Arts & Crafts At Home: Cottage In The Vines

Frame Solid

Why Your Florida Home Should Be A Poured Solid Concrete Home

Most home buyers know that homes built of solid concrete are stronger than homes built of most other building materials. While that is a solid advantage of buying or building a concrete home, there are many other benefits to building with concrete, and especially steel reinforced, poured concrete, that the average Florida home buyer may not be aware of.

Aside from obtaining the safety, durability and security that only solid concrete can provide, concrete homes are also able to withstand hurricane and tornado force winds, are resistant to heat, fire, water damage, wood rot and insect infestation.

Maximum energy efficiency can be obtained in a solid concrete home; you can do your part to help the environment and reduce the strain on rapidly depleting natural resources simply by purchasing a solid concrete home.

Built strong for the concerned Florida home buyer

With very active hurricane seasons in 2004-2005, and yet another active season expected in 2006, it is not surprising that the majority of Florida residents and those seeking to re-locate to Florida have hurricanes at the forefront of their minds. It is smart and responsible to be concerned about and prepared for hurricanes. But this doesn’t mean that you have to avoid living in Florida in order to be safe from severe weather.

It’s no coincidence that solid, steel reinforced concrete is the most widely used building material for safe rooms and disaster shelters. If you build or purchase a home made with steel-reinforced concrete, you are greatly increasing the odds of your home withstanding a Category 4 hurricane like Katrina or Rita.

Recent tests conducted in simulated 250 mile per hour winds, with projectiles traveling at speeds of up to 100 miles per hour, showed that solid concrete homes were able to withstand these conditions and remain structurally intact.

Solid concrete construction offers water tight protection against leaks and mildew that are often a consequence of storm damage.

Fire safety

Solid, poured concrete homes are also resistant to heat and fire. This type of concrete will not burn, soften or bend. Solid, poured concrete walls are dense and joint free, which prevents the spread of fire. Concrete offers a huge advantage over wood framed homes in the event of a fire, as fire is not able to spread as quickly through a concrete home. This gives the concrete home owner valuable time to get themselves and their loved ones to safety should a fire break out.

A break for the environment and your wallet

Energy costs have spiked to unprecedented levels of late, and there is no relief in sight. A solid concrete home uses thermal mass and light reflectivity to maximize energy efficiency. By absorbing heat during the higher daytime temperatures and releasing the accumulated heat during the cooler evening hours, the concrete home will be less expensive to cool in the summer and heat in the winter. If you want a home that is environmentally friendly, then concrete is the building material for you!

If you are concerned about the environment, then poured concrete is the building material for you. Concrete is made from some of the most plentiful resources on this planet, and there are no toxic bi-products. The concrete industry also recycles and reclaims materials throughout the concrete manufacturing process.

Due to global demand for wood and a limited supply, wood prices for builders and home buyers are some of the highest ever. Using a material that is in high demand but has a slow renewal process also has a greater impact on the overall environment. Concrete solves this problem by using abundant and readily available materials!

Minimal waste generated by the construction of concrete homes also reduces the impact on area landfills.

Minimal maintenance costs

With a solid concrete home, the home owner never has to worry about wood rot. This is often a very expensive repair for wood framed home owners. Since concrete is an unappealing material to insects such as termites, concrete homes will not require expensive extermination treatments due to insect infestation.

Poured concrete: the beauty of strength

Since concrete can be poured into any shape, the design possibilities for your new Florida home are endless. Concrete can also be covered with your choice of beautiful exterior materials, including wood, stone, brick, siding and stucco. Interior walls and floors can be covered with all standard flooring and wall covering materials.

Energy efficient, environmentally friendly concrete construction makes for a sound investment in your future and your environment. Tough, resilient, well made, sturdy, hard wearing, durable concrete provides the safety, security and protection that home buyers are looking for.

About the Author

Our Concrete Florida Homes survive hurricanes – Tom Beaty a real estate broker and homebuilders in Palm Coast, Flagler and Volusia County. Visit:
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Seven Questions To Help You Find The Perfect Metal Photo Frame

With the huge selection of metal picture frames available, sometimes it can be difficult picking the one that’s right for you. To help you narrow down your choices here are seven questions you should ask before you start searching for your frame and some tips to help make it easier.

