Posts tagged ‘bathroom’
POWDERING THE POWDER ROOM
Half bathrooms can be a challenge for any homeowner, how to add style and organization along with functionality! Powder rooms typically will serve not only your family but also any guests that arrive to your home. With a few simple tips and ideas you can take your powder room from boring to amazing!
ORGANIZATION
A small space DEMANDS organization in order for it to function as the space it needs to be. Organization comes in many forms, but in the powder room one of the most under-utilized space is above the toilet. Use the vertical space for storage and you will be able to maintain organization in a small area. There are large variety of bathroom accessories such as towel racks, towel bars and rings, towel shelves and racks and even robe hooks that can make organization and functionality work in a powder room.
BE BOLD
This small space can handle a variety of colors and textures. Choose carefully but have fun. Wallpaper or dark colors tiles will go in small spaces. If you choose a patterned wall paper, ensure that the rest of the items in the bathroom are simple with clean lines. While the pattern will look fabulous, overwhelming this small space with too much character can happen quickly.
HARDWARE
Choose funky or sleek but this is an area where you can splurge and really bring some style and flash into the powder room. Since the only hardware you will be installing is on the sink like toilet paper, toothbrush holders, and soap dishes be creative! Using bold drawer knobs and handles can also be worked in your small powder room to give you more sylish effects.
LIGHTING
Instead of a boring flush overhead light, choose something daring. Flank the mirror with two lights or choose a small chandelier to add style. Lighting will make or break your space so take your time in this choice!
SPACE SAVING SINK AND FUN MIRROR
www,hgtv.com
One of the most important items in the powder room is going to be the sink and mirror. Choosing a sink that fits the space correctly is important. Storage space can also be found in the sink if you choose a vanity over a pedestal sink. A funky mirror can also really make the space unique and one of a kind. A pedestal sink will add the illusion of space due to the fact that it is not bulky like a full vanity. The mirror in this picture also adds some style and charm to the small space.
Powder rooms can add charm and uniqueness to your home with a few simple steps! Explore ideas and be bold in your choices, for a couple hundred of dollars your powder room can be completely revamped andreinvented to fit your individual style.
Celebrate Earth Day!
Earth Day has been celebrated since 1970 and has grown in popularity from an environmental movement that only hippies cared about to a global movement to save and clean up the Earth. Trees are planted, parks cleaned up, green is made “cool” for one specific day. Citizens of the world give up time and energy to help make the Earth a little more beautiful.
Globally the green movement is taking effect and at Plumbtile.com we are making an effort to offer products that are not only stylish and durable, but also green.
Hangrohe is a product that is offered at Plumbtile that not only offers green products but has also made green manufacturing plants to help the environment. Founded and based in Germany, the environmental standards for this company are extremely stringent. Earth Day is something that should be celebrated daily, what a better way than ensuring that products used in your home and office are manufactured green and help to reduce waste.
Want to find a cost efficient way to go green in your house? Install a Duravit low flow toilet 
to minimize the amount of water wasted when using the bathroom. In the 1980s, Duravit had already harmonized the geometry of the body of the toilet with the flushing volume and reduced the amount of water consumed by its toilets to six liters as opposed to the nine or more liters that were standard at the time. Thanks to ongoing research and development, Duravit is today able to offer toilets that flush hygienically using just six, four and a half or even less water (see Dual Flush). At international level, Duravit offers toilets that also flush efficiently with a low flushing volume and that carry the “EPA WaterSense High Efficiency Flushing” label.
Who says that luxury and green can’t go together?? Graff products are not only ergonomically efficient but bring luxury and class to your home. Choosing green products does not mean giving up style. Style can be found and used in the best ways, by saving the Earth and meeting all of your design standards!
American Standard is another great company really thinking about the environment. Save money and more than 33,000 gallons a year simply by installing water efficient American Standard toilets, showers and faucets. American Standard is a proud recipient of the WaterSense® Partner of the Year Award for 2012 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Their commitment is to pioneer water-saving solutions and educating people across the country about protecting the earth’s water source. American Standard WaterSense certified products offers water savings of 20 percent or more. You can conserve water without sacrificing style or performance.
