Beddings Prices at Taka Sales

BALMAIN
Quilt Cover Set + Pillow Sham + Fitted Sheet
$159
600 TC
100% Cotton Sateen

CANNON
Quilt Cover Set
$128.70
390 TC
100% Jacquard Cotton Sateen

COZY LUXURY
Quilt Cover Set (Embroidery)
$188
460TC
100% Cotton Sateen

JEAN PERRY
Quilt Cover Set
$159.60
500TC
Premium 100% Egyptian Cotton Jacquard Sateen

Difference between 3,4,5-Blade Ceiling Fan

Just to share with you my conclusion working with ceiling fans. These specs are taken off the KDK website for comparison purposes.

Revolution Per Minute (RPM)
3 blade - at high speed 231 to 282 RPM
4 blade - at high speed 170 - 208 RPM
5 blade - at high speed 153 - 190 RPM

Conclusion: the 3 blade fans naturally rotates faster than the ones with more blades. Faster rotation will also produce more air. I doubt the air is cooler made by those with more blades as its subject to the same ambient temperature within that room.

Air Volume Delivery
3 blade - Air Delivery (m3/min) : 236
4 blade - Air Delivery (m3/min) : 209
5 blade - Air Delivery (m3/min) : 204

Conclusion: less blades better volume delivery Wink. Doesnt always mean more blades more air delivery and hence cooler.

Motor Wattage Consumption
3 blade - Motor W at High 66.9 - 81.7
4 blade - Motor W at High 65.3 - 79.8
5 blade - Motor W at High 69.1 - 84.5

Conclusion: rather negliable across different blades really but the lower blades tend to consume less wattage.

Overall conclusion it seems the less blades the better? Only difference I can see is those with 3 blades typically comes with regulator and no frill designs. The 4 or 5 blades are nicer design plus the option of a remote control. Contrary to people's beliefs that more blades, more air volume delivery and thus, cooler. The design of the individual blades are also important to ensure better air volume delivery and quietness. I also note that those with more blades tends to be quieter but not that much.

The legth of blades for the 3 blades ones are typicall 60inch, whilst the 4 and 5 blades one are 56inch. Longer blades I guess means a better reach (bigger coverage area) to dispel the air driven downwards.

Motor is also important factor and should be at least 188 and thats where the RPM comes in. Make sure its at least sealed ball bearing kinds (pretty much the only kind available here in Malaysia).

********
Thanks Batster for the interesting analysis. I guess its also quite logical considering that 3 blades would naturally be lighter than 5 bladed fans, so the lighter it is the faster it rotates, hence producing more air. If thats the case, i can safely say that if my objective for my fan is purely for cooling purpose, 3 blades would be best. 5 blades are more for decorative (and if i'm lazy to stand up to switch it on - i.e. with remote!). I know which one to get know.
*******

True true..more blades more expensive..but ironically as always, we're always inclined to buy the more expensive one due to the form, not so much on the function

********

I was told that a 5-blade fan is quieter than a 3 blade fan. With a 3 blade, you can hear the sound of the blade "cutting" through air, whereas the 5 blade one is more silent.

Solid Surface vs Quartz Surface

Focus on the Countertop: Corian versus Silestone

...or Zodiaq, Cesarstone, Granyte, Granirex, Zylstone, Hi-Macs, Volcanics...

So what is the difference between Corian and Silestone? Well, very little -- or quite a bit -- depends on who you ask. We'll just give you the facts, and let you decide.

Backgrounder: Solid Resin Countertops

In the 1960s the E.I. du Pont de Nemours company -- commonly called Dupont -- was attempting to find a solid surface countertop material to market to hospitals and homeowners. It needed to resemble marble, be damage and stain resistant, and moldable in a few basic colors. Something that would "out-marble" marble. They introduced "synthetic marble" made of polymethyl methacrylate in 1967. It was offered in three basic shades of white and beige, and Dupont called it Corian.

So what is Polymethyl methacrylate? (You may want to skip to the next paragraph unless you are a bonafide egghead) "PMMA" is an acrylic based thermoplastic. A chemical reaction between acetone and hydrogen cyanide results in acetone cyanohydrin. This is heated with methanol and sulfuric acid and becomes a monomer called methyl methacrylate monomer or "MMA." It becomes a polymer via free radical process using peroxides. It may be modified with things like butadiene, vinyl, and whatnot, but Dupont ain't about to give away the recipe for a cash cow like Corian.