#1- Frame Budget: How much do I want to spend?
If you’re not sure how much you have to spend to get the type of metal frame you want here are some rough guidelines for different types of metal frames, based on a 4×6 size, that can help:

• Under $10 – basic aluminum frames, simple solid brass frames
• $10 and up – basic silver plated frames, decorative metal frames, steel frames.
• $30 and up – decorative silver plated frames
• $50 and up – decorative hand made solid pewter frames
• $100 and up – decorative solid sterling silver frames

#2- Keepsake frames: Do I want it to be a treasured keepsake?
If you’re looking for a high quality metal frame that will become a treasured keepsake, then there are basically three types of frames to consider: solid pewter frames, silver plated frames and sterling silver frames. These three types of frames are durable and made to last plus they have a distinct look of quality that sets them apart from other types of metal frames.

#3- Frame style: What style of frame do I want?
No matter what your style preference, there is a metal frame style to match. Here are a few examples of types of metal frames that have a distinct style. Just keep in mind that there is a huge variation in frame styles with different types of metal frames.

• Elegant:  Silver plated frames, sterling silver frames, metal decorative frames, and metal jeweled frames
• Casual:  Decorative metal frames or solid pewter frames.
• Professional:  Aluminum frames, silver plated frames or sterling silver frames
• Modern or Traditional style:  Almost any type of metal frame, including aluminum frames, steel frames, pewter frames, silver plate frames, sterling silver frames, fit into this style category.

#4- Color: What color of frame do I need?
Metal frames commonly come in various gold or silver tones depending upon the metal material. One thing to be aware of is that a “silver” frame could be made of pewter or aluminum and not necessarily made of sterling silver or silver plate. So, the wording “silver frame” is describing the color, not the material it is made from. This is true for pewter frames as well. Unless it states “solid pewter” it is describing the color of the frame and not the material from which the frame is made.

Metal picture frames also come in a wide variety of colors. You can find aluminum frames in colors like gold, silver, copper, blue and black or you can find metal frames with brightly colored enamel finishes or decorated with items like crystals or beads.

#5- Finish: What type of metal finish do I prefer?
The most common metal finishes are matte, shiny, brushed and antiqued. Unless the finish is specifically called brushed, antique or matte, it will normally be a shiny metal finish.

#6- Engraved Frame: Do I want a frame that can be engraved?
If you want to engrave a frame, always check to see if the frame is identified as an engraved (or an engravable) picture frame. This means that the frame is a solid material with the same color metal throughout the depth of the frame. It also means there is a smooth, flat surface for the engraving. Engraved frames are available as solid pewter frames, silver plated frames and sterling silver frames.

#7- Size: Is there a specific size of frame needed?
If you’re framing a standard sized picture, then a ready made frame is your best solution. Readymade frames are the easiest and most economical way to frame because there are so many standard sizes to choose from.

For a piece of artwork or non-standard picture size, you will probably need a custom metal frame. Your budget comes into play in this area also. You can either buy a custom frame and have it put together for you, or you can buy the size you need and assemble it yourself. Many metal frames are simple to put together by yourself, so this is a good option if you are handy at putting things together and you want to save some money.

Now that you’ve answered these seven questions, you should be able to quickly and easily choose the frame that is best for you.

About the Author

Autumn Lockwood is a writer for YourPictureFrames.com and loves shopping for picture frames. Your Picture Frames offers a large selection of picture frames in a wide variety of types and styles like our beautiful metal picture frames or solid wood picture frames. Shop online or call us at 1-800-780-0699.

Oak Finish Solid Birch Frame Bungalow Media Shelf $155.99 Elegance and functionality combine to give this solid wood bungalow media shelf a striking appearance. This oak veneer furniture will elegantly update your home or office decor. Media shelf unit is ideal for books, collectibles, keepsakes and more.

TG Solid Wood Frame Red Felt Dart Backboard $37.04 This TG Dart Backboard serves as a wall protector and is an economical addition to any dart set. Instead of a fully-enclosed cabinet, this is a simple backboard protects walls from off target throws and enhances the appearance of your game room.

Wood and Fabric Solid Frame 5.5-foot Room Divider (China) $129.99 Reliable mortise and tenon joints make this handmade decorative screen a long lasting, durable addition for your home decor. The room divider features a classic cotton fabric shade for added appeal.

Wood and Canvas Solid Frame 4-panel 5.5-foot Room Divider (China) $172.99 The simple, elemental style of this divider is complimented by a classic cotton fabric shade, allowing some light to pass through, while providing complete privacy. These divider panels are an easy way to partition any room in the house.

Scandanavia Queen-size Solid Wood Storage Drawer Platform Bed $335.99 This upscale Scandinavia platform bed with storage drawers features a versatile minimalistic design to complement any bedroom. This bed looks great against a wall or floating in a room.