Archive for the ‘Snowcem’ Category
Tuesday, May 18th, 2010
Colours are known to influence the human mind and body as they have the ability to either depress or exhilarate. Our body absorbs colour energy through the vibration each colour gives off and these energies help to maintain a healthy body, mind and soul. Even in ancient times, people were aware of the positive effect of colours. So, Vastu Shastra has laid down guidelines on choosing the right colours for your house.
VAASTU GUIDELINES FOR CHOOSING THE RIGHT COLOURS FOR A HOUSE:
In Vedic periods, all colours were obtained from vegetables and flowers. Though the options were far less than what are available today, they were more permanent, soothing to the eye and more natural in appearance. Today there are so many colours to choose from. But this makes the the choice of the right colour scheme for your house, a difficult task. This is where Vaastu Shastra comes to your aid. According to Vaastu, there are three methods that can be adopted for choosing colours for a house.
ZODIAC SIGN OF THE OWNER: In the first and most commonly followed method, the colour schemes are selected in conformance with the raashi (constellation / zodiac sign) of the owner to bring good luck and happiness.
Aries - Coral red
Taurus - Milky white
Gemini - Green
Cancer - Rose red, pearl white
Leo - Ruby red, dim white
Virgo - Emerald green
Libra - Cement color, milky white
Scorpio - Pink, coral red
Sagittarius - Golden yellow
Capricorn - Dim red
Aquarius - Pink, blue
Pisces - Yellow, pure white
( via - houseconstructionindia.blogspot.com )
Tags: flowers, Vaastu, vegetables, Zodiac sign
Posted in Snowcem, colour, home improvement, tips, vastu, zodiac | No Comments »
Friday, April 16th, 2010
When painting a room, it is better to paint the ceiling first, followed by walls, with TRIM, cabinets and doors painted last. Work from top to bottom. To adapt to a wet edge, only time cutting a wall on one before you start painting with rollers.
The brushes are cut to lower the ceiling, around doors and windows before using a roller. They are also used to paint the trim, windows and doors. Usare a number of brush size in the range and angle ruler. The choice depends on the size of the area you are painting, and if you prefer a straight or a bent wing. The rollers are a great saving of time for painting large flat surfaces such as ceilings and walls. Roller covers are available in various lengths nap. The choice depends on whether the painting surface is smooth or structured, it is more. The more structured surface, the longer the NAPmust be in order to push the fibers, the color wells at the surface.
high-quality applications, the best results in painting. applicators Cheap or low quality can paint better quality look and behave badly. Cheap roller covers more than the ink did not spread evenly over the surface and often leave fuzz from the roller on the wall. Cheap brushes are difficult to use because they do not spread the paint evenly and can leave unsightly brush marks. High applicators can be cleaned and reused.
When painting, always working from the area adjacent to dry the wet paint area. Use the technique of N when using a roller. Place the rolls completely. Wear the colors in the form of an "N" in a 2 x 2 ¹ ¹ area. Fill the center of the "N" with horizontal strokes from side to side ‘other. Easy to adjust the painted area with vertical strokes from top to bottom. Go directly use the model N with a roller just uploadedunder the first "N" to work, until you reach the bottom of the wall.
Time saving tip: if you draw a break from, you can wrap your applicators tightly in a plastic bag or aluminum foil instead of washing them!
Make sure you always mix the paint before use and not thin the paint. If more than one gallon for the same color, mix together to ensure consistency of color. Paint, when the space-and surface temperature is 50? F orbefore. Touching, wiping, or wetting a freshly painted surface for 30 days so that the color of cure completely. After 30 days, the painted surface to be cleaned with a neutral non-abrasive detergent and water. Do not place or hang objects on the surface to dry before the paint.
Remember: It ¹ s important to follow instructions for painting on the back label. It contains important information necessary for your painting project.
( via - painting.doodig.com )
Tags: ceiling, Interior painting, tips, TRIM
Posted in House Painting, Roller, Snowcem, architecture, builders, buildings, colors, construction, consultant, contractor, exterior, exterior paints, home improvement | No Comments »
Saturday, April 10th, 2010
Most basements are made of concrete or masonry block. In a good many cases the masonry (or concrete) is completely dry. If no water problem exists, a simple paint job can often take care of all decorating. Here’s where Portland Cement Paint comes into the picture. Available in white plus tints or various colors for masonry, it can quickly dress up a drab masonry wall.
Sold as a dry powder to be mixed with water just before you apply it, cement paint looks best over a flat, uniform masonry surface. The cement wall should be clean and completely free of oil, oil paint, dirt or any other nonsense that will keep the paint from sticking to the masonry. Fill all cracks with patching cement and allow them to cure thoroughly.