Celebrate this Earth Day by doing something great for the Environment. Chose a product that will help to bring style to your home and reduce waste in the process. Visit Plumbtile and shop for your favorite green products.
How to install A Tile Backsplash
For a homeowner, there is nothing more satisfying then to walk in to a room, and see a beautiful finished home improvement project. A project, that you, the homeowner, completed yourself.
Fed up with looking at that same old tired paint on the wall? Want something beautiful; elegant that’s also easy to clean? Install a tile backsplash, a backsplash that makes your kitchen or bathroom look fresh and new.
Plumbtile.com: Interstyle Arctiglass Glass Tile
Follow these simple steps to achieve the desired effects, without paying a professional to do it.
If your countertop is tiled, plan the layout so the backsplash grout veins line up with the countertop grout veins. If you don’t have a tiled countertop, start the first tile in the center of the base of the backsplash.
Step 1
Turn off the power to electrical outlets in the area where you’re working. Remove electrical outlet covers.
Step 2
Clean the area with warm water and allow to dry.
Step 3
Apply the manufacturer’s recommended adhesive with a notched trowel. Hold the trowel at a 45-degree angle and spread a very thin layer. Work in small 3-foot-by-3-foot areas to prevent the adhesive from drying out.
Step 4
Lay the first tile in the center at the base of the backsplash. Position the tile using a slight twisting motion. Use a level to make sure the tile is square. Place a spacer on each corner of the first tile. Cut one end of the spacers off in order to fit them between the countertop and the bottom of the tile. Push the spacers into the adhesive.
Step 5
Working out from the first tile, continue laying the tiles in a row, flush to the spacers. Wipe off any excess adhesive that oozes up between the tiles. Leave enough space to fill in with grout. Occasionally check to make sure the tiles are level. After one row is complete, begin with the next row and follow the same pattern. Apply adhesive as needed.
Step 6
If you need to cut tiles, score the tiles with a tile cutter. Don’t score the area of the tiles that will show. Use tile nippers or a saw to cut away the area carefully.
Step 7
When you place the tiles around an outlet, be sure the outlet cover hides the tile edges. Continue tiling as usual.
Step 8
When you’ve laid all the tiles, wipe off any excess adhesive with a damp cloth. Use a rounded stick to clean between the tiles.
Step 9
Allow the adhesive to set according to the manufacturer’s instructions. After the adhesive sets, remove the spacers.
Step 10
Mix the grout according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Since grout may irritate eyes and skin, wear safety goggles and latex gloves. Apply the grout using a rubber float. Spread the grout diagonally at a 45-degree angle across the tiles, packing the grout between the tiles. Wipe off the excess grout with a damp sponge when the grout becomes firm.
Step 11
Shape the grout joints using a rounded stick. Clean the tiles again and smooth the joints with a damp sponge.
Step 12
After the grout dries and a haze forms, wipe off the tiles and shine them with a clean cloth.
Step 13
Replace the electrical outlets and switches. You’ll need longer screws to replace the outlet covers. Use 1-1/4-inch to 1-5/8-inch screws with plastic washers behind the outlet to bring the outlet flush with the tile.
***If you have to cut tile, mark the proposed cut on the glazed side of the tile corners. Don’t mark on the clay side. The ink can be absorbed and bleed through to the other side.
Follow these tips for installing tile countertops or backsplash and your kitchen or bathroom will have a whole new look and appeal!
Plumbtile.com: Tile Showcase
Turn Your Outdated Bathroom To Green!
With a few easy steps and updates, you can turn your old and outdated bathroom into a new and environmentally green one. There are many ideas and products you can add to your bathroom to make it an Eco-Friendly part of your home. In return, you will dramatically reduce water, reduce the chance of mold and mildew, and do your part in preserving our environment.
