Blog

Right now all of us are in the same situation. Stuck in our houses for the 7th week in a row, with little end in sight. Some people (begrudgingly including myself at times), will have wasted away these 7 weeks – waking up at 2pm each day, yet still always feeling like they haven’t quite had enough sleep, and proceeding to steamroll through the last few unrinsed series on Netflix, fuelled solely by the ever-reliable companion of Doritos. However, some mythical creatures have had a very different experience during this pandemic. We’ve all seen these people posting their sunrise runs on Instagram, or smugly uploading their acai berry porridge on their Snapchat stories. I have to admit quite frankly these people can be irritating, rubbing their seemingly inhuman self-control and motivation in your face every hour of the day… You can imagine my shock then when I myself started to resemble one of these creatures. No longer do I let my days slide away from me, fixated on shows I pretended to enjoy but never really did. No longer do I feel guilty seeing the nutritious meals of others online as my crisp packets gave me intensely flirtatious looks from across the room. In recent weeks, I have fairly effortlessly transitioned to spending my days alternating exercise with working through assignments, feasting on meals covered with green that once seemed so unappealing. So what changed? To put it simply – sleep.

For years I have been aware of my need to improve my sleep quality and this has only been confounded by my uni life. The dangerous combination of late-night house parties and early morning lectures has conditioned me to surviving on as little sleep as I can and it had got to the point where even when I didn’t have a house party or a lecture I would deprive my body of much-deserved sleep, regularly watching forgettable YouTube videos deep into the early hours of the morning. It was only once I started sleeping well that I realised how crucial it is to your wellbeing and productivity.

Studies have shown that sleep deprivation significantly increases your desire for high-calorie foods, impairs focus and perceived effort during exercise – no wonder I found it so difficult to eat healthily, work on my assignments and exercise optimally when I was sleeping inadequately. In this article, I am going to provide you with some of the steps that you can take to ensure you are sleeping properly and to help you become productive for the rest of lockdown (and much longer).

1. Sleep and wake up at the same time every night – it turns out my old beloved tactic of starving myself of sleep during the week and then having absolute mammoth sleeping sessions on the weekend in order to catch up isn’t really validated by science. Higher sleep regularity was associated with greater morning and evening happiness, healthiness and calmness in college students. So going to bed and waking up at the same time each day is a surefire way to enhance your sleep.
2. Avoid electronic devices a couple of hours before bed – although there’s nothing like a stalk on Instagram before you go to bed, it turns out there actually is. This is in fact one of the worst things you can do for your sleep quality. Electronic devices emit large quantities of blue light wavelengths, which can suppress the secretion of a hormone called melatonin. Basically, this is a hormone that tells your body when to sleep and increases the depth of your sleep. Therefore, that nightly scroll on twitter or watch of youtube can decrease both the quantity and quality of sleep that you’re having. Replace that with a late-night walk or read and you will feel much more rested the next day.
3. Take a CBD supplement – one simple way of boosting that sleep is taking CBD regularly. CBD or cannabidiol is a compound found in cannabis that doesn’t have the psychoactive effects seen from cannabis usage due to the lack of tetrahydrocannabinol or if you’re not trying to destroy your parents at scrabble – THC. A study involving 103 adults with concerns over anxiety or poor sleep found that anxiety scores decreased in 79% of participants and conversely sleep scores improved in 66% of participants after one month of CBD usage. This suggests that CBD supplementation is definitely worth a try if you’re struggling with your sleep, especially if this is in part due to anxiety. Make sure to buy your CBD products from reliable sources in order to ensure it contains the proper dosages and ingredients.

I hope I have convinced you to follow these steps in order to improve your sleep and to help get you out of that lockdown rut.

The introduction of the Pradhan MantriAwasYojana back in 2015 came as a ray of hope for first-time homeowners. This Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme aims at providing first-time homeowners with a PMAY subsidy wherein they can borrow home loans at subsidised rates of interest. However, to do so, the Government has specifiedspecific eligibility criteria.

