All About Retaining Walls - Concrete Retaining Walls and Decorative Retaining Walls

Introduction to Retaining Walls

First, a retaining wall is a structure that holds back, or "retains," lateral faces of dirt, water, or other materials. Retaining walls are used to prevent erosion or collapse of higher level ground onto a certain building, structure, or general area. The earth that is retained is often referred to as backfill. The word backfill is also used as a verb to describe placing more dirt behind a retaining wall to make the ground more level.

Retaining walls can be the answer if you are blessed (or cursed) to a contoured lot. They can turn a steep slope into a terraced yard, creating a stair step effect instead of a slope.

Retaining walls can be constructed from many different materials using many different techniques. There are several factors that influence which choice will be the best choice for each situation, including cost, height of the wall, soil characteristics, and ground water conditions.

Generally, most municipalities require that any retaining wall over four feet in height be engineered or approved by a licensed engineer. It is important to check local building codes before starting any retaining wall projects, even if it is below four feet tall. After all, retaining walls should be structurally sound before there is any thought of aesthetic appeal. The retaining wall must be able to stand up to the pressure exerted by the backfill, also called lateral earth pressure. This lateral earth pressure is a majority of the force that the retaining wall will need to bear. Lateral earth pressure is determined by studying the weight of the soil unit, slope of the soil, soil type (for plasticity and adhesion purposes with clay soil types), and ground water levels. Engineers do many calculations with these factors to determine what design to implement with the wall. To homeowners and contractors that do not want to go through engineering steps, it is generally a good rule to overdo it. Many structural methods to build retaining walls with withhold earth, at least temporarily, with a height up to four feet, are adequate, which is why most local building codes require engineering if the wall will be over four feet tall.

However, even methods that may seem adequate for retaining earth can fail if they are not built properly. Many times, it is elements below grade that can make (or break) a retaining wall. Problems including bowing, slanting, or cracking are evidence of retaining wall failure because it was not successful in retaining the dirt. Cutting costs with a bad contractor, insufficient materials, or neglecting the below grade elements can turn out to be more expensive over time if replacement or repair is necessary often or if collapse of earth causes damage to nearby structures. For example, erosion can cause foundation issues if dirt erodes from under the foundation. This is just one example how a retaining wall failure can cause expensive problems aside from the cost to repair or replace the retaining wall.

Another aspect that is often neglected or underestimated that can cause failure of a retaining wall is drainage. Inadequate drainage of retaining walls can mean that water is trapped behind the wall, adding to the weight that the wall must hold back. Usually weep holes and/or drainage pipes are used to flush rain water and ground water from behind the wall. It is important that the drainage system, whatever it be, have a filter barrier to keep dirt from clogging the drain or weep hole.

Options for Retaining Wall Materials

· Railroad Crossties - Railroad crossties, also shortened to railroad ties, can be used as a retaining wall material; however, as with most every retaining wall material, it must be installed correctly in order to be a solution. For example, most railroad tie retaining walls will need a substantial footer to tie the crossties to in order to keep the bottom from sliding out. Also, there needs to be perpendicular members placed into the ground behind the wall to keep the wall from overturning. These members, called deadmen, should be at least 1.5 times as long as the wall is high and should be placed at minimum every 6 feet or so. Because railroad ties are wood (even though they are treated most of the time), there is a risk that they may rot over time or be subject to termite infestation, which can lead to a weak wall likely to bulge or break. And, even though there are areas for water to slowly seep though, it is still a good idea to have a filtered drain or weep holes designed into the wall.

· Treated Wood - Treated wood retaining walls offer many of the same risks as retaining walls because over time it is susceptible to rot and termite infestation. It is a labor intensive construction, but it is usually lightweight and decently strong if built correctly. It is recommended to build a concrete footer to attach the wall to in order to keep it from shifting. Construction usually requires a clear area to be backfilled after the wall is built, so it is not always the best material to use if you are replacing an existing retaining wall. This wall still needs weep holes or drains designed into the wall. Standing water behind the wood will only increase risk of rot.

