SOUTH AFRICAN BURNT BRICKS IN Nigeria
The South African bricks does not require any form of polishing to gloss it or any superficial sealant as the brick material has attractive sheen on its own without adding any extra polish on it.
South African brick tiles are veneer burnt bricks made from the fry ash technology of brick manufacturing, then sliced into thin brick tiles and thereafter fired in large hot kilns or ovens. Many builders and home owners in Nigeria make use of the South African brick tiles for both interior and exterior wall decorations where the bricks are cladded on the wall with adhesive mortars to give buildings aesthetic look and feel. Each piece of South African brick tile measures 220mm in length by 70mm in width with a thickness of about 9mm.
South African bricks are sometimes referred to as burnt bricks, burnt red bricks or fired bricks here in Nigeria. This is because of it's burnt feel and appearance. The final colors of the south African bricks depend on the type of iron pigment additive added to the fly ash mixture during the bricks manufacturing process. The colors of South African bricks in Nigeria include Shiraz which is very dark coffee brown, merlot which is also dark brown, duet, burnt jasper, ivory, satin and the rest are all lighter shades of south African bricks.
Many builders buy South African bricks in Nigeria usually because of the natural burnt feel it comes with and the resultant aesthetic look it yields on the building wall. This does not mean that using south African bricks is an automatic transfer of aesthetics on any building it is used on. You need to plan out the portions of the building where to lay the south African bricks for best effects.
PRICE OF SOUTH AFRICAN BRICKS IN NIGERIA
The price of South African bricks ranges from N6,200 per carton to N6,500 per carton where one carton gives one square meter of bricks when installed with a consistent gap of 12mm in between the bricks and each carton contains 50 to 52 pieces of individual brick tiles depending on how the company packages it from South African. The price of south African bricks given above does not include installation or transportation costs to your building site, brick installers in Lagos usually charge between N900 to N1,000 per square meter for brick installations or brick laying within Lagos per square meter.
Office trees
Trees not only provide beautiful imagery and fond memories, they also enable the momentary escape for building inhabitants who spend most of their waking lives indoors, shut off from nature. Trees are synonymous with life and belong in the workplace as much as laptops and desks. Studies have shown that by having abundant plant life in the office, employees are more productive and less stressed.
It is hard to envision a more soothing and impressive sight than a three-story tree next to a winding staircase in a corporate lobby. The impact is immediate. In the workplace, office trees offer needed color and life to an otherwise dull expanse of wasted space. They evoke joyful memories of yesteryear and all the wonders of nature. There are a wonderful variety of tree species that will thrive indoors.
- Ficus trees such as a weeping fig or the Indian rubber plant, are but two of more than 800 species of ficus. They are tropical trees that are durable and thrive indoors with minimal TLC. They are excellent natural filters of indoor pollutants and are simultaneously easy on the eyes as well as the lungs.
- Large Palm Trees like the Mediterranean Fan Palm can reach a height of 15 feet. It’s a compact clump forming palm that is as aesthetically pleasing and rugged enough for indoor planting or as a potted gem.
- Bamboo Trees can grow to a height of 16 to 20 feet and are ideal for indoors as they are resistant to dry environments as long as proper care is taken. they favor shade and their leaves vary from gray and green to cream and green. Bamboo trees provide cover and privacy particularly in shopping malls and other indoor places where people tend to gather.
The benefits of indoor trees
Trees in the office remove indoor pollution naturally. Plant life can also lower heating and cooling costs. Trees moderate the climate while improving air quality. Leaves filter the air that we breathe by removing dust and other particulates, while giving off oxygen. An EPA study in Chicago showed that the 23.2% of canopy cover in the Lincoln Park neighborhood annually filters 43.9 tons of particulate matter, 14 tons of carbon dioxide and 12.4 tons of nitrogen oxides, leading to an estimated pollution abatement of $625,000 per year.
Trees and plants in the office are used to reduce background noise. Research has shown that plants can also reduce background noise levels by up to 5 decibels. Through absorption, diffraction and reflection of background noise, trees and other plants in the office create a more comfortable and quiet work environment. Greenery placed in the corners and along the edges is the best way to maximize noise absorption.