The resulting resin -- resin is simply what the trade calls unprocessed plastic -- is in the form of small beads or pellets. It then must be processed; either cast, extruded, or injection molded. As the raw plastic is processed, colorants are added, and DuPont states that "minerals" are added to Corian as well. Most solid surface countertops are cast in sheet form, a process in which the MMA is polymerized with peroxide between two glass forms under heat and pressure.

In short, solid surface countertops like Corian® are plastic -- as plastic as that keyboard in front of you, or the shampoo bottle you use, or your cel phone. Other solid surfaces, such as Hi-Mac, Volcanic, etc. are similar. Virtually anything called a "resin" countertop is based on polymethyl methacrylate; each manufacturer varies the recipe, heating and reaction times, and additives to achieve whatever their blend happens to be. It is a difficult process to do correctly; too much heat creates air pockets in the casting process and ruins color.

In the early days, Dupont used a two-step process to form Corian. Technological advances now enable it to be made in a single casting, which is why the pricing has actually decreased when compared to the rate of inflation. Color availability has increased through the years; what started as 3 became 18 and is now over 80. According to the company, white remains the most popular. Competitors have entered the field as well, and that probably has something to do with the pricing. The fact that neither granite nor engineered stone are available in a true "white" color partially explains why white Corian sells so well. If you want a white, solid, stone-like countertop, you need to look to the acrylic type.

Regardless of the manufacturer, solid resin countertops require precise chemical processing and tightly controlled casting. It is not something you'll see on every street corner. Oddly enough, many of the large plastics processors who produce solid resin countertops also produce the laminates for laminated "Formica" type countertops.

Backgrounder: Engineered Stone Countertops

The increased popularity and availability of solid stone countertops has put a bit of a dent into the business that was virtually monopolized by giant plastics companies for decades. It only makes sense that the plastics companies would want to fight back, and indeed they are: Engineered Stone. Almost every company that sells solid resin countertops now offers engineered stone countertops as well. Dupont's Zodiaq (once known as Granirex) is offered as an alternative to Corian for consumers who want a "real" stone surface.

But engineered stone wasn't created by the plastics people. Imagine if you owned a quarry full of quartz. Nice looking stuff, but you can't cut it in slabs like you can cut other rocks, such as granite or gneiss or marble. Or perhaps you have a quarry full of very brittle granite. You try to mine it, but you just wind up with crumbly bits of feldspar, quartz, mica, or whatever happens to be in your local version of granite.

Your quarry just won't produce slab, but over the years you've found creative ways to sell your grit and chips just the same. Surely you can figure out a way to make it solid...

A man named Marcello Toncelli of Treviso, Italy did just that in 1977. His company, Breton Spa, developed a way to make solid block out of the crumbly rock found throughout Italy's Dolomite Mountain region. By mixing 94% stone particulate and 6% plastic (usually polyester) to hold it together -- plus some undisclosed additives -- then using a patented “vacuum vibrocompression process,“ Toncelli successfully developed plastic rock. Or, more appropriately, rock plastic. The resulting product was offered as a kitchen countertop material under the brand name Bretonstone.

The technology was quickly embraced by Grupo Cosentino, a large minerals firm in Spain. They too had a lot of semi-useless crumbly rock in some of their operations, and began aggressively marketing their Silestone product around the world. A host of other brands have popped up; Cesarstone, Granyte, Avanza, and so on. Zodiaq is the engineered stone countertop Dupont offers as an alternative to Corian.

Breton Spa's process is not nearly as complex as the chemical processing required to make Corian, and they'll sell their vacuum vibro whatever-it-is to any interested quarry or mineral processor. So virtually all of the engineered stone countertops are made the same way, except for the German brand Cristalite, which is granite chips cast in acrylic.

The idea of mixing semi-useless material with plastic to make a useful surface isn't limited to stone. If you do a little more shopping, you'll find kitchen countertops made of recycled aluminum chips bonded with plastic, and who knows what else. Whether it's granite chips, quartz chips (a component of many granites), dolomite, gneiss (a lot of granite countertops are actually gneiss, but it really doesn't matter), feldspar (a component of many granites), marble, silicates, igneous stone, or recycled aluminum, Engineered Stone is particulate matter held together with resin.

