4K Constructions Builders Talk

News just in that the government are giving out 6 Million pounds worth of funds to help builders improve their environmental performance and also improve the structures they are working on. It’s thought that the money and scheme  will run over the next three years and it is targeted toward small North west construction  companies from the UK.

The plan here really is to help builders go ‘greener’ by way of utilizing better materials in their buildings and w asting fewer materials. A series of workshops will show builders methods to use less concrete in buildings and how to get peak performance out of insulation materials etc.

Watch this space for the link to participate in the scheme.

We thought we would write a little info on adding a picture rail to your property. Many older properties still have the original picture rails in place, but some sadly have had them removed for whatever reason over the course of time. Well maybe it’s time to add a little more character to your home!

A great deal of people still think that picture rail is just added to a room as a decorative feature but in actual fact, there was actually a reason for why picture rail was originally added to rooms. Picture rail is a traditional way to avoid putting holes in old walls and allows pictures to lay flat or pitch out from the wall depending on taste. It is a molding that was used above head height to hang pictures and the rail would be located around the entire perimeter of the room, for hanging of your artworks. We can also say that picture rail is the architecturally authentic way to terminate a cove ceiling; it provides a termination line for the ceiling color.

Remodeling

If you live in a home that you would like to add a picture rail to that doesn’t already have one the you may want to carry out some remodeling and add a little character to your home. There may also be people who want to put back some features that may have been removed at some point over the years.You can either carry out the remodeling work yourself or get a contractor in to do it. Remodeling estimates can be done a number of ways depending on the size of your project and your preference. It is never easy and if you have ever talked with someone that is in the midst of a remodeling project, you will understand what I’m talking about. Many people may start a project but then say “Really and truly, I’ve decided it’s just not worth my time, aggravation and mess to do it myself, when a pro can get it done in a fraction of the time and make it look fantastic”. Just decide what is best for you and your circumstances.

Fitting

You will normally align the picture rail at the height of the top of the door frame. This looks great when run around the room and makes a great ‘freeze’ point to stop the paint at. With the walls painted another colour, it really make the ceiling stand out proud and looks every bit grand. Picture rail particularly looks grand in homes with larger ceilings. Paint the picture rail the same as the ceiling. The easiest way to fit the picture rail is to firstly set out a level datum line where you want to place the picture rail and then screw the picture rail to the wall with plugs. Countersink these and fill with filler afterwards. To ensure you keep the picture rail level all around the room, snap a chalk line to work  to.

Materials

You can get picture rail in plastic or wood but wood tends to be a bit cheaper than the plastic polymer type. Most hardware store keep it in stock and it is readily available to buy. Just measure up your room and order the stock accordingly, allowing for wastage and cuts etc. Invest in a mitre block to ensure you get your angled cuts nice and clean, particularly the external angles around bays or chimney breasts. Scribe the internals for the best fit.

Adding a picture rail to your home will greatly enhance the look of your property and give you a great new place to hang those cherished pictures.

If you have a ceiling that is showing signs of wear and tear or the plaster is damaged and coming away then it simply may be time to begin replacing it. It is not just older houses that need ceilings replaced but also more modern properties as well, as even newer premises can be affected due to damage from leaks etc.

The first thing you ought to do is really check the condition of the existing ceiling. If your opportune and the ceiling is just suffering from ‘crazing’ or light cracks, you may be able to plaster over it to get the finish you require. Should the plaster be coming off though, then stripping it down and plaster boarding it may be the way to go.

We will assume in this article that your ceiling is totally unsalvageable and needs to be wholly replaced with new plasterboard to get it back to the nice flat and smooth surface that it may have once been.

Ripping Off The Old Plaster Ceiling

Before you even think of starting to take down the old ceiling you will need to be applicable prepared. The whole area should be sheeted up with dust sheets, windows should be opened for fresh air and your ought to wear a dust mask and other safety wear such as hard hat and protective footwear.

Taking down the old ceiling is fairly straight forward but you will want to do this safely. Invest in trestle and boards and make a safe working platform to work off. The old plaster can be removed with a hammer and bolster and you should also remove the old timber laths. Pull out  any remaining tacks so the joist are ready to receive the plasterboard. Take care with existing coving or cornice.

Cutting and Fixing The New Plasterboard

There are 2 main sizes of plasterboard which are 6×3 or 8×4 and they come in different thickness which are 9.5 mm and 12.5 mm. Before fitting the plasterboard you should hire or acquire adjustable props that you use to hold the plasterboards in place while you screw or nail them.

Before trying to fit the new plasterboards, make sure the site is clear from all debris and that you have de-nailed the timber studs. You will want to offer up the plasterboard to the timber studs and fit in a staggered fashion. Inevitably you will need to make cuts and these cuts ought to be done with a sharp blade. The plasterboard is scored, bended back along the score line so that it snaps and then the remaining paper holding it is cut with the knife leaving a nice crisp cut. Use a straight edge or rule to keep your line straight. The plasterboards ends should rest on the centre of a timber joist and then screwed up firmly with drywall screws. A 150 mm gap between screws is common.

So we did it! Our ceiling is very nearly complete but we don’t want to be looking at some staggered pieces of plasterboard every time we look up at the ceiling.May be appealing to some but I’d much rather prefer a nice plastered finish. That I’m afraid though is a job for a professional plasterer and they’re are many about who will do the job quickly for you with a perfect finish. Don’t try to finish the ceiling yourself at this stage. Get a pro in, have it plastered and then get your roller and brush out to put the paint on.

What Is Civil Engineering?

Quite simply, civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that focuses on the design, construction and upkeep of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like bridges, roads, canals, dams and building structures. Civil engineering is the application of congenital and scientific principles, and its history is intricately linked to advances in the acclamation of physics and mathematics throughout history. We can go further into saying that it is the act of destroying nature to create man-made structures.

Civil engineering is a multidisciplinary profession, incorporating a number of scientific and engineering disciplines across three broad categories. We can say that it is prerequisite to human health and welfare, and provides many of the essential facilities we rely on to live a civilised life.

As one of the oldest branches of engineering, its history stretches back to the earliest civilisations, and its modern professional development trail-blazing in the nineteenth century through the activities of men like Brunel and Telford, together with Edinburgh-educated innovators like Stevenson, Rankine and Maxwell. Civil Engineering is an increasingly challenging and satisfying career with opportunities as planners, designers, contractors, construction managers, researchers.

Construction

Construction surveying is generally performed by specialised technicians and surveyors who perform the following tasks:

Survey existing conditions of the future work site, including topography, existing buildings and infrastructure, and even including underground infrastructure whenever possible;

Construction surveying (otherwise “lay-out” or “setting-out”): to stake out reference points and markers that will guide the construction of new structures such as roads or buildings for subsequent construction;Verify the location of structures during construction;

As-Built surveying: a survey conducted at the end of the construction job to verify that the work authorized was completed to the specifications set on plans.

Design

Design considerations will include strength, stiffness, and stability of the structure when subjected to loads which may be static, such as furniture or self-weight, or dynamic, such as wind, seismic, crowd or vehicle loads, or transitory, such as temporary construction loads or impact. Design & Engineering Services Design is also the activity of designing and constructing buildings and other physical structures by a person or a computer, primarily to provide shelter.

Civil Engineering is an increasingly challenging and satisfying career with opportunities as planners, designers, contractors, construction managers, researchers. It is one of the most varied jobs with so many areas that can be specialised in, and it can take you all over the world and is arguably, of all the engineering professions, the one which has had the most valuable impact on society.