Pradhan MantriAwasYojana Eligibility Criteria

Applicants that wish to avail the benefits of the PMAY scheme must meet the following eligibility criteria:

• The applicant or his/her family must not own a ‘pucca’ house in any part of the country. Meaning, no home must be registered either in the name of the applicant or in the name of any other member of the applicant’s family
• The Pradhan MantriYojana makes adult female co-ownership of the property mandatory. This also means that while applying for a home loan under PMAY, the female member must be the co-applicant, regardless of whether she contributes towards financing the purchase. In the case of no female member, the property can be registered solely in the name of the male member. However, this clause is optional for MIG I and MIG II categories.
• Moreover, this condition is also not mandatory in case of construction on an existing plot of land or renovation and remodeling of an existing house
• The applicant or his family must not have previously availed State/Central assistance under any other housing-related scheme by the Central Government
• The maximum age limit for applicants at the time of home loan maturity has been capped at 70 years
• The property’s location must fall under the statutory towns and their adjacent planning area as specified in 2011 Census (and updated by the Government from time to time)

Beneficiary Categories under PMAY

Under the Pradhan MantriAwasYojana, PMAY subsidy on home loans is to be provided based on the beneficiary category the applicant falls under. The categories are as follows –

• EWS or Economically Weaker Section – Those applicants whose annual householdincome is less than Rs. 3 lakhs fall under this category. Such beneficiaries can avail houses with carpet area not exceeding 30 sq. mts.
• LIG or Low Income Group – Those households whose annual income is above Rs. 3 lakhs but below Rs. 6 lakhs come under this category. The beneficiaries of this category will be allowed to purchase homes with a carpet area, not exceeding 60 sq. mts.
• MIG I or Middle Income Group I – Households having an annual income of more than Rs. 6 lakhs but less than Rs. 12 lakhs are said to belong to this category. A maximum carpet area of 120 sq. mts. can be availed by beneficiaries of this category
• MIG II or Middle Income Group II – The applicants whose annual household income is higher than Rs. 12 lakhs but lower than Rs. 18 lakhs fall under the MIG II category. The beneficiaries of MG II will get homes with a maximum carpet area of 150 sq. mts.

Want to check your Pradhan MantriAwasYojana eligibility? Use a quick online tool such as the PMAY eligibility calculator! All you need to do so is enter in details such as your Annual Family Income, the Loan Tenure, and the Principal Loan Amount, and the PMAY calculator will automatically display, within seconds, the PMAY subsidy amount and the subsidy category under which you are eligible to apply for a home loan.

When you think of a land-based casino, the first thing that springs to mind is unlikely to be impressive displays of artwork. Instead, images of table games, slot machines and flurries of thrilling activity tend to pop up in one’s mind. But some casinos have more to offer than gambling and playing games. A casino can also showcase incredible paintings, thought-provoking artistic displays and attention-grabbing sculptures. A perfect example is Las Vegas’ world-famous Bellagio, which has been transformed, on several occasions, into a world-class art gallery.

Bellagio Art Masterpieces

While to many of us it is recognisable as the Bellagio Hotel and Casino in the gambling capital of the world Las Vegas, to others, this famous landmark is also recognised as the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art. If you have ever been lucky enough to visit the Bellagio, you will probably understand the claim that one feels as if they have stepped into a grand art gallery the moment they enter the reception lobby. To greet customers is the luxurious and eye-catching glass chandelier by Dave Chihuly adorning the reception ceiling.

Move onwards past the chandelier and head into the Gallery of Fine Art. Each year, amazing exhibitions are held, enabling onlookers to experience many exquisite, new art pieces each time. While the display isn’t particularly extensive, the selections have been very carefully curated and feature many elite artists.

The Bellagio Fine Art Gallery

The Bellagio Fine Art Gallery also holds valuable partnerships with several foundations and museums across the globe. As a result, at past exhibitions, spectators have observed work from the likes of Andy Warhol, Faberge, Picasso and pieces from the Museum of Fine Art, plus more.

