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In today’s wall bed market there are a number of wood materials that wall beds are constructed out of. Four of the main materials used in constructing a wall bed are Particle Board, MDF Board, Ply Wood, and Solid Wood. Each material has unique qualities that lend themselves to the operation and structure of your wall bed. Each material type is outlined below to give you a better understanding of why it is used, what it is best used for, and what to look for when choosing your perfect wall bed.

Particle Board

Particle Board is an engineered material used primarily for exterior furniture surfaces. It is composed of highly compressed wood pieces, or particles, which gives the material its name. In wall beds, particle board’s chief use is for exterior surfaces, because its guarantees a smooth surface and is less likely to warp or crack over time. Particle board strength is measured by its PSI, which gauges the compression of the particles together, and therefore the overall quality and strength of the board as a whole. A cheaper product will be composed of cheaper particles, and therefore have a lower PSI. Industrial strength particle board is much stronger, and has a much higher PSI rating. One thing to note is that particle board may contain amounts of formaldehyde, and it is important to be aware of this when furniture will be used in nurseries, or other highly sensitive spaces. Newer age particle board does not utilize formaldehyde in its construction so be sure to ask when purchasing a wall bed that has particle board components.

MDF

MDF is a material similar to particle board and has the same usage as an exterior surface wood since it results in a smoother surface and is less likely to warp and crack. MDF, however, is a much more refined product than particle board. It is also composed of wood particles, but they are much, much smaller than those that particle board is comprised of. Because of this, MDF has a slightly smoother texture than particle board. Consequently, this decrease in particle size makes MDF a much heavier product than particle board. This increases its structural use, but also makes your wall bed much heavier, which can be a hindrance when installing or moving your wall bed.

Plywood

Plywood is a material that is generally stronger as a structural material than particle board or MDF. Plywood is constructed of several thin layers of wood, and can also be called layered board. The wood used to create the layers in plywood is generally B grade wood, which individually would not be strong enough for use, but when layered together creates a much stronger material. Use of plywood minimizes the chances of warping, which makes it desirable for exterior surfaces of a wall bed, as well as interior. Be cautious when selecting a wall bed that utilizes plywood as a main structural component, however, as knots in the wood layers can create instability. If one layer of the ply wood has a knot, it creates a point of weakness that can be transferred throughout the wood.

Solid Wood

Solid Wood is the material that is most used in wall beds for structural composition. This is the strongest material available, and is consequently the material used most often for the most important part of the wall bed: the structure. Solid wood is generally not used as an exterior material for several reasons. Solid wood can naturally warp, leading to visual imperfections which decrease the overall appearance and structural performance of your wall bed. It is also … Read the rest

It is an age old question.It has kept many a man up at night,pencil in hand,scribbling figures and measurements endlessly on ream after ream of paper.Still it perplexes even the most astute scholar of mathematics:How many lights should I put on my tree?When decorating indoor and outdoor trees for the holiday season,just how many lights should be used?The Christmas Light Source has found a solution to the problem.No more sleepless nights,no more endless formulas to compute.No,all you have to do is visit their website to see the Christmas Lights Calculator and answer a couple of questions to find out pretty much instantly how many lights you should put on your tree.
While not everyone decorates their tree the same way,this tool is a good place to start.Individual taste usually dictates how many lights a tree should have.What is simple to one person may be extravagant to another.There are not hard fast rules,but there are some standards that can work as guidelines for designing the perfect tree.The tool calculates the size of the tree and the type of lights that the person intends to use.It then recommends how many lights should be used,but they can do more or less,depending on personal taste.The calculator is intended for trees that have kept their leaves.In the case of a tree that has lost its leaves,Christmas Light Source recommends using up to half of that number of lights.For indoor trees,they suggest adding 30% to the highest recommended amount of lights if you like your Christmas tree lighting to be over the top.It should also be noted that the tool is trees.
“We had so many people calling in asking for advice,”says Shellie Gardner,co-owner of Christmas Light Source.”So we thought we’d create this tool to give them an easy way to see what changing the sets of lights would do for the quantity that would be required.”And it is certainly doing its job.Along with pithy but fun comments returned to users,the little tool keeps with the lightheartedness and humor that is prevalent throughout the Christmas Light Source website.They have managed to solve yet another holiday dilemma with a creative,effective,user friendly tool.Now,if they could only solve the fruitcake issue…

Christmas Light Source is a one stop shopping source for Christmas lighting needs.From hardware to lights and everything in between,Christmas Light Source has everything for holiday lighting decor as well as tips,tricks and do it yourself projects.For more information,visit their website at christmas-light-source.com.… Read the rest

Christmas is an extremely busy time of year. By the time you get you shopping done, gifts wrapped and your cookies and cakes baked, it’s likely you don’t have the energy left to put into extravagant decorating. Although less than energetic, you still want your home decorated for Christmas. After all, Christmas is just not the same without lights and decorations.

