The Beauty of Marmoleum
I LOVE this product!! One of the great perks that comes with home ownership is the ability to customize one’s home. As a 15+ year property owner/investor, I’ve had the chance to try out a few flooring products.
Marmoleum hands down is my favorite for easy clean up, durability, and scratch resistance. It’s held up extremely well to a busy household which includes 2 dogs and 2 cats. There is one scratch in the surface and that was caused by me being clumsy with a cabinet one hour post-installation (uuughhh!!). Otherwise, it’s been scratch free for 18 months.
Not only is the scratch resistance impressive, but Marmoleum is really comfortable to stand on for long periods of time (for those serious chefs!) since there is a layer of cork under each tile . This product is also an easy install for the do-it-yourselfer (I installed it myself with a few basic tools). Lastly, you can’t beat the reasonable price (~$4.50-5.50sf), the great colors and it’s environmentally friendly to boot!
Give it a try for your next project-you won’t be disappointed!
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Eco-Friendly Driveway
Considering a new driveway? There are lots of options available ranging from stamped concrete, to brick, to pavers, to permeable.
We went the route of a pebble driveway to replace the concrete driveway for a few reasons. It was economical, fast to install and permeable thereby reducing runoff & pollutants entering our storm drains.
My understanding is that storm runoff is one of biggest pollutants of our waterways. I’m in full support of making choices which will offset our impact on the environment.
Our initial thought was to install porous concrete pavers which have openings that can be filled with gravel or grass. We then decided on decomposed granite for the ease of installation and maintenance. It is also available in a few colors.
It’s been two plus years and we’ve been really happy with the result. There is no worry about future cracking and settling as there is with a concrete driveway. No worries about staining either since we can move around or rake the gravel.
The drawback is the occasional required sweeping of stray pieces that end up on the path way or sidewalk and the difficulty in walking to the car in heels. Stray pieces can end up in the house on our wood floors if shoes aren’t properly wiped at the door, but our floors have been getting a fair amount of abuse from two active dogs. It’s a house well cared for and well lived in!
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Clogged Gutters Be Gone!!
It’s that time of the year again when gutters need to be cleaned. We just had a great product installed in portions of our gutters which prevents gutters from clogging.
There is an incredibly large, messy redwood tree which litters needles and branches several times a year. It’s just a matter of time before the gutters & downspouts end up getting clogged with tree debris, problematic when our rainy season starts.
RainFlow will help to keep our gutters & downspouts clear, since the debris sits on top of the membrane which can then be blown off when we have our semi-annual gutter cleaning. Another plus, is that since the gutters are easier to clean, our twice a year service will now be less expensive!
Let me know if you’d like a recommendation to the installer & gutter cleaner that I work with. He did an excellent job, is reasonably priced & made a great recommendation to use this product in portions of our high debris gutter areas!
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For Your Next Renovation Project, Visit one of our Local Salvage Showrooms!
Are you looking for something unique for your next house project? Then think about visiting one of several great, local salvage shops.
If you’re on the Peninsula, pay a visit to Whole House Building Supply. They have salvaged finds at their showroom ranging from windows & doors to vintage sinks & light fixtures.
If you’re feeling adventurous, sign up to receive their emails for upcoming salvage sales where you can visit Peninsula properties that are either being torn down or remodeled down to the studs. You then get to remove from site anything from plants to light fixtures to door knobs to windows depending on one’s experience & skill with power tools. There are guidelines with Whole House as to what can be removed from the property as well as to pricing of items.
In addition to finding that special item, you are also helping to reuse items that are still functional and divert one less item from the landfill.
http://www.driftwoodsalvage.com/
1955 Pulgas Rd. East East Palo Alto CA 94303
Warehouse (650) 328-8731
Message Center (650) 856-0634
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