Lightly dampen the masonry surface with water before you start the brush-work. The idea is to keep the wall from drawing moisture from the paint. The easiest technique here is to turn a garden pressure sprayer on the wall using a fine fog spray nozzle so that you moisten the area but don’t soak it.
Mix the paint with water following the directions on the container. Cement paints are quite heavy and the ingredients tend to settle out, so keep stirring the paint as you use it. The brush used for applying this paint is a stiff fiber scrub brush. This isn’t a lightweight coating that you just flow onto the masonry surface. Because the cement or masonry has many pores, you’ll actually have to scrub the paint into the wall to get a decent looking job.
Dunk the brush into the paint and scrub back and forth over the masonry. Then scrub round and round until the area is covered. Plan to work on a relatively small section at a time. When this is finished move onto the next square.
Here’s another fact about Portland Cement Paint. It must be moist-cured, that is kept very slightly damp for at least 12 hours after you put on the first coat. The second or finish coat should be kept moist for 48 hours. Again, a garden sprayer with a fog nozzle is the best mechanism to use. Allow the first coat to harden for 12 hours, dampen the masonry surface and apply the second coat.
If this sounds like a great deal of work, keep in mind that you’re applying a permanent coating to your masonry. As a matter of fact, when properly scrubbed onto the wall and carefully cured, cement paint becomes an actual part of the concrete masonry surface.
( via - painting.doodig.com )
Posted in Snowcem, affordable housing pune, buildings, cement, chemicals, colors, construction, consultant, contractor, paints, primer, waterproofing | No Comments »
Thursday, January 21st, 2010

Exterior paint is constantly deteriorating through the processes of weathering, but in a program of regular maintenance assuming all other building systems are functioning properly surfaces can be cleaned, lightly scraped, and hand sanded in preparation for a new finish coat. Unfortunately, these are ideal conditions. More often, complex maintenance problems are inherited by owners of historic buildings, including areas of paint that have failed beyond the point of mere cleaning, scraping, and hand sanding (although much so-called "paint failure" is attributable to interior or exterior moisture problems or surface preparation and application mistakes with previous coats).
When the protective and decorative paint finish was removed and an inappropriate clear finish applied, the exterior character of the building was altered. Photo: NPS files.
Although paint problems are by no means unique to historic buildings, treating multiple layers of hardened, brittle paint on complex, ornamental–and possibly fragile–exterior wood surfaces necessarily requires an extremely cautious approach. In the case of recent construction, this level of concern is not needed because the wood is generally less detailed and, in addition, retention of the sequence of paint layers as a partial record of the building’s history is not an issue.
When historic buildings are involved, however, a special set of problems arises–varying in complexity depending upon their age, architectural style, historical importance, and physical soundness of the wood–which must be carefully evaluated so that decisions can be made that are sensitive to the longevity of the resource.
( via - nps.gov )
Tags: decorative paint, Historic Buildings, paint failure, Paint Problems
Posted in Clean-up, Color, Indian Architecture, Snowcem, chemicals, climate, colors, construction, consultant, contractor, decorative, environment, exterior, exterior paints, infrastructure, paints | No Comments »
Friday, January 15th, 2010
While putting paint on the walls of your home is not rocket science, there are plenty of ways to mess up. If you have never painted before, do not make the mistake of thinking that it is easy work. Painting takes time, patience, attention to detail, and some muscle work. But, by doing the work yourself, you can save hundreds if not thousands of dollars. Here are a few suggestions for how you can avoid some of the most common painting mistakes and save yourself time, money and a lot of frustration.
Spend a little more, get more value
Chances are that if you are paining a room yourself, your objective in doing so is to save money. This is great, we all like a deal. But, there are some cases when sacrificing quality for price can actually end up costing you more money in the end. Low quality paints may cost less, but you run the risk of having a slew of problems. Lower quality paints typically require more coats to apply, they show stains easier, are harder to clean without causing damage, and may not go onto certain wall textures or primers evenly. You need to choose a paint that is going to be worth your investment. So what makes a high-quality paint, high-quality? Well, high-quality paints have the correct proportions of paint composition and paint type. Top-quality paint contains a higher volume of solid material, binders and pigments than ordinary paints. In most cases, a water based paint is going to give you the best durability and color.
Choosing the right paint sheen
When thinking about painting the first thing that probably comes to mind is the color that you want for your walls. Research shows that the color of a room can contribute to your mood or even your appetite. But, what people often forget to consider before it is brought to their attention at the paint counter is the sheen that they want. The most common sheens are flat/matte, eggshell, satin, semi gloss and gloss. Different sheens are better for different areas of your home. For example, glossy paints provide better stain resistance but also highlight surface imperfections. If you are painting trim work, glossy paints are recommended, otherwise, you may want to consider another option. A satin finish is suggested for rooms that require frequent cleaning, such as kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms and children’s rooms. If you live in an older home and need to mask imperfections, a flat finish is best.