This year at the gallery is particularly anticipated, as the Bellagio will be welcoming brilliant fine art by Yayoi Kusama. One of the most prominent contemporary artists on the planet, Kusama wants to give viewers into their soul. ‘Narcissus Garden’ is the first of her intriguing installations; which sees dots transformed into one-foot diameter spheres. Also replying on accumulation and repetition is Kasuma’s second instalment: ‘Aftermath of Obliteration of Eternity’ which is a darkened small room, lined with mirrors and embellished with LED lanterns.

In the art world, there is no doubt that MoMa is the most popular art gallery to visit, and exhibits only the finest artists. However, the Bellagio Fine Art Gallery is also an incredibly elegant exhibition, showcasing equally fine artists. First and foremost, of course, the Bellagio is a luxury hotel and casino resort, owned and operated by MGM Resorts International. The grand building was built on the same site as the Dunes Hotel and Casino.

Inspired by the beautiful town of Bellagio, Lake Como, Italy, the Las Vegas Bellagio resort is famed for its sophistication and elegance. Making it stand out from a crowd of luxury hotels and casinos on the Las Vegas Strip is a lake between the hotel and the road, which showcases the famous Fountains of Bellagio. The water of the fountain ‘dances’ in synchronisation with music, and crowds of spectators gather daily to observe the spectacular show.

The Bellagio is also well-known for its Poker Room, also known as ‘The Office’. Many highly-professional poker players love to play here, and it has also partnered with the World Poker Tour to host many internationally-famous poker tournaments.

The Borgata Gallery of Fine Art

Another famous casino in Atlantic City is the Borgata Hotel, Casino and Spa; this too is a casino that showcases brilliant artwork exhibitions. Borgata is also famous for its striking architecture; its golden tower visible for miles around Atlantic City. The enormous golden construction houses a convention centre, theatre and ballroom, alongside its casino and fine art gallery.

Many huge shows have been staged at Borgata. These have attracted plenty of A-list celebrities too, including Britney Spears, Cher and Kings of Leon. Ringo Starr, the drummer from The Beatles, also had a show at Borgata’s Music Box Theatre. A pop-up art gallery was hosted which also featured artwork by Ringo. Additionally, some of Dale Chihuly’s pieces have featured around the casino.

It appears that The Bellagio isn’t the only casino to display Chihuly’s artwork. Borgata has hosted contemporary glass art, and in 2003 Chihuly left an impressive range of blown glass sculptures and chandeliers. Similar to The Bellagio, people are greeted by an exquisitely beautiful chandelier in the building’s main lobby, with striking columns adorning the grand entrance.

Casinos and External Artwork

We’ve so far looked into beautiful art pieces featured internally at famous casinos, but art is more than just physical masterpieces. Several famous artists such as David Hockney and Zdzisław Beksiński transformed the medium of their art and created amazing virtual displays on their computers. This innovative artwork further led to the development of computer art designers.

In the modern world, we are very familiar with digital graphics, logos, brand designs and digitally-manipulated images. During the decade of the 1990’s, websites were vibrant but limited, slow to load and with poor quality graphics, in comparison with the websites of today. Thanks to the evolution of technology, websites and web designers have improved dramatically.

In order to be sufficiently attention-grabbing, a brand should feature a modern, understated logo which looks appealing and is easily remembered. Besides the logo, a brand should offer a high-quality website. A good website will load at speed and appear modern, fresh and simplistic, as well as appealing to the eye. The colour range should be limited and it is important that the shades complement each other.

In the case of online casinos – the superb Gold Rush Slots as an example – the logo should be eye-catching and recognisable also. The website is the face of the casino and should be just as visually appealing; this creates a positive initial impression and is likely to capture a visitor’s attention.

Often, it is in the hands of the designer to produce a web template or build upon an existing one to create a successful website. Some users prefer a standard, classic design, while others will be impressed by a modern and innovative appearance. One overall “rule”, however, is that the site should always be user-friendly.

An impressive website loads quickly, no matter where it is accessed from. Casino sites require a sign-up page, and it is crucial that the highest levels of security are in place. The registration should be simple and short, and it should be easy to navigate to the games library. A variety of widgets on the homepage is very useful, but not too many, as a widget-heavy site can end up slow to load.