Plastics -- The Common Thread

"Resin"...that magic word that sounds so wonderful...remember that it simply means "plastic." Ask anyone in the plastics industry to explain the difference between resin and plastic and they'll probably look at you a little strangely, and say something like, "resin is plastic, it's the plastic pellets we put in the molding machine." And whether you zero in on Corian or Silestone or some derivative thereof, plastics are the key.

Plastics are so pervasive in our lives, yet most of us are unaware of it. Whether molded as a solid, foam, sheet, fabric, or elastomer, you live in a plastic world. By volume, most of your car is plastics. Your computer, your desk at work, digital camera, television, telephone, pen, hair dryer, clothing, pen, furniture cushions, electrical sockets, billiard balls, the vinyl on a loose-leaf binder, contact lenses, boats, even the Teflon (Dupont) coating on your cookware, all plastics. Yet for some reason, we balk at the concept of plastic kitchen countertops. Your sales representative may not even know that the material in Corian or the binder in Silestone is plastic. Ask, and you'll likely be told, "no, it's resin," or "it's engineered acrylic." You can safely assume that they aren't intentionally trying to mislead you -- just that they are unaware of precisely how their product is made. On the other hand, your salesman may openly agree that it is indeed plastic, which indicates that their overall product knowledge is probably fairly reliable.

The point is, both types of materials derive their formability, strength, ease of cutting and fabricating, stain resistance, and other mechanical properties from the "plastic" aspect of the mix. So when you boil it all down, even though the primary component of Silestone is indeed stone, the fact is that Corian and Silestone are very similar solid surface materials.

A Few Differences

Solid resin like Corian has a bit more versatility in terms of how it can be formed, the sorts of inlays that can easily be added, etc. It is also supposedly easier to repair. And although both can be fabricated easily, at the end of the day it is likely that solid resin materials will be more "seamless."

Engineered stone like Silestone is obviously more "stone-like," simply because it is 94% stone or mineral product. It is possibly more heat resistant, and somewhat more scratch-resistant.

Understand that in whatever areas one material offers superior performance, it is not by a wide margin. And in every case, you can find experienced installers who will disagree with these statements. So the differences, whatever they may be, are largely ones of perception.

When you get to the bottom of it all, the primary difference is visual...

Visual Differences

Visually, both materials have their proponents. Probably the best way to "contrast" the two is to say that, by nature of how it is made, engineered stone looks more like granite and solid resin looks more like marble.

Why engineered stone looks like granite: Natural granite is a few types of stone (usually quartz, feldspar, maybe mica) and a stone binder, all "glued" together by pressure and heat. Engineered stone simply uses smaller bits of rock, and replaces the stone binder with plastic. Granite is made by heat and pressure deep in the earth; engineered stone is made by heat and pressure via the "vacuum vibrocompression process." Thus engineered stone resembles the natural granite it emulates.

Why solid resins look like marble: Marble begins as limestone that "recrystallizes" due to heat and pressure. Other minerals present in the limestone during recrystallization affects the appearance and color of the marble that forms. Solid surface begins as a monomer that melts and "recrystallizes" due to heat and pressure. Other materials present in the plastic during recystallization affects the appearance and color of the acrylic that forms. Marble is made by heat and pressure deep in the earth; acrylic is made by heat and pressure via the plastic casting process. Thus solid surface resembles the natural marble it emulates.

Which "look" do you prefer?

Please click here to go back to the main Kitchen Remodeling page on SplitLevel.net.

Please click here to go back to the general countertop selection page on SplitLevel.net.

Granite

Hi Kanegan,

Ya. Think for granite, must apply sealers. With sealers, the cons of granite seems to be resolved.

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From http://www.keidel.com/design/select/tops-matl-granite.htm

Living with Granite
Unlike marble, synthetic and laminate countertops, granite countertops will not blister, scratch or chip under normal use. It is heat resistant, so a hot pot can be placed on it without using a trivet or pad. Its cool polished surface is ideal for rolling out pastry dough. Granite countertops are a beautiful, durable and cost competitive solution for countertops.

However, granite is subject to staining and etching if not maintained with sealers.

Granite is porous and It will absorb oils, such as cooking oil and grease, leaving a permanent dark spot unless it sealed. Hairspray leave a residue, and many common foods and toiletries contain acids and other ingredients that may etch or dull the stone surface.