Preparing the surface for paint
Preparing to paint is not the most exciting part of your painting project, but the right prep work can make all the difference when it comes to the end result of your project. Most bare surfaces will need to be primed before they are painted. Oil based primers are best for surfaces that are wood or metal, water based primers are best for most other situations. If you are working with a previously painted surface, scrape off any peeling paint, prime bare spots, fill in holes, scrap rough spots, and clean the wall well. Make sure that you use tape or paper to cover areas that you do not want painted (trim work, outlet covers, light fixtures, etc.). Lay down drop cloths and have a steady level surface on which to place your paint cans. Accidents happen no matter how careful you are so be prepared for possible spills and drips, you’ll be glad that you took the extra time to avoid costly mistakes.
( via - house-painting-info.com )
Tags: mistakes, paint sheen, Painting, primers, surface for paint
Posted in Acrylic Primer and Paint, Snowcem, acrylic, builders, buildings, colors, consultant, contractor, gloss, light, safety | No Comments »
Monday, November 23rd, 2009
A blister can form when vapor expands between a coated surface and the film that protects it.
Possible Cause:
Applying oil-based or alkyd paint over a damp or wet surface.
Moisture seeping into the home through the exterior walls (less likely with latex paint).
Exposure of latex paint film to high humidity or moisture shortly after paint has dried, especially if there was inadequate surface preparation.
Solution:
Remove blisters by scraping or sanding. Test the adhesion of the paint on the surrounding areas by applying a length of tape on the surface and removing it with a quick motion. If there is a large-scale lack of adhesion, the entire surface should be scraped and sanded. Prime the surface with a quality latex or oil primer. Repaint with interior wall and trim paint.
( via - lowes.com )
Tags: Blistering, Paint Problem
Posted in Acrylic Primer and Paint, Snowcem, acrylic, additives, buildings, colors, construction, consultant, contractor, paint, paintquality, paints | No Comments »
Thursday, November 12th, 2009
Tags: cutting in a wall, Painting, technique
Posted in House Painting, Paintbrushes, Snowcem, paintings, paintquality, paints, technology, tips | No Comments »
Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009
Affordable housing projects have sprung up in different pockets of Mumbai. The city limits that now stand expanded and transformed have made connectivity an important factor.
Buyers prefer projects that are in the vicinity of public transport points like bus stands and railway stations that facilitate easy commutes on an everyday basis.
Nestor Constructions have various projects in Santacruz and Vile Parle. Nirvan Apartments is their affordable housing project at Santacruz (E). Nakul Mehta, Director, Nestor Constructions says: "The main driver for any affordable housing project is the location. Also, compact size and proper planning are important for affordable homes. Stand-alone buildings prove very affordable in the long run because they come with basic amenities like a play area for kids and so on.
“Salaried people, who primarily purchase affordable homes, always look for connectivity from the station or the bus stop. However, government is also planning to upgrade the infrastructure for the overall development. As of now, different infrastructure projects like the Metro rail, skywalks and others are coming up that will spruce up the connectivity further."
Location plays a very important role in deciding the affordability of the project. In the main city a price tag of Rs. 30-40 lakh would be affordable while Rs. 8-10 lakhs would be the preferred price range in the far-off suburbs. Places like Virar and Vasai have seen a quantum leap due to the emergence of affordable projects. Mayfair Housing has two of its affordable projects in Vasai and Mira Road.
Jayant Gehi, GM, Marketing, Mayfair Housing, says: "Planned purely as a residential zone, Virar has a pollution-free environment with decent basic amenities. In terms of connectivity, Virar has changed tremendously. The fourth line of the Borivali-Virar local train has reduced the travel time considerably. There are many plans by MMRDA to boost the connectivity of Virar. The third phase of the Metro rail will be passing from Virar along with a Link road. There are plans to also bring in Ring road connecting Virar to Thane and Navi Mumbai. An additional bridge has also been planned over the Vasai creek. With all these plans in place, it is sure to give major impetus to the connectivity of Virar."
Located in Dombivili, Lodha’s CASA Bella Gold is only 25-minutes drive from Thane and 15 minutes from Navi Mumbai, 6 kms from Dombivili station and 20 minutes from the proposed location of the new international airport. The township is also close to many leading IT parks such as Dhirubhai Ambani Knowledge City, Millenium Business Park and Airoli IT Park. The Vashi-Thane railway connection is a further add on.
R Karthik, Senior VP, Marketing, Lodha Group says: “The geography of the city is rapidly changing. It is essential to look at the future connectivity and provide for it
in the present.”
Such new projects will only pave the way for more planned infrastructure as time progresses.