It’s also majorly important in today’s world for a website to be mobile-friendly. This wasn’t so crucial in the 90’s and early noughties, but today most online gamblers access online slot sites from their mobiles. Additionally, a casino needs to demonstrate credibility and reliability. There should be clearly displayed licenses, partnerships and certifications on the online casino homepage.

Working women have their hands full. Every day, women fight to be recognized for a job well done and the ability to move up in the work force. If you have a working woman in your life, it is important to recognize her from time to time on what she has accomplished. A great way to celebrate a new achievement is to provide a gift that can be useful as well as appreciated. Below are three amazing options to give your female friends, family members or companions that can easily help them continue to propel forward in their career.

Portable Charger

In today’s business world, staying connected is key. We use mobile phones, laptops and tablets almost daily if not 24/7. Busy working women need to be able to contact employees as well as clients at all times. With a quality portable charger, you can provide a gift that helps her stay connected. Portable chargers can easily be charged up and home and taken on the go.

With the charger in a purse or laptop bag, long meetings or days at the office can still be productive because the charger can be used to provider power to the most used devices. When shopping for this gift, be sure you know what types of devices are used so the option you buy will work correctly.

Custom Tote Bags

Another great option for working women is custom tote bags. For business owners, you can easily create tote bags with their logo, which give your friend or family member a way to promote their business as well as something that can be used each day. Tote bags can carry paperwork, books and other items, even lunch!

For busy women, tote bags come in handy as organizational tools as well as way to promote their services or brand. Consider creating a tote bag as a gift that will not only offer a practical use but be a talking point as it is carried by the giftee. Your friend or family member can easily point out their tote bag logo while traveling to have a talking point to bring up their business to attract potential clients.

Business Organizer

Another great option for working women is a business organizer. Every day, your female friend will have appointments to keep, calls to make and other day to day needs. With a top-rated business organizer, they can keep track of everything. Nothing will be missed as they can simply look at their organizer to see what is on the agenda.

Find examples of top quality business organizers at such sites as Amazon, choosing something that will work well based on who you are buying the gift for. With a little time and effort, you will find the right organizer that will help your friend continue to succeed.

Women need the right business tools to be successful. If you have a strong female in your life that you are proud of, tell them. Show them how much you care and how you want to help them succeed by providing gifts that are useful and work well to push them to the next level.

 

“Birthdays are nature’s way of feeding us cakes.” Absolutely! In a birthday party, more than anything else, everyone awaits the cake cutting ceremony so that they could taste the moist, fudgy cake. From the tiny toddlers to the adults, a cake is everyone’s “Jaan.”

So, it makes complete sense to put in all your thoughts and efforts in finding a bakery that offers birthday cakes that are beautiful and tasty. Designer cakes are an extension of beauty and deliciousness; hence the perfect choice for birthday celebrations to please the sense of the party revellers.

If your son’s birthday is around the corner, we have baked a list of best designer cakes that will elevate the birthday celebrations to new heights.

1 Jungle Safari Cake: Tickle the taste buds of your little lions with an intricately designed jungle-theme cake. Adorned with fondant elephants, lions, giraffes- the jungle safari cake brings all the characters alive in the tastiest manner. The cake is best suited for a jungle safari birthday theme party.

2 Batman Cake: From his room decor to t-shirts, everything is inspired by the comic superhero Batman. A batman cake intricately designed is indeed the perfect birthday cake for your superhero. This two-layered fondant cake in hues of blue and black, decorated with the silhouette of Batman mask, will leave all the little ones surprised.

3 Minion Cake: Inject the birthday celebrations of your cute little son with sweet goosebumps and cheerful vibes by sweeping the table with a minion designer cake. Available in adorable forms and lip-smacking flavours, many reputed bakeries offer online cake delivery in Hyderabad of minion cake.