Protecting the Surface
Granite is a natural stone product and has a certain degree of porosity. Therefore, after installation, it must be cleaned and sealed. Only impregnating sealers that are semi-permeable are acceptable. Impregnators do not cover up the natural beauty of the stone and do not wear off like a surface coating.


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Will the contractor apply this sealer? Do u know how much is the sealer you saw?

Solid Top Pricing : yr 2005

Let me share my solid-top research...

Solid Top usually comprises of material made from Acrylic and Polyester. Different brands got different mixture ratios.

Brand: DuPoint Corian
Composition: 100% Acrylic
Price: S$110-145 per ft run
Warrenty: 10 Years
Remarks: Considered the BEST of solid surfaces... but i think this reput was earn when they are the only company producing 100% acrylic surfaces.

Brand: LG Hi-Macs
Composition: 100% Acrylic
Price: S$90-110 per ft run
Warrenty: 15 Years Limited
Remarks: Proberly the next best alternative, however some ID advised against using this due to little price difference with branded stuff like corian.

Brand: Hardstone
Composition: 100% Acrylic
Price: S$70-80 per ft run
Warrenty: unknown
Remarks: Was introduced by ID on this brand, similar to corian also using 100% acrylic. Very limited colours.

Brand: Samsung Staron
Composition: Acrylic Resin + Aluminum Tri-hydrate
Price: ??
Warrenty: 10 Year Limited??
Remarks: na

Brand: Montelli
Composition: Acrylic + Polyester
Price: S$70-75 per ft run
Warrenty: 10 Year Limited?
Remarks: One of the standard solid surfaces used by local contractors. Not much info on this, but often see this brand's catelogue at IDs place.

Brand: Cresto
Composition: Acrylic + Polyester
Price: S$65-75 per ft run
Warrenty: 1 Year?
Remarks: One of the standard solid surfaces used by local contractors.

Other Alternatives:
Granite - around S$90 per ft run.

Laminate, homogenous, granite, parquet, teak, marble, ceremic. Which one?

Laminate Pros
- Quite scratch resistance.
- Cheaper than parquet
- Easy to install and requires no 'drying' time unlike tiles.
- Ideal for bedrooms or raised platform/flooring.
- Creates a 'warm' feeling.
- No hacking is needed as laminated flooring may be laid over existing tiles. Only the skirting needs to be hacked.

Weaknesses
- Sensation under frost is synthetic.
- May only mop with 'dry-mop'. Water left over may leave watermark.
- flooring will discolor if exposed under extreme sunlight.
- Not ideal for large surface area as it may look cheap and synthetic.

MARBLE

Marble flooring was a firm favorite of the ancient Greeks and characterized an era of grandeur, elegance and self-indulgence. Marble is a truly beautiful building material that has been utilized by architects all over the world.

Marble flooring is in essence a metamorphic descendent of limestone and is a hard stone that comes in a number of shades and hues ranging from off-white to brown, gray or pink. Stone with differing colored steaks is termed statuary marble. Although hard, marble is softer than granite and is therefore more prone to staining and scratching. These can easily be repaired and can also be corrected by polishing.

Marble flooring can either have one of two finishes, polished or honed:

Polished: This is a highly reflective finish and brings out the stone's natural shades and marking. This type of finish will not last in areas which are continually have a flow of traffic over them.

Honed: This is a matte finish (non-reflective) and is better suite to areas where there is a greater flow of traffic. It is also a lot harder to see scratches on this type of surface finish.

Important Features of Marble

Property-1 : Scratch Hardness
General property values as per ASTM Standard (Marble): 2-4 Mohs
Significance: Stones with low scratch hardness will require higher levels of maintenance


Property-2 : Compressive Strength
General property values : 400 – 1900 kg/cm2
Mining requirement as per ASTM Standard (Marble) : 530 kg/cm2
Significance : This is a measure of the load that a stone can take before it crushes or a measure of the stone’s ability to support load-bearing structures. Higher the compressive strength means that stone is more durable. Wonder Marble compressive strength is similar to granite hence can used for any applications, which are subjected to heavy loads


