Happy Wednesday/mid-week everyone! 🙂
Here’s another update on Today’s Choices magazine that I first spoke about here.
I gave away my 2 copies as some friends wanted to check it out. For those who didn’t manage to get them, here’s where you can grab a copy:
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Banking with the 21st Century Woman
If you stop and think for a second, women have never really gotten it easy. A look into the past shows us the struggles that took place as women championed for their rights. In the early days, women were merely regarded as wives who were intended to cook, clean, and take care of the kids. They were not allowed to vote while men took on jobs and paid the bills.
Fast forward to our time, women today are provided with independence and opportunities that the previous generation could only dream of. Today, females the world over are making a positive impact in their respective fields and are fast proving their capabilities.
Take me for instance; I own my own blog and advertising agency which runs campaigns all over Malaysia and SEA. I  travel, blog, gym 3-4 times a week and attend events everyday. To top it off, staying alone in KL with no family nor siblings, I settle  EVERYTHING single-handedly; and that includes car maintenance, bills and budgeting, laundry and housework.
24 hours is NOT enough! -_-
As promised, in my previous post I covered on House Renovation and breaking down the process into phases for better understanding. Phase I was Planning, a natural start to any project that one embarks on. No planning is a one way street to failure, unless you’re very lucky!
Now, after Phase I – which was Selection of Materials, Layout Planning and Grout Joint, Phase involves Preparatory Work @ Site.
1. The following preparatory works are to be carried out to ensure proper tiling works;
• Surface preparation
• Screeding / Rendering ( if necessary )
• Setting out tiling
2. Surface preparation – The surface of the substrate should be level and comply to design specification, or to a tolerance of 3mm measured by a 2 meter straight edge. When the surface evenness is not enough, screen or render should be applied. The substrate should be free from any loose substance such as dust, debris, oil and grease that may reduce or inhabit adhesion of the next layer of material.
Any strong acid or alkali on the surface should be neutralized prior to the application of the next layer of material. The surface should be cleaned with broom and wash with water jet, if possible.
** TIP: MAKE SURE it’s done by a professional! :DD
3. Laying of screed/render –Screeding is the act of spreading and leveling off a layer of mortar to provide a true surface.
In order to determine the correct levels for the flooring to be laid, the setting of a common reference line (usually marked at the wall at 1m) should be established. This is to prevent any mismatch in levels such as ceramic flooring to living room against parquet flooring to bedrooms.
Screed and render should be air cured for at least 7 days. Pre-packed mortar is preferred over the conventional cement and sand mortar mix in order to achieve consistent mortar mix.
Below: Screeding of floor before tiling.
So the MML Tiles Makeover Contest is over. The winners are now happily choosing their new tiles and the renovations are commencing soon. For those of us who didn’t win (myself included), feel free to say Hi to cutey Curious the cat here at his virtual home:Â Â http://www.curiouscat.my.
I’m still stalking him, missing his humour. But there aren’t much new videos now, sadly. Anyhow, surfing around I came across this page http://www.curiouscat.my/p3/choose-your-tiles.html where clicking on the tiles on the page changes the background of the site to the same tile.
Which brings me back to the topic of tiles. Here’s what I got from MML Tile Malaysia about tiling. Some of their products can be found HERE –>Â http://www.mymml.com/products/.
First up, introduction to Installation of Tiles.
1. The installation of tiles involves many areas of planning; from design to selection, preparatory work during installation as well as post installation. Extreme care and attention are required during each process in order to minimize the occurrence of serious defects after tiling. Post installation such as protection and maintenance of tiles are also equally important to ensure the tiles are user friendly, durable and maintaining its aesthetic and characteristics.
During the 3 stages of any renovation or building works, adequate measures must be taken at each stage to ensure the outcome desired.
| Do what? | |
| Phase 1 – PlanningÂ
1. Selection of Materials |
a) In planning and designing for floor and wall tiles, we must have relevant data and information on work environment, characteristics and behavior of the structure and geometry of the surface to be covered.b) Although materials for tiling are usually selected by the designer, it is to the interest of the contractors to understand the characteristics of these materials. The contractors should ensure that both the ceramic tiles and the bedding materials selected are compatible for the receiving substrate.The choice of materials for the tile bed and materials for grouting are very important for different type of tiles. It is very important to take into account the materials selection besides proper installation and quality control. The contractor in conjunction with the supplier should ensure that the selected tiles are able to meet the specification of the project. Technical specifications such tile water absorption, abrasion resistance, slip resistance, crazing resistance, surface quality & dimensions, chemical resistance and stain resistance should be considered. |
| 2. Layout Planning | a) It is important to consider the size of tiles used, shape of the area to be tiled and the specification requirements.As a general rule, the layout should be planned from the center of the tiling area, working outward to give an even tile width around the floor perimeter.It is recommended to construct a mock-up unit for owner’s approval prior to carrying out the actual tiling work to ensure the owner’s requirements on a project’s acceptable tolerance are fully understood and within the specification. b)Cut tiles should be placed at less visible corners and width should be bigger than half of the tile size.Generally, it’s advisable to use machine cutter to cut floor tiles or full body homogenous tiles in order to get straight cutting as the tiles are very hard and brittle. For wall tiles normal tile cutter can be used. |
BELOW: Laying tiles from center area and inspect the tiles flatness by using spirit level gauge.
Ever since moving to my new place I had needed a wardrobe. But it can’t be a normal 2 door cupboard as I have an insanely mountainous amount of clothes!
Unfortunately even with such an abundance of outfits, I’m still plagued daily with the same dilemma as any other female; where we stood in the middle of our room and threw our hands up in exasperation muttering “Urghh! I’ve got nothing to wear today!” 😉
Because I was saving up for an oven, I ignored the heaps of clothes strewn everywhere; in the living room,in the laundry basket and of course, in the room. After a while, I grew intensely infuriated as I ended up wearing the same thing over and over again or I just couldn’t find the exact item I know I own but missing whenever an occasion calls for it.
Finally I decided to hop into IKEA to check the prices for a wardrobe. I had also wanted to research on the some of the items I saw during my trip to Ikea Paris and The Netherlands to make a comparison if IKEA in Europe is cheaper than Malaysia and also if their range of furniture are any different.
I should have posted on my “foreign IKEA visits” earlier but was stopped due to remarks of irrelevant content by the IKEA here. Anyhow, who wants to keep reading about Ikea at IKANO Power Centre? I’m sure my article on Ikea Paris and The Netherlands are going to be as interesting if not more. Thus that will be posted soon. 🙂
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Finally!
After the submission and voting has ended and it is finally time to announce the winners of MMLs Home Maker Contest! Are you as curious as a cat to find out which submission won the heart of the judges? 🙂
Well, Â look no further as here they are!
The Winner of the Porch Makeover goes to Siew Gaik’s Mini Earthquake. Something mysterious must have happened since there are no earthquake in Malaysia but what the hell, I must say she deserves a makeover. If my porch is like this I’ll have daily anxiety attacks worrying that one day my car might just disappear 6 feet under if the cracks ever open up ala Armageddon! -_-
I was in Singapore earlier in May for a trip by Marina Bay Sands and was privileged to visit the Harry Potter Exhibition on the very first day of its opening followed by a behind the scenes tour of Gardens by the Bay.