Toilet: Using a two level flush systems can assist with reducing water wastage. The dual flush uses one for liquid waste, by using less than a gallon, and one for the solid waste. By 
installing and using a high efficiency toilet, you can save you an average of $100 a year, which is about $2000 over the lifetime of the toilet. Some city municipalities offer incentives to home owners who purchase high efficiency toilets. They can range anywhere from $25 to $175. By changing your water- devouring toilet to a high efficiency toilet, it can save you money and reduce the usage of water for the environment.
Showerheads: With constant droughts, reducing water is a must. A typical shower consumes up to 25 gallons of water, while each household uses an average of 100 gallons of water a day total. By changing your showerhead to a low-flow fixture, you will reduce the amount of water you use, but not the pressure. Low flow showerheads offer many unique features such as flow adjusting dials and pause buttons.
Faucets: Federal law requires new faucets not to exceed 2.2 gallons per minute (gpm). However, older faucets can flow at rates as high as 3 to 7 gpm. Changing your outdated faucets to a better performing, and water-efficient fixtures will help you save water, energy, 
and money while still receiving an adequate flow. By simply trading in your old faucets for a new energy preforming faucet, an average household can reduce its water consumption by 500 gallons each year. Using of sensor faucets are a great way for reducing water consumption in your household. This “hands-free” technology acts as a sensor to start the flow of water automatically and with ease. The sensors’ detects your presence, and robotically shuts off within seconds once you remove your hands.
Tiles: Go green with your tiles. You can choose earthy cork, clean ceramic, or recycled glass tiles for your bathroom floor and walls. The use of heavy-duty marble for your baseboard will give your bathroom a sturdy but eco-friendly finish. When sealing your tiles be sure to use nontoxic grout and grout sealer.
Ventilation: Restoring the bathroom’s ventilation can hinder mold and mildew development. Start with installing a noiseless fan that is fitting for your bathroom size, and vent it to the outside. Consider more than one fan if the bathroom is large. Most updated bathroom fans have timers or humidity-sensing switches to guarantee that the fan runs long enough after a bath or shower.
Water Heaters: If a water heater needs substituting, pick a high-efficiency type and consider a tankless heater or a hot-water circulation option if the main water heater is not directly near your bathroom.
The fundamentals of turning your bathroom eco-friendly managing water flow and choosing long-lasting materials that are made to handle the wear and tear of a moist and highly usable area. In return, you will be doing your share in improving our environment while keeping some cash in your pocket.
Go Green: Tropical, Coconut Mosaic Tiles
Let us introduce a very tropical product tile. It gives your home a feeling of warmth, natural, elegance, stylish and yet very GREEN. Mainly used in the commercial industry it is now making a breakthrough into the residential industry as more and more people want to make their home Eco-friendly with the warm, style of coconut mosaic tiles.
Coconut mosaic tiles give you a more responsible choice in decorating walls, ceilings and floors while at the same time helping a greener environment by making use of otherwise wasted coconut-shell materials. The coconut tiles will make any room in the home or business more sound proof also. The natural coconut material will buffer sound so that the high traffic rooms of a bathroom and kitchen are much quieter. The tiles are affordable also. These tiles are not out of reach for the residential consumer.
Coconut mosaic tiles are made of coconut-shell chips. Our coconut chips are cut from natural coconut shells which are abundant and found in many parts of Indonesia. By using coconut shell as tiles, we also could occupy at least 40 workers for the whole month. Now, coconut mosaic tiles gives the answer for environment issue and fighting for the world’s poverty. We design and create the tiles which are ready to use and very easy to apply.
Five Elements is distributor that we work with here at Plumbtile. If you would like more information you can view the coconut mosaic as well as other natural products they carry here. Call for our Extreme Savings at 866-758-6284 and speak to one of our sales consultants.