Property-3 : Flexural Strength
Minimum requirement as per ASTM Standard (Marble): 71 kg/cm2
Significance :This is also known as the bending strength of the stone and critical in both the designing & detailing of building facades. It is useful in determining the maximum load a stone panel in a curtain wall system with anchors located at the edges of the panels. It also assists in the evaluation of the stone’s resistance to wind loads. It also help in determine whether a thin stone unit will crack or fracture under externally induced stress conditions


Property-4 : Modulus of Rupture
Minimum requirement as per ASTM Standard (Marble): 71 kg/cm2
Significance: It is also known as a transverse strength and measures the combined shear strength and diagonal strength of stone. It is valuable determining the strength of the stone at its point of attachment with anchoring devices


Property-5 : Water Absorption
General property value: 0.1 – 1.5
Minimum requirement as per ASTM Standard (marble): 0.2
Significance : As a general rule, with higher water absorption, higher porosity and if it combined with lower density, the stone tends to be less durable and less stain resistant, and more susceptible to frost and salt attack. Higher water absorption also results in defloration in volumetric dimensions, which causes display warping and bowing of stones. Wonder Marble has negligible water absorption. As a result, it is less porous, highly stain resistant and requires less maintenance.


Property-6 : Bulk Density
General property value: 2600 – 2700 kg/m3
Significance : Stone with higher density are generally less porous and more durable


Property-7 : Abrasion Resistance
Minimum requirement as per ASTM Standard (marble): 10
Significance : For flooring application, abrasion resistance subject to foot traffic demonstrates the suitability of the stone for higher foot traffic


Property-8 : Silica Content
Significance : Higher Silica contents imparts better gloss.


Courtesy of: http://www.rkmarble.com/wonder-marble.htm

Our Forumer’s Say: For marble, the finish is flat, smooth, gapless n wide variety of choices. Its weakness is maintenance as it absorbs liquid readily due to its porous nature. U will need to wipe off any spilled liquid like coffee immediately or else u will get a stain within the next minute.

GRANITE

The four sided pieces of granite, called tiles are available in multiple sizes and colors. Though granite tiles are much more expensive than procelain or slate, it is widely used because of its long lasting durability.

One of the major areas of application of granite tiles is – laying floor. The granite floor tiles are available in varying sizes and can even be custom designed as per the requirement of the customer.

The granite tiles are found ideal for flooring because of hardness, and availability in multiple colors and finish. The inherent hardness of the granite lends durability to the tiles and the wide range of colors make it easier to lay the floor to suit the both interior and exterior surroundings. The granite tiles are also used while laying down the steps.

Besides being the hardest stone used for flooring, granite is also the highly polished stone. The polish makes it easy to be cleaned and taken care of, but the it also becomes too smooth and slippery which demands extra care.

Sizes: 300 X 300, 400 X 400, 600 X 600, 600 X 300, 600 X 400 (All dimensions in mm)

General Information on different types of tiles:

Granites, Polished

- They are the toughest material of all
- The shine of granite can last up to 20 years
- Granites are expensive material, therefore providing better value for resale flats
- Granites can be cooling, especially suitable for hot climate in Singapore
- Granite contain more reflective crystals, provide more glamour to the home
- They usually comes in richer and darker color tones, well suited for people who
prefer a more dramatic type of design for the home.
- The most common size : 60 x 60 cm


Natural Marbles
- Marbles are the most natural in color and pattern, the range of beige tone
marbles being the most popular
- Unlike granites and homogeneous, Marbles can be grained to make it leveled,
making the joining lines almost invisible
- It can be polished to great shine, leaving the impression of a single piece of
material on the floor
- They have always been a popular choice for private housing, as this material
have always been associated to good design
- Matches well with wooden furniture
- The most common size : 30 x 60 cm


Homogeneous, Polished
- It is a man made material to be as tough as granite
- A wider range of effects/designs and colors
- The polish of Homogeneous can last longer than the shine of marble.
- Unlike Ceramics, in an unlikely case of breakage (due to fallen objects), this
materials will not show a tile base/ body of different color.
- Unlike Marble and Granite, the pattern/ design of the homogeneous tiles are
more subtle and predictable, without the ugly crack lines and spots usually
spotted on natural stones
- The common size being 60 x 60 cm, 40 x 40 cm


Ceramics Tiles
- Low Cost and more valued for money
- The widest popular range of color, texture and design
- It will take the shortest time for laying
- The pattern of ceramic can be repetitive and constant, therefore more
acceptable by the majority
- Comes in all kind of sizes

