outside of yoga (and as a precursor to daily meditation routines), from basic breath retention, to the Conqueror breath, and even the Deer Seal.
Perhaps the best thing about yoga isn’t just that it’s a great low-impact exercise with a lot of health benefits, but that you don’t need any equipment to get started – all you need is an exercise mat and comfortable clothes that have enough room for you to stretch in.
Read MorePosted by Editor | Comments Off on How to Give Gifts Anyone Would Love to Receive
How to Give Gifts Anyone Would Love to Receive
Whether it’s Christmas, a birthday, an important occasion, or an anniversary, you’ve most likely seen what it’s like to be disappointed in receiving a gift, and you don’t want that to happen to the next person you give a present to.
So how do you make sure you give people amazing gifts every occasion? No need to fret – this guide is here to help you pick the best gift for the person or people on your list.
What Makes a Great Gift?
To know exactly what you should get for whoever is on your list, you have to know what makes a great gift in the first place.
A great gift is anything that meets the following criteria:
• It reflects the person’s interests. What does that person like? What’s that person’s hobby? Do a little bit of research. Pay close attention to their interests – they’ll always drop hints if not say it outright.
You might find that it’s easier to give gifts to someone you know well than a person you don’t. If you’re looking for a gift for the latter, the safest bet is always providing a way for that person to get what he/she wants, such as a gift card, or even cash.
• It has a personal touch. The magic of gift-giving is that it’s personalized from you rather than specifically for the person you’re giving the gift to.
In other words, it’s including a bit of yourself, whether it’s a piece of art, a knitted scarf, or even a hand-written note.
• It’s what that person needs or is looking for. It’s often said that the best gift you can get a person is the exact thing that that person needs at the moment or has been meaning to get for a while.
Don’t Forget the Packaging!
Once you finally got the gift you think that person would appreciate the most, it’s time to think about what you should place the gift in.
The packaging is just as important as the gift itself, so be sure to place or wrap it in something that the recipient actually wants to open. It also has to be enough to actually cover the gift and keep the person guessing.
While it does have to be well-thought out, you don’t have to wrack your head trying to think of the perfect gift to give a person. You don’t need to break your wallet if you can’t afford it, either – gifts aren’t all about the price tag, but about the thought and care put into them.
At the end of the day, the whole point of giving gifts is about the latter two, and as long as the person acknowledges this, it’s good enough.
Read MorePosted by Editor | Comments Off on What is CRM and How Can You Benefit from It?
What is CRM and How Can You Benefit from It?
In Singapore, well any place in the world really, a lot of businesses tend to do better than others. A lot of that comes from maintaining healthy relationships with customers. In our time today, you can do just that if you utilize technology to your advantage. To make your business last, it will be a good idea to make use of a CRM software.
What is CRM?
Customer relationship management or CRM refers to strategies or technology used by companies to manage their relationships with clients and potential customers. They can be used to improve business connections with current customers and also analyze data to manage prospects for the company.
Utilizing an application for tracking client opportunities for your Singapore company will not only help strengthen ties with existing clients, but also make it easier for your sales team to generate profit from prospects. With a CRM software, you can perform account management and sales tracking in a single database, reducing your workload and streamlining your business processes.
Benefits of CRM
Save and process information easily
Through the CRM system, you’ll be able to keep track of all the data coming from your sales department, your customer service team, your marketing team and etc. You will easily get lost in all the information if you do not have a reliable way to save and process all of these data. Having a CRM software helps you stay up-to-date with consumer contacts and info, your targets for sales, and many more.
Consequently, sales management tools are great additions to your system if you need help to manage sales people in your office that is based in Singapore. This application can contribute greatly for providing sales coaching tips as the software can show you a clear summary of your business’ operations, productivity and current status.
The ERP
An ERP software can work collectively with the CRM to increase profitability. Both allow for immediate sharing of sales management tools and other information to all departments. What makes the ERP different though, is that it focuses more to on the company rather than the customers. It can be used to share sales reports with relative ease, saving much time and energy for employees.
Flexibility
All the data and information regarding the customers is stored and delivered through the cloud. Cloud CRM basically makes Customer relationship management flexible which then results in the improved scalability of a company. In simple terms, this means that you can access the cloud anywhere and be able to check information across different platforms through the internet.
For example, you can connect to the cloud CRM through your computer and your mobile device. If you go out and forget something, you can use a mobile app of the cloud instead of going back to your computer. A customer might also talk to you in a social media site but then suddenly switch to a call or email. With the cloud, you’ll be able to switch through platforms easily.
Moreover, a good customer database software can be incorporated into an existing structure in a hassle-free manner. This means that it’s possible to configure system with existing work flow without—or at least minimal—downtime of your business in Singapore. CRM configuration does not have to cause your operation to shut down, but instead be able to adapt to your work flow seamlessly.
In summary, the CRM software is a great tool to improve your client relations while also keeping the work efficient for your staff. It helps in attracting potential customers simply because of lead management strategies and the overall quality of services you can provide for the clients.
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