Decorating your home for Christmas doesn’t have to be stressful. There are many things you can do and items you can use to dress up your home for this wonderful season. One suggestion when decorating your home for Christmas is using ribbon. If you have a decorating theme for Christmas, regarding color, choose ribbon to correspond with your theme. You can tie ribbons to all sorts of items in your home such as chair backs, wreathes, basket handles, stair railings and even doorknobs. Ribbons and bows are very festive. A good idea is to choose ribbon which can be easily untied and retied. This way you can reuse the ribbon another Christmas season.

Using holiday tableware is nice when decorating your home for Christmas. Search your home for anything Christmas, plates, bowls, mugs, glasses, any piece of tableware that has a Christmas theme. Make sure to use these items each and every meal, every day throughout the Christmas season. Another good idea is to buy a few pieces each year. In time you’ll have enough tableware to serve the entire community.

Lighting is important when decorating your home for Christmas. During the month of December turn off your lights. Make use of your candles in every room of your home. Place candles on the dining table, on the coffee and end tables in the living room and perhaps place a nice scented pillar candle in the bathroom. Don’t just put them there for decorations but also make sure to light them each night. If you have a fireplace, make sure to light it and enjoy it. A fireplace creates a cozy atmosphere which is nice when guests are visiting.

Decorating your home for Christmas should always include a Christmas tree. After decorating the tree with your homemade ornaments and strung popcorn, use the leftover branches to make arrangements for your home. Put the greens in a basket or bowl, add pinecones, bows and ornaments. Use the branches to make swags to hang over doors throughout your home. Take the evergreen sprigs and place them around your home, on windows, on a bookcase shelf or on a ledge. Evergreen branches and sprigs certainly reflect Christmas. Not only do they look nice but they spread a lovely aroma throughout the home.

Christmas is a time for celebrating. It’s a time to pull out all the stops. Snow is always nice for Christmas. When decorating your home for Christmas, why not use snow, artificial snow to add a sparkle to your home. Sprinkle it on the dining table, the hutch or the fireplace. Use ornaments which reflect light and hang them around your home, from doors or even indoor trees and plants. This will definitely look dazzling at night as the candle light flickers off the ornaments. Decorating your home for Christmas shouldn’t be a dreadful task but a delightful experience. One thing to remember when decorating your home for Christmas is not to over-think your plan. Keep it simple because simplicity is elegant and beautiful.… Read the rest

When choosing a theme or style for decorating your home, there are many to choose from. One of the most popular decorating themes today is country home decorating. Perhaps it is the most popular because it provides an inviting atmosphere and overall friendly feeling. Country home decorating, because of its warm environment, is enjoyed by the people who live there as well as all those who visit.

As with any home decorating project, a homeowner must first decide where they want to use country home decorating. Some people choose to use this theme throughout their entire home while other decide to use country home decorating focusing on just one or two rooms, for example the kitchen and the living room. Because this style is meant for people who enjoy simplicity and the nature, some homeowners may decide to carry the country decorating theme through the entire living space.

Country home decorating combines colors which are clean and bright with country furniture and accessories. When choosing colors for country home decorating, light to medium shades of white, yellow, pink, green or brown are good choices. Colors should reflect a rustic feeling. To add to the painted walls, a homeowner or decorator may decide to use stencils with country character such as flowers or plants, fruits or vegetables. Wallpaper boarders are also often used in country home decorating. It is fine to use these additions but the rule of thumb is – to make sure the patterns do not clash.

In keeping with a rustic and simple theme, country home decorating uses wood – natural wood. When deciding on a material for a country floor, natural wood is a nice choice. Of course using natural wood throughout a large area can be costly. If looking for a less-expensive way to give floors a country look, a light shade of carpet might be considered or laminate flooring. These options would also work well with the country home decorating theme. Other suggestions for country floors are flagstone or tile. Some homeowners, if they’re really creative, decorate their floors with stencils and create patterns. Another great way to jazz up a space is to use area rugs. In keeping with the country home decorating theme, those with an authentic look create a warm and cozy feeling. Hooked, quilted and braided rugs make beautiful additions to a country floor.

When choosing furniture to compliment country home decorating, light wood or wicker is suggested. Again, these materials reflect the beauty of nature. If a homeowner or decorator decides fabric would accent their furniture, such as cushions or slip covers, floral patterns or checkered fabrics add to the authentic look.

Accessorizing a space always adds to its beauty. When buying accessories to fit in with a country home decorating theme, it is good to keep in mind the type of atmosphere you are trying to create, a warm and inviting space. Simplicity goes a long way in country home decorating. It is recommended to never use too many decorations and choose accessories that family and friends will enjoy. Photos in simple wooden frames, plain mirrors, plants and scented candles dress up country home decorating. Window treatments should also be simple. Lace or shutters give a cozy country feel. Country home decorating can be interesting and fun. Perhaps the main detail to keep in mind is simplicity. Try not to over-decorate, remember too many patterns will clash. Too many decorations will eliminate the amount of space in a room. Country home decorating creates a relaxing and friendly environment, meant to be warm and cozy.… Read the rest