Compare and Contrast:

INDIA VS CHINA GRANITE


India Granites

- The color tone is much darker and richer, with more sparkers/ gold dust/ more reflective, and therefore more often used for commercial projects

- Granite is one of the toughest materials around, but India granite is still more dense than china granite and therefore more suitable for commercial usage (eg shopping mall flooring etc)

- There are more inconsistent in color tone and veins/ patterns and they are preferred by people who appreciate the irregularity of natural stones


China Granites

- The colors of China granite are much lighter and therefore more accepted by homeowners
- The price of China granite is only 1/3 when compared to India granites
- The pattern and color tone of China granite is lighter, more constant and have less variation than India granite


NATURAL MARBLE VS GRANITE


Natural Marbles

- Marble usually comes in a more natural shade, softer feel and lighter tone in color.
- Less ugly spots and natural veins than granite
- After laying, Marble can be grained and polished till the floor is perfectly leveled and the joining lines become almost invisible.
- Has always been a favorable choice for condominiums in Singapore


Natural Granites

- Being a much tougher material, the Granite will last longer than Marble
- Granite is usually dark in tone.
- Unlike marble which will lost it's shine after 5 years, the polishing of granite will be able to last at least 20 years
- The granite cannot be polished or leveled, therefore there will always be some minor leveling problem


NATURAL MARBLE VS COMPRESSED MARBLE

Natural Marbles

- Naturist will appreciate every piece of marble being different in tone and pattern.
- Can be grained to make the marble leveled and the joining lines almost invisible
- After polishing, natural marble will produce more shine
- Can be re-polished every 5 years and look brand new


Compressed Marbles

- The color tone will be very constant as they are being produced by special machines and color checked using computers.
- Strictly no ugly veins/ cracks or spots
- Wider range of colors available
- Does not absorb stains and therefore more easy to maintain
- Cannot be leveled but small amount of polishing can be possible - however the shine cannot be compared to natural marble
- May be same or lower in cost as compared to natural marble


HOMOGENEOUS VS CERAMIC

Homogeneous Tiles

- With much lower water absorption rate and higher density, Homogeneous is definitely a much tougher tile compared to Ceramics tiles, and therefore more long lasting.

- It's surface can be polished to make it reflective shine like those of a mirror, but the ceramic can only be glazed to make it shiny and it's not as long lasting as compare to the polished surface

- The whole piece of homogeneous is made up by the same material and therefore it can be round edged at the sides, without showing a different material beneath the tile

- (Ceramic tiles are made of red clay with a thin layer of "coloring" on the surface. Chamfering the edges of the tile will reveal the red base below - PVC strips will be need to cover the edges of ceramic tiles)

- Homogeneous tiles are generally 30 - 50% more expensive than Ceramic tiles, although polished homogeneous of bigger size may cost much more.

- Homogeneous tiles have almost become the choice for kitchen flooring and stove in Singaporean homes (although ceramics tiles are just as feasible).

- In an unlikely event of breakage due to fallen object, Homogenous will not leave a big crack line and it will not show a different material/ color beneath the surface

- Between these 2 materials, only Homogeneous tiles will be considered for the flooring of any commercial project, as Ceramic tiles will not be able to withstand the kind of load produced by high traffic of human flow.


Ceramic Tiles

- Ceramic tiles are more common and have a wider variety of colors, tones and textures

- The usual range of Ceramic tiles is inexpensive

- For a tile layer, it is a material which is easier to work with, compared to Homogeneous tiles (it does not "pop" out after few years)


GRANITE VS HOMOGENEOUS

Natural Granites

- The color tone is much darker and richer, with more sparkers/ gold dust/ more reflective, and therefore felt more "alive"

- They are inconsistent in color tone and veins/ patterns. They are preferred by people who appreciate the irregularity of natural stones (that every piece looks different)

- Granites, being a natural stone, provides a better cooling effect for the house

- Granites are usually thicker (18-20mm) than Homogeneous (8-10mm), therefore it have very little or no warp problem

- Granites are, and have always been perceived as, the most expensive materials around. Home owners may want to take this into account when they are calculating the resale value of their house.


Homogeneous Tiles

- Being a made-man material to match the strength of Granites, Homogeneous tiles comes in a wider variety of colors, eg light blue, pink, purple etc. These colors cannot be found on granites

- The color tone and pattern on Homogeneous tiles are usually much lighter, smoother and less bold.

