Log Homes Journal

Creating a real tile mosaic on almost any surface top is easy. The first step would be to look in a tile shop and see what is available. Then decide on a pattern you want.

There are many books, magazines and TV shows that give step by step instructions as well as design ideas. After deciding a pattern or design, sketch your pattern on the surface you are going to tile over. The first step is to prepare the surface making sure the tile will adhere. You do this by scoring the surface with a utility knife then coating the surface with a mixture of watered down white glue. Next you take tile cement, commonly known as thin set or mortar, and spread a thin coating over the surface. Place your tiles in the cement according to the pattern you drew. After the cement has set, (don’t be in too big of a hurry) fill the gaps between the tiles with tile grout. Most people think grout is available only in white but if you look in a hardware store you’ll find many different colors of grout available. You apply the grout by simply troweling it over all of the seams between the individual tiles. Then wipe away the excess with a sponge.

Have you ever been in a cafe, restaurant or a friend’s house for that fact, and admired the mosaic tile on the tabletops or walls? Well, it’s not that hard to bring that look into your own home. Where’s a good place to add a mosaic in your home? Kitchens and bathrooms are the obvious choices but end tables and patios have become favorites too. Consider embellishing a coffee table purchased from an unfinished furniture store. This is a great little week-end project. All you have to do is add a coat of paint and then make a small mosaic on the tabletop using some different size tiles or even broken tile pieces. This same technique works equally well for a larger area like this as it does for a small accent table.
Before starting this project, there are some things you should do first to be prepared.  Read more... (720 words, estimated 2:53 mins reading time)

Each year, thousands, if not millions, of Americans make the decision to remodel their kitchens. Kitchen remodeling can include something as simple as replacing your kitchen sink, but it can also include something extravagant, such as changing around your whole kitchen, from the lights all the way down to your flooring. As nice as it is to have your kitchen remodeled, it can get fairly expensive. That is why a large number of homeowners make the decision to do their own remodeling.  When doing so, many turn to kitchen remodeling books for assistance, but are they really worth the money?

Before you can begin to determine whether or not kitchen remodeling books are really worth the money, it is important to examine exactly what they are. Kitchen remodeling books, also commonly referred to as kitchen remodeling how-to guides, are books that are designed to help readers know as much as they can about remodeling their kitchens.  It is not uncommon for a kitchen remodeling book to be filled with directions, including step-by-step pictures, lists of materials needed, as well as safety tips.  Kitchen remodeling books also come in a number of different formats. It is not uncommon to find a kitchen remodeling book that focuses on a number of kitchen remodeling projects or a book that just focuses on one project.  Read more... (682 words, estimated 2:44 mins reading time)

Kitchen granite countertops are created by nature and fashioned by man are a beautiful, durable and cost effective choice for kitchens and baths.  The term granite comes from the Latin root word granum, which means “grain.”

Granite is often imported from Europe, Africa, Brazil and other regions of the world rich in natural stone.  Granite is an attractive natural stone that will add color and warmth to your kitchen.  Granite is an extremely hard material that will not blister, scratch or crack.
The hardness of granite is rivaled only be the hardness of diamonds.  In fact diamonds are used to cut and polish granite.

Over the last 10 years kitchen granite countertops have become popular with homeowners, after first being popular with designers for decades.  Granite is available in hundreds of colors, from various shades of white to browns, reds, greens, blues, and black.  The most popular tones are brown and beige.

As well as being hard kitchen granite countertops can take hot items, like pots and pans, and is very stain resistant to hot grease and oil if it is sealed with a silicone-based impregnator.  It can easily be cleaned and cut for a basin.  Granite has a cool polished surface that makes it an excellent surface for rolling out pastry dough.  The polished finish of granite will not wear off.

Kitchen granite countertops are unique because no two pieces of granite are exactly the same, therefore granite provides an interesting design element and adds certain richness and texture to your kitchen not found in other surfaces.   Kitchen granite countertops can create a brilliance and elegance that is only found in nature.  Granite adds a personality and character to kitchen countertops that is unsurpassed.  Kitchen granite countertops have a natural beauty that is capable of complementing any tone of wood or style of cabinets.  Read more... (695 words, estimated 2:47 mins reading time)