4 Ben 10 Cake: For your 10-year-old son, who is a fan of action shows will love Ben-10 cake. In the signature green colour of Ben-10 and featuring the photo of Ben Tennyson (protagonist), the Ben-10 cake will transcend the little party-goers from the real world to the realm of Ben-10.

5 Mickey Mouse Cake: In the quotes of Mickey Mouse “Laughter is Timeless.” Infact, the birthday boy and the cute munchkins were sheer joy by treating their taste buds with colourful and delicious mickey mouse cake.

6 Guitar Cake: For the birthday of your superstar son– a guitar-shaped cake is the idyllic choice. Strike the right chords by making him cut an intricately designed guitar-shape cake. Choose the cake in the flavour most liked by your son to hit him with nostalgia.

7 Doraemon Cake: Doraemon is every child’s favourite. So, if there is a designer cake that promises to bring a broad smile on the face of the birthday boy and his friends, it is a Doraemon cake. Available in both fondant and buttercream choices, choose the one that your son likes the most.

This was a comprehensive list and by no means an exhaustive list of designer cakes for your son’s birthday bash. The online cakeries and bakeries have a delightful and beautiful collection of designer cakes. Pick the one according to the theme or a character most liked by your son.

The number of people playing online casino slots is increasing each day. This is because besides having fun, you can make big wins. But if you are new to the slots machines, you can`t stop asking how do I win on a slot machine? The good news is that you master some skills on how to beat the slot machine.

Slot machines odds never change and there is nothing that can be done about that legally to change the outcome. Even though some scam artists have succeeded in changing the outcome but most end up being arrested and later sent behind bars. There are much better ways of winning in casino slots. Let’s see what you have to do;

Go for online slots with higher RTP percentages

RTP (Return to Player) is the wagered money paid back to players by a slot machine within a given time. For instance, if a slot machine has a house advantage of 10% that means its RTP will be 90%. So, the slot machine will return 90% to the players’ in the form of wins.

By selecting slots with higher RTP you are entitled to several wins thanks to the high RTP. The opposite is the truth with machines that have low RTP.

Bet as many times as possible until you are eligible for the wins in progressive slots

Progressive slots work by adding the percentage of every wager to the jackpots or jackpot. Also, the 3-reel slot machines are featured by one progressive win on the payoff. You must reach maximum betting coins to be entitled to the wins.

Video slots with progressive jackpots are multi-tiered. They have about 2-12 progressive levels. However, with some video slots, every other player is can win a jackpot even with small bet size. Whatever the case, never go for low paying games. Make the required number of bets to become eligible. If the bets are too high to afford, go for a non-progressive game.

Play slot games that match your goals and personality

Every player wants to play slots game that offers them more jackpot opportunities. A game that extends playtime and has frequent wins.

Note that 3-reel games focus on top jackpots but they got a lower hit frequency and increased losing spins. So, you will have a chance to win big or lose big. While choosing a slot machine, make sure you understand the winning chances offered and check if they match what you are looking for.

Go for online slots with free bets

Slots with free bets are fun and easy too. You will have nothing to lose playing these games. The best part is that you can win fat jackpots with free bets. If you are newbie, free bets can be of much help, you familiarize yourself with the slot machine without risking your hard-earned money. Again, it is an excellent opportunity to win big and experience the excitement that comes with playing online casino slots.

 

Wondering how to host your wedding ceremony in a unique way? Something exceptional that will give a surprising appeal whether be it the wedding venue or that of your Wedding makeover. Choosing to plan for the big day could always be difficult, but you can give a thought on some on some of the barn wedding venue over a regular banquet hall if you want to celebrate it uniquely.

Embrace the Green Surroundings

Celebrating a wedding ceremony in the farmhouse will give you a chance to picturesque the green nature and outlining the same in a blank canvas with you being amidst all of it. You can also decorate the wedding venue in a distinctive by setting a backdrop with flowers and leaves. This natural feel creates a difference between a regular banquet hall and a farmhouse.