How-To Series: March Ado About Toilets
Since the start of the year we’ve been promoting remodeling every Thursdays, as well as our photo contest on Facebook. By the way, if you haven’t uploaded your bathroom or kitchen remodeling photos yet – go to Plumbtile’s Facebook page and look for the Photo Contest tab. You can also click this link: http://a.pgtb.me/4pnqmH to go straight to the contest! You can read the instructions there on how to win $1000 worth of bath and kitchen products.
The response to the Remodeling series has been positive and more and more readers have been asking about how to do specific remodeling stuff. We have decided to relaunch the Remodel Thursday series and focus on specific areas of remodeling.
This March, Plumbtile will be teaching you…
Today’s “how-to” is a back-to-back post about how to (1) install or replace a toilet bowl and its (2) proper maintenance. At Plumbtile, we have several brands that are easy to install- and with the help of our dependable sales consultants, you will be able to choose one that suits your style, budget and needs.
HOW TO INSTALL OR REPLACE THE TOILET
- The toilet flange (or the mounting base) must be prepared first before starting this project. Depending on your bowl’s manufacturer, you need to align bolts (usually two) in the holes on the sides of the flange. Position these bolts directly across from each other. Follow the manufacturer’s instruction manual that come with your toilet bowl. Modern styles have different ways of mounting the flange.
- Then arrange the new toilet into place by placing a wax ring or gasket around the edge of the drain hole. Place the toilet on top of the wax ring, placing the bolts in the holes on the side of the toilet. Slowly press down until the toilet is seated flush with the floor.
- To install the new toilet, slide the washers over the bolts and tighten the nuts until snug. Do not over tighten or you can crack the ceramic. Apply the rubber gasket to the bottom of the tank. Set the bolts in the holes on the tank and set the tank on the back of the toilet bowl. Add washers and nuts to the bolts and tighten. Bolt the new toilet lid to the bowl with the bolts, washers and nuts.
- Connect the water line from the floor to the tank. Turn on the water and make sure there are no leaks.
- You can adjust the new toilet hardware by sawing off the extra length of the bolts protruding from the floor using a small hacksaw. Clip the plastic bolt caps into place. You may want to caulk the base of the bowl to create waterproof seal.Stuck? Read the full instructions here.
Click here for Part 2 – Maintaining your Toilet: Cleaning
Toilets, bidets, urinals, handles, levers and more. Plumbtile.com carries the fullest array of toilets, bidets and accessories for both home and commerical needs.
Our Bath and Home Improvement Showroom features toilet and bidet products from brand name manufacturers, Cifial, Danze, Duravit, Hastings, Herbeau, Kohler, Lacava, Porcher, Sterling, Sunrise and Toto.
With exceptional service, free shipping and guaranteed price matching, Plumbtile.com can make your home improvement or commercial building experience simpler and far less expensive. From the home renovation project to the commercial construction industry, no order is too small or too large.
Please feel free to call our sales
associates at any time or browse through the brands listed below:
1-866-758-6284
Green Mondays: New Eco-friendly Materials
At Plumbtile, we like to research about the newest trends and news about green living and design. It is our advocacy to spread awareness about using sustainable, recyclable, and eco-friendly materials for the home.
ThisOldHouse came up with a list of new interior materials that are on trend and in the market. Here are some of them:
LEATHER TILES
Even luxurious leather gets thrown away; scraps from furniture, shoe, car seat, and other tanneries eventually make their way to landfills.
The naturally sound-absorbent tiles install like cork or vinyl (preglued tiles are available). For care and upkeep of floor tiles, use a damp mop to clean them; wax them three times a year, or use a topical sealer once every five to 10 years. Wall tiles do not need wax or additional maintenance.
BIO-GLASS
This luminescent material is 100% post-consumer recycled glass that’s heated and compressed to create solid-surfacing slabs. It contains no binders, colorants, fillers, or other admixtures, and has no off-gassing.
Sample shows slight markings from the bottom of a recycled beverage bottle. To enhance the upgrade, lighter colors can be underlit to make agglomeration markings stand out in dramatic fashion.