- Unlike Granites, the same pattern is repeated on every piece of Homogeneous tiles - therefore you can know exactly how it will turn out even before the commencement of the renovation.

- As they are being machine made, they do not have any minor crack lines, small ugly black patches like those on granites

- Homogeneous tiles are priced much lower (2/5th) than Indian granites (though may be same or slightly more expensive than China Granites)

- Homogeneous tile can be an alternative for people who likes the hardness and durability of Granites, but prefer the lighter, more subtle and more consistent color of Natural Marbles

- Homogeneous come in a bigger variation of sizes - the more common being 20 x 20 cm, 30 x 30 cm, 40 x 40 cm, and 60 x 60 cm

- For both granite and Homogeneous, the edge of the material can be round edged and chamfered, without showing a different material on the down side of the tile.

www.klh.com.sg

Switches : Brand

Hi all, i just gotten my MK Designer Switches in White, i got it at Choo Chiang at AMK Industrial Ave 2. They are having promotions for MK switches...and i gotten a total of 7 * 1 gang, 6 * 2 gangs and 1*3 gangs and 2* heater LED switches without the holder and it costs me only less than $50! Hehe...

My contractor provided these Clipsal switches (Metro C series) with LED that is blue when the switch is off so that you can see the switches in the dark...also it helps to know which switches are on/off by looking at the LED..


he also searched high and low to look for a similar looking fan regulator to match the Clipsal switches..


just to share

My electrician uses Hager switches, telephone point & power point for my house. Dunno how much it cost thou as it's in the package.

Here's how it looks like. To me it looks nicer than those normal small switches. & the motion of the switches is very smooth. Juz a soft touch on it would activate the light liao.













Was told by the eletrician that don't buy lights from Taiwan as the quality is not very good... any comments on this?

*******************

i went to the jalan besar area to look for downlights and found that they tend to be cheaper than those in balestier. Around $25 for 18W. can't recall the name of the shop but u can walk around the area of kelantan lane. you should find many hardware shops selling housing things. it's supposed to be the place where contractors come to buy stuff.

that's why i think that for things that are more "commodity", think that jalan besar is a good choice. if you want better design, then places like lightcraft and areas like balestier would be better.

**************

I believe using E27 holders on 6 inch and above diameter downlights as that would give the owner the flexibility to change wattage easily. When not sure, install track lights, and get those lamps that can accept energy saving lamps.

******
Normal switch might cost you about $10+- or the more sophisticated designer switch that comes with LED light indicator will cost you about $55+- It really depends on your budget and preference....

Storage Heater

i have posted my findings on ariston and joven somewhere in this forum.

i have used both brands and i'm able to give unbiaised comments here.

ariston takes longer to heat up and the heat doesnt retained long in the tank.

joven is good. it works almost like instant heater.

imagine i come home after work, i switched the heater switch on, took off my clothes, take towel and walk into the bathroom. i just open up the water tap, and viola, i got hot water liao. and the water is REALLY hot.......

this is joven tank.


As for Ariston, its damm slow.......

i switched on the heater switch, i brushed my teeth (about 10mins), and step into the shower area, and i still dun get hot water..... i got to suffer for another 10-15mins mins to get the hot water.

and the heat in the ariston tank doesnt stay long.... maximum i can tell you is only 4 hours only.


As for Joven, i can guarantee that the heat stays for 12 hours.

i'm used both brands and i know what i am talking about. both tanks that i used are the same capacity - 25L.

the difference is the insulation materials and the tank material used in ariston and joven.

joven is using stainless steel tank.

ariston is not using stainless steel. they are using some kind of old technology metal that was used on old kettles last time.

ariston is made in Vietnam

Switch : List of Brands

Brands :

Clipsal
T&J
MK -> got the color I want
Legrand Malia
Hager


MK 1 gang - $1.60
2gang- $2.80
3gang- $4
heater - $6.80

Clipsal 2 Gang 1 way in white $7.60
Clipsal 2 Gang 2 way in white $9.00
MK 2 Gang 2 way in bronze $24.50
MK 1 Gang 1 way in bronze ~$14
MK Heater Switch ~$32 (*ouch!)
MK has beautiful bronze switches. Price for Bronze and Silver the same. Chan Huat gave me a 10% discount on top of the prices shown above.