( via - Times of India )
Tags: Affordable housing, CASA Bella Gold, Lodha Group, Mayfair Housing, Nestor Constructions
Posted in Affordable housing, CASA Bella Gold, Lodha Group, Mayfair Housing, Nestor Constructions, Snowcem | No Comments »
Saturday, October 31st, 2009
Historical accuracy should be followed for older houses. This can be done by researching library color charts for colors that match the construction era. Eccentric owners can chuck history away and use modern colors to highlight architectural particulars.
Maintain a synchronized color coding throughout the exteriors. Make sure no color clashes with your garden flowers or with your home interiors. After all, you want the perfect overall look, not different looks cut up in different sections, no?
Lighter colors make the house look larger while darker colors make it look smaller. Darker tones accent recesses while lighter tones highlight details on the wall surface.
Maintenance wise, dark and bright colors require more regular maintenance and care as they are prone to fading in direct sunlight. Lighter colors retain their beauty for longer. Some areas like windows have to compulsorily be white (or shade of off white) as they absorb less heat. Other colors crack due to high heat and moisture absorption.
View all the colors in natural sunlight before purchasing them as artificial lights distort their true colors and evening light makes them appear redder than normal. Purchasing small test pots and trying them on small parts will ensure that you are not stuck with a garage, full of the wrong color paint cans.
When going for exotic, eccentric colors, know these basics. To tone down bright blues, white is the best trimmer. Colors like yellow (in muted forms, no neons and fluorescents please!) impart a unique freshness and vibrancy to the home, making it more inviting. When choosing between glossy, semi gloss or flat paint, remember that glossy paint end up highlighting imperfections in brush strokes and touch ups, and hence are best put by professionals. They are however, easier to clean.
An idea that cannot go wrong, is to use muted shades for the dominant base shade and, either lighter or brighter colors can make up the trims and the accents. Soft toned colors go well with stone and give the home a sedate, unhurried look.
No matter what colors you choose, make sure that they are compatible with your neighborhood exterior house color schemes. Get an approval from the home owners association before you invest big money in anything.
If there is existing paint on the exterior walls of your house, consider the fact that you may have to use a primer before you apply a fresh paint coat. Factor in, this additional expense into your painting budget. A primer need not be applied if you initial color is light and the new color you have chosen is a darker variation of the same.
Last but not the least, buy the best paint in the market for your exteriors. It may be expensive but due to its durability, it ends up as the cheaper option in the long run. Keep in mind that colors like intense reds and deep blues subdue with age. Dark colors are difficult to touch up once they start fading.
( via - buzzle.com )
Tags: Color Scheme, eccentric colors, exterior, House Paint, Lighter colors, neighborhood
Posted in Acrylic Primer and Paint, Roller, Snowcem, Snowscapes, additives, architecture, bricks, brown, brush, buildings, colors, construction, consultant, design, exterior, exterior paints, paintquality, paints, real estate | No Comments »
Thursday, October 29th, 2009
A Single Colored Exterior House Paint Color Scheme
This is a very common color scheme, that uses just one main color and 2 or more hues of the same color for highlights. The hues are normally taken as lighter, medium and darker versions of the same chosen color. Hence, it is also known as the monochromatic scheme. A salient feature of this type of paint scheme, is a subtle accent to finer architectural details, with an overall conservative sophistication. This is the best type of exterior house paint color scheme for conservative neighborhoods, and is also the best thing for a risk averse house owner, who does not wish to experiment with his colors.
A Two Chromatic Exterior House Paint Scheme
This painting technique, also known as complementary scheme, makes the use of complementary colors, i.e. colors that are opposite each other on the color palette spectrum. The complementary scheme boasts of a great deal of lively contrast and offers good scope for color experimentation. The house looks alive with complementary coloring of one dominant color and two or three complementary accents.
A Tricolored Home Paint Color Scheme
As the name suggests, this scheme uses three colors that fall at equidistant places on the color wheel. Such a triadic creation needs expert advice, as it is a highly complex and cluttered color scheme. If an experienced eye is not used while creating it, the color scheme can easily go awry, either as too loud and boisterous or as too glaring and ugly. A well created triadic color scheme can make your home look vibrant, eye catching and creatively beautiful.
Corresponding Home Exterior Color Scheme
Also known as an analogous, adjacent or related house exterior paint scheme, the corresponding color scheme makes use of colors that lie near each other or are neighbors on the color wheel. Here as well, one color is dominant and others are used as highlights. This is a visually complex color scheme, but because of the inherent harmony between the cluster of colors chosen, it is easier to create than the tricolored home paint scheme.
( via - buzzle.com )
Tags: Chromatic Exterior, Color Scheme, exterior, paint
Posted in Snowcem, Snowscapes, architecture, buildings, colors, exterior, exterior paints | No Comments »