To find out more about going green and the use of renewable sources and materials, go to http://www.plumbtile.com/go-green.html or call 1-866-758-6284.
The National Kitchen & Bath Association’s Trend Study
Looking to find out what’s hot and what’s not in the world of kitchen and bathroom design? If you are still in the planning stages of your remodel, you might want to check the latest National Kitchen & Bath Association’s trend study: 300 member designers were polled for the latest trends and news about bath and kitchen designs and remodels and below are the results.
Curious to see what’s HOT this season?
GRAY COLOR SCHEMES – that’s right, shades of gray are growing in appeal for both the kitchen and bathroom, and been growing in popularity since 2010.
“Among the overall trends identified for this year, gray color schemes in both kitchens and baths have witnessed a dramatic escalation since 2010, particularly over the past year, according to a written statement about the study. “Used currently in 55 percent of kitchens and 56 percent of bathrooms, shades of gray are growing in appeal, creating chic, sophisticated spaces that many consumers desire.”
The appetite for sleek shades of gray in kitchens and baths might be linked to the colors popularity in fashion over the last few years. NKBA stopped short of linking the color’s popularity to the steamy best-seller “Fifty Shades of Grey” by E.L. James.
Despite gray’s recent appeal, white and off-white are still most popular, used in 73 percent of kitchens and 71 percent bathrooms. The neutrals of beige and bone come next in popularity, followed by grays and browns, according to NKBA.
View full article.
QUARTZ – second most popular counter-surface material used in kitchens and baths last year, and is closely gaining popularity to granite on the top spot.
WHITE CABINETS – this is a popular trend for kitchens, it has been a top choice since last year.
GLASS BACKSPLASH – this trend has grown in popularity in the last 3 years, it’s no surprise.
TOUCH-ACTIVATED FAUCETS – at Plumbtile you will find many of these trendy faucets, we love them!
For the complete trends for the bath and kitchen, you can view the full list here. Call 1-866-758-6284 and ask your friendly Plumbtile consultant about the latest trends, they’re always ready to help!
Happy Weekend!
We at Plumbtile are thankful to our friends and all our loyal customers online. We have extended our Photo Contest promo to give everyone the chance to participate and win. The promo is now extended up to April 15, 2013.
If you haven’t heard about the contest yet, you will be pleased to hear that we are giving out $1000 worth of kitchen and bathroom products!
The rules are very simple. You just have to go to our Facebook fan page and upload a remodeling photo (past or present), and you will get the chance to win.
Tell all you friends! Share this article and spread the word!
Again, thank you from all of us at Plumbtile!
New Year, New Remodeling Projects!
Looking to remodel your bathroom this year?
If so, here are 5 simple tips to help you to have a successful remodeling project.
- Remodel the bathroom, not the plumbing – Work with the design of your current bathroom. Moving the plumbing gets into hours of labor and high costs. It can also cause damage and leaks.
- Keep the window open – Good ventilation during demolition is very important. Wear a mask, keep the window open and even put a fan in the window blowing the dusty air to the outside if possible.
- Same Color Fixtures – Keep the sink, tub and toilet all the same color. The uniformed look will help you to decorate around it. Also keep the handles, towel rack and faucets all the same finish.
- Painting – Use High Gloss or Semi Gloss, acrylic, water based paint. Do not use Flat or Satin finish. Only use Oil Base if you are familiar with applying it because it can be difficult to work with.
- Education – Find a good, licensed contractor. Look at their work, ask for references, etc. If you are going to do the work yourself then take the time to read a book or watch a video. That little bit of education can go a long way in saving you time and money.
Plumbtile is RELAUNCHING the Photo Contest.
WIN $1000.00 worth of products!
Here are the rules:
- Take a photo of your recent project and submit it to us.
- Then get all your friends to “Like” your remodeling photo.
- The photo with the most likes will win $1,000 worth of bath and kitchen products.
For more information visit Plumbtile’s Facebook page.