Legrand Mallia switches:

White:
1-Gang $1.90
2-Gang $3.50
3-Gang $5.25
4-Gang $8.15
1-Gang (Water heater) $8.80

Colour (Silver or Champagne):
1-Gang $2.25
2-Gang $4.25
3-Gang $6.30
1-Gang (Water heater) $10.50

Granite : Cons

Initally i wanted to choose granite top but decide to choose solid surface top instead bec of the following reasons :-

1) Lines between granite tiles.
Cos granite come in a certain size and for tops that is long, u can see the separator lines between granite. Asethetic wise not so nice

2) More porous than solid surface
It is more porous than solid surface and stains marks easily get 'eat' into the top. Also, it get burns easily, if u have hot pots resting on granite top.

3) Lesser choice of selections
The most nicest granite top is galaxy i tink.. the rest are not so nice lor..

Solid Surface

All acrylic and polyester solid surfaces are not heat nor fire resistant. They are still plastics and will melt. So you can't place hot surfaces like heated pots or pans on them.

While solid surfaces made from reconstituted granite are heat, fire and to a certain extent chemical resistant. The only recon granite solid surface I know of that is available in Sg is Silestone. Other brands of the same type of material include Caesarstone (not available in Sg). These are expensive - $160p sq ft and upwards.

The quality of Acrylic and Polyester based solid surfaces are determined by the amount of acrylic / adhesive mix. The more acrylic, the higher the grade and cost. Corian is one of the best there is.

But no matter how high the quality, even white Corian will stain and scratch. Choose a mottled light coloured surface to avoid seeing the stains and scratches. e.g. Grey Field by Corian

Solid Top usually comprises of material made from Acrylic and Polyester. Different brands got different mixture ratios.

Brand: DuPoint Corian
Composition: 100% Acrylic
Price: S$110-145 per ft run
Warrenty: 10 Years
Remarks: Considered the BEST of solid surfaces... but i think this reput was earn when they are the only company producing 100% acrylic surfaces.

Brand: LG Hi-Macs
Composition: 100% Acrylic
Price: S$90-110 per ft run
Warrenty: 15 Years Limited
Remarks: Proberly the next best alternative, however some ID advised against using this due to little price difference with branded stuff like corian.

Brand: Hardstone
Composition: 100% Acrylic
Price: S$70-80 per ft run
Warrenty: unknown
Remarks: Was introduced by ID on this brand, similar to corian also using 100% acrylic. Very limited colours.

Brand: Samsung Staron
Composition: Acrylic Resin + Aluminum Tri-hydrate
Price: ??
Warrenty: 10 Year Limited??
Remarks: na

Brand: Montelli
Composition: Acrylic + Polyester
Price: S$70-75 per ft run
Warrenty: 10 Year Limited?
Remarks: One of the standard solid surfaces used by local contractors. Not much info on this, but often see this brand's catelogue at IDs place.
1 year warranty

Brand: Cresto
Composition: Acrylic + Polyester
Price: S$65-75 per ft run
Warrenty: 1 Year?
Remarks: One of the standard solid surfaces used by local contractors.
10 years warranty

Other Alternatives:
Granite - around S$90 per ft run.

Extract from http://www.hometips.com/hyhw/surfaces/179countertop.html

Natural stone such as granite and marble are considered to be the height of elegance and will last longer than most kitchens. Stone, however, is very expensive and requires some care: grease will stain granite and acidic foods such as orange juice will etch the finished surface of marble.

Solid surfacing, a relatively newer countertop material, is quite durable and offers seamless, easy-care surfaces that often imitate the look of natural stone such as marble, granite or slate. Though these materials can be machined with standard woodworking tools, installation requires a professional.

Some natural stone care products in Home-Fix has some kind of sealer for granite..... maybe these products will help protect the granite top? I choose granite because of the hardness and price was reasonable compared to the high end solid tops. Think for granite, must apply sealers. With sealers, the cons of granite seems to be resolved.

Kitchen : Comparison

Kitchen Top Material Comparison

1. Budget? $$
- Postform cheapest, follow by solid suface, & Marble/Granite (most x-sive)
2. How often u cook?
- Low/Medum: Solid surface, High: Marble/Granite. While Postform fits both.
3. Last but not least, can the worktop surface u choose go w/ the design & lifestyle u want.