The numerous benefits of office trees and other indoor trees include complimenting other features of a building, cleaning the air of toxins, reducing noise, providing a soothing effect to occupants while increasing the value of the property and ROI (Return On Interior).
Living in a thatched House
Advantages of living in a thatched House
Most thatched homes tend to be very old and this often means that they have large gardens and are built in excellent locations. The reason for this is that, due to their age, there were many good places to choose to build such properties. Often thatched properties are found near to a natural water supply and are on sheltered, slightly sloping land which gives good drainage and, thus, reduces problems with damp.
The thick straw or reed roofing provides excellent natural soundproofing from overhead aircraft as well as road traffic nearby. Likewise, it gives great insulation meaning that the thatched home remains cool in summer but warm in winter, helping to keep fuel costs low. The smaller windows that are normally to be found on such a property also contribute towards this insulating effect.
Due to their age, thatched houses usually have very thick, solid walls which are advantageous over modern cavity filled walls. In summer the heat from the outside travels very slowly to the inside ensuring that the temperature within remains cool.
The weatherproof thatch on the roof can withstand very strong, even gale force, winds and is very rarely prone to leaking. Leaks are usually caused by one of the wooden spars that are used in the ridge becoming broken and sometimes, after a spell of dry, warm weather the thatch may open slightly and then leak when it rains, however this is self-healing as the thatch will close again naturally.
Disadvantages of living in a thatched House
Due to their age and sometimes remote locations, not all thatched properties will be connected to a mains water or sewerage supply. Instead, water may be drawn from a nearby private or shared well, and either a cesspit or septic tank may be used for sewerage. Cesspits need frequent emptying, therefore a septic tank is preferable as they do not require as much attention as long as they are well below the ground level of the house and have good draining soil surrounding them. Also as a consequence of their remote location, thatched homes may not have any nearby street lighting and it may be necessary to install outside lights on the property.
Due to the old, solid walls and base and the lack of any damp proofing in such properties, the interior walls may suffer from damp caused by moisture rising from ground level.
In wet weather rain tends to cascade down the roof and falls in a constant stream around the entire perimeter of the house (it is unusual to find guttering on a thatched house) which continues for a time even after the rain has ceased. The rain splashing on to the ground can be the cause of mud spots forming on the exterior of the house and may cause green mould growth too. However, this is easily remedied by cleaning with a bleach solution.
The materials used in the thatch mean that the roof is at threat of attacks by birds that are nesting or are looking for insects. Holes may appear in the thatch and should be repaired as soon as possible as, left unrepaired, the birds will concentrate on these areas and the holes will become much larger. Most bird damage to roofs tends to be under the eaves or at the junction of the chimney and the roof. Some roofs have wire netting in these places to prevent this occurring, whilst others are completely covered by wire netting. Unfortunately, roofs that are totally covered by wire netting are often subject to higher insurance premiums as there will be the added difficulty of pulling the wire netting off in the event of a fire. This will delay the fire from being extinguished and result in more widespread fire damage.
Although thatched properties are no more likely to catch fire than regular homes, when a fire does break out the damage will be much more significant as fire spreads more rapidly in thatch. For this reason, insurance premiums will be higher. However as mentioned earlier, if you ask us at Highhouse insurance to quote for your thatched property , we will do our best to save you money.
It can be seen that whilst there are disadvantages of living in a thatched house, these are relatively minor and the advantages of living in such a charming and unique home may outweigh them.
Brick wallpaper the new water
Adding brick wallpaper is the best interior design you can do to your house. You can add the wallpaper to all the four walls of your room or have one feature wall, which will have the different brick wallpaper designs. Brick wall wallpaper has been properly developed to become an authentic charm, which is now been witnessed in inner-city apartments and also rural cottages. This is so because brick style wallpaper complements both modern and traditional furniture perfectly. Due to this, brick wallpaper is the ideal choice when looking for an interior design guaranteed to be the talking point amongst your guests.