Make it Memorable with The Rustic Hue of Nature

Undoubtedly every couple wants to arrange and celebrate their marriage in a unique way so that it remains memorable for a long time. These are where choosing for a farmhouse will help you to add that distinctive approach of yours to keep alive those exciting memories of yours for a long time. The only difference that it creates is that you cannot feel the same natural ambience in a regular banquet hall.

Get Creative with the Open Space

Planning to celebrate your wedding in a farmhouse will give you the luxury of being more creative with your marriage celebration. Choosing a beautiful countryside wedding venue will help you to decorate the place with your own personalised approach. Moreover, you will find several farmhouse for wedding in Chattarpur that offers the couples to decorate the wedding venue in their own style compared to the regular banquet hall.

Journey to a Distant Land

How about starting your grand wedding celebration with an adventure for a distant land? A thrilling journey through the green pastures and meadows will give you a unique experience as you head for the wedding destination. You can experience something like this only when you opt for a farmhouse wedding venue over a regular banquet hall.

Versatile Options for a Unique Makeover

Opting for a barn wedding venue can come with a versatile option when it’s about giving yourself a unique makeover for the wedding. From the wedding costume to custom jewellery and shoes you will get a wide range of option to give yourself the perfect bridal look for the wedding. On the other hand, opting for a regular banquet hall can limit your makeover option.

Go Ahead with a Distinctive Approach

It’s all about hosting your wedding in a grand eloquent manner, and you will always try to make something unique that will create a lasting impression. So plan your marriage in a farmhouse instead of a regular banquet hall so that you can define an outline that will be remembered for a long time.

Not spending sufficient time with your family because of work will make you feel guilty. Even if you can provide for their needs, you still feel terrible because you don’t spend time with them. The worst part is that your children grow up quickly. It might just be a week that turns into a month, and several years. Before you know it, your children are already adults. They don’t want to spend time with you anymore. Therefore, you can’t lose the opportunity to bond with them whenever you can.

Go to funfairs

Going to funfairs would be an excellent idea. You spend time with the people you love, and you also enjoy the event. There are exciting rides, tasty dishes, and fun games. There’s something for everyone at funfairs. Children of all ages would love to have to be there.

You can make up for lost moments

Due to work, you can no longer spend time with your children. However, a fun day would be enough to make up for the time you lost because you were too busy with work. It doesn’t mean you can just take them to a fair all the time, but it could be a way of saying sorry. You can promise to be a better parent, and also spend more time with them. Going to a funfair could only be the beginning of more fun activities that you will do as a family.

It’s exhausting but fulfilling

A day at the funfair could be tiring. The sheer size of the venue will make you feel tired. Add to that the number of activities available. Your children will probably ask you to try out all the rides or experience all the exciting activities. Despite that, you will feel fulfilled once the day is over. You know that you did your best to spend time with the people you love, and you created a wonderful moment with them.

Suggest a fun fair to your employer

If your company organises corporate events or other fun events for the employees, you could suggest that they try organising fairground rides for hire. Everyone at work would love it. Employees with children would agree to have this activity. It’s a chance for them to bond with their family. Some of them are so busy at work that even during the weekends, they still keep working. If the company organises a fun activity for everyone, it would be exciting. The employees will drop their work and bring their family to the event.

Make it a habit 

You can be an excellent provider for your family, but it doesn’t mean you’re a good parent. It also doesn’t guarantee that your children will learn to love you. Make it a habit to spend time with them whenever you can. Again, you can’t bring back the lost moments. If you miss these opportunities, they won’t happen again. You want your children growing up having fond memories of you and your family.

 

Planning your walk-in closet is not a walk in the park. It’s completely different from designing any other part of your house, let alone a standard wardrobe. You’re building a configuration of many different storage solutions and creating a perfect fit for all your belongings. This can indeed be a daunting task, but a step by step plan will help you take care of everything.

Assess how much you have

Determining how much stuff will go into your closet and the amount of space it requires is crucial in jump-starting this project. Figure out how much of your wardrobe will comprise of clothes. There will be separate sections for tops, outfits that require hanging, pants, and jackets. Also, ensure that all your undergarments have their own space. Position them in areas that are easy for you to access. Make sure to plan the section where you want to put your bags. Some materials in bags require less exposure than others and deciding on the type of doors your closet will have is vital. Jewellery, ties, belts, and shoes will need their own space too. Lastly, decide on how many partitions you would like to include and extra storage if you foresee adding more pieces to your collection.

Determine how much space you need

The next question you should ask yourself is about the measurements of each partition, based on what will be inside your closet. Be strategic in planning for what goes on the topmost shelf down to the bottom. Determining how high you want your shelves to be will also entail details on how you plan on reaching the top. Getting the dimensions will help you decide on how big the closet needs to be and how big a space will be left for your bathroom and bedroom, if applicable.

Your wardrobe’s aesthetics

This is the part where you get to channel the creative in you. Colour is an integral part of your soon-to-be closet. The colour should match the theme you have in mind and should still be consistent with the overall look, touch, and feel of your home. The materials you will use are also an essential element of this space. The most important aspect of this fitted wardrobe is you. So customise it to your heart’s content, and enjoy the process. The fruits of your labour will come shortly after.

How much is enough lighting?

For a well-lit walk-in closet, each light fixture should illuminate a 4-by-6 foot area of space. Determine if cabinet lights and dim lights are right for your needs. These type of lights help in more hollow sections, especially those parts of the closet which your room’s lighting won’t reach.

Personalising your closet space is so much more than a luxury. It is practicality and convenience in one. Walk-in closets provide ventilation to the clothes that help you create a statement. Best of all, they make you feel good about taking care of the things that add quality to your life.

 

If you are interested in DIY renovation and remodelling, you need to become quite familiar with flooring materials. As such, it is also vital to understand the difference between concrete and liquid screed. It is easy to get confused since both are primarily made using the same components. However, there are differences, especially in texture, performance, and ideal applications that you need to know about.

What is liquid screed?

Almost everyone is familiar with ready mix concrete. Usually, you buy the mixture which contains different proportions of aggregate, water, sand, and cement. The manufacturer may also include additives to improve the performance of the resulting surface. Ready-mix concrete is easy to use and apply; hence, it is one of the most common construction materials used today.

In contrast, liquid screed is made from the same materials, but the components have a smaller or more delicate consistency than an ordinary concrete mixture. Typically, liquid screed contains less aggregate, making the resulting mixture smoother and more liquid. This texture is what makes screed the ideal material for sub-flooring. The lack of solid aggregates means it does not have the structural integrity for vertical applications.

Uses of ready mix concrete and liquid screed

Because these two construction materials have different consistencies, they are also used in different parts of construction projects. Ready-mix concrete is usually applied in external surfaces to provide structural support. Concrete is also ideal for paving driveways, fence foundations, pillars, basement paving, and any application where durability is critical.

On the other hand, liquid screed is used for internal installations, such as flooring. Once the layer of screed has been poured, you do not need to bother smoothing out any bumps. Contractors like liquidscreed.co.uk specialise in floor screed and will take care of the pouring and installation for you. Although DIY friendly, it is still best to hire a contractor when the project is too big for one person to handle.

Another popular application of liquid screed is in providing structural support for underfloor heating. Since the material flows quickly and smoothly, it adheres well to the pipes and does not have any air bubbles. As a result, it helps improve the heat conductivity of the pipes.

Other benefits of using liquid screed

In addition to the compatibility of liquid screed with underfloor heating installation, there are other benefits to using this material for your subfloor.

• Easy handling and installation. For small DIY projects, liquid screed is easy to manage. Although it appears too liquid, it dries out quicker than ordinary cement. Installation requires less equipment and also takes less time if you have a pump.
• It helps achieve a level surface. Evenness is critical when installing any flooring finish. You can level an uneven subfloor by adding a layer of liquid screed.
• It does not crack easily. Cracking is a significant disadvantage of using ordinary cement. Fortunately, you will not have the same problem with liquid screed as it dries evenly and is not susceptible to cracking.

If you are interested in using liquid screed for a DIY project, contact a reputable screed contractor to ensure you get the best quality material for your needs.