· Concrete - Concrete is a great material to use for retaining walls. Of course, there is a right and a wrong way to build a concrete retaining wall, which makes choosing your contractor a big job. There are many different designs that can lead to a successful concrete retaining wall, but one thing is for sure: there needs to be a footer beneath the wall to ensure success. Concrete is one of the most durable man-made products known to man. Most concrete poured today is engineered to last for over 50 years. Plus, concrete offers many decorative options as well. Aside from a plain, white concrete retaining wall, you can also pour a colored concrete retaining wall, stain a retaining wall after it has cured, pour into a patterned form, apply a vertical stamp material and pattern after poured, etc. Sealing the concrete wall can lead to an easy-to-maintain surface that rinses free of most dirt and grime.

· Blocks or Paver Stones - Engineered blocks that stack together to make a wall must be as simple as building with Legos, right? Nope. These retaining walls should also have a significant footer in order to support not only the weight of the dirt but also the weight of the wall. These blocks can be a unique look, but it may even be necessary to place a concrete retaining wall behind the blocks if there immense lateral earth pressure. In such a case, the concrete would be the structural element, using the blocks as a visual feature.

· Rock or Brick - One of the favorite looks for a retaining wall is natural stone or brick. These materials usually look more permanent and traditionally classy. However, just as we have seen with the other materials, it is necessary to have a concrete footer below grade to carry the weight and ensure success of the retaining wall. Like architectural blocks or paver systems, it may be necessary to back a masonry retaining wall with a concrete retaining wall for structural support.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tasha_Lucas

Using Wall Lighting Creatively

Our environment is strongly affected by the lighting used for many reasons, such as being able to see without any problems. However, nowadays lighting goes even further and is used to set a mood or perception of a certain area. This is not difficult to do considering light fixtures come in many forms and sizes. One of the commonly used fixtures purchased today is wall lighting.

Wall lighting is becoming more common in the market nowadays; this is the case especially in the housing market. Developers in the housing market say that most of their clients seem to prefer the use of wall lighting fixtures. Using this form of lighting does change the ambiance of the house and brings in a modern twist to what could easily be a cliche industry.

There are benefits associated with using wall lighting fixtures over other forms of light fixtures. One is that it can be used to set a certain mood or emotion for a room, which is easily done because these fixtures are pretty much in a person's line of sight. Those that enter a room with attractive wall light fixtures will notice just that before anything else.

However, wall light fixtures can also be strategically placed and can also double as a wall ornament. They can also be decorative with accessories, such as colorful lamp shades. Since the market is loaded with artistically set-up displays of light fixtures, you will easily see how this type of lighting also has an ornamental value.

There is another reason why wall lighting is fast becoming the preferred form of light and that is that the light is not so intensive as others on the market. An example would be in a bedroom where very bright light most likely is not needed and for that reason a wall lighting fixture would be better.

Wall lighting also is better for lighting up a large room, for example a ballroom, than a single overhead one would be which is why developers will incorporate wall lighting to brighten a room. Wall lighting has become very commonplace in the market for this reason, among other reasons as the best way to illuminate a room.

As long as the market demands aesthetics for light fixtures, there will be a demand for wall lighting. This is because it is a way to change the ambiance of a room by just adding the right fixtures.

Wall Mount Accessories - Have You Thought of These?

So many times I have been contacted by my web site enthusiasts interested in knowing what is available in different and unusual wall decor. They want some information on wall decor that will set them apart from the usual boring "Same old, same old."

They also say that they would like to decorate their walls in a way that would express themselves as individuals who don't necessarily follow the crowd. They ask for my suggestions of what I believe to be tastefully and uncommonly artful wall decor.

For some time I researched their need and after careful study, I have come up with some suggestions that just might help them out. Keep in mind that when it comes to wall decor, there are unlimited directions that one could pursue.

Because I have limited space here on this page, I will give some examples of what I believe to be unusual wall decorations. From there I hope to get the imaginations of those of you who are looking for this information, a sort of kick start to your own exploration of unexpected wall decor.

So I started out by locating Metal Wall Art and Sculptures. These are fascinating creations that will give the room a three dimensional artful appeal. There is something here that is sure to please anyone who is looking for different.

The first metal art I will go over with you is Laser Cut Metal Wall Art. From pieces sculpted into the shapes of suns, animals such as horses, deer, dolphins in tropical scenes, cowboy boots and hat, elk in forest scenes, butterfly and flowers, Azaleas with hummingbird and so much more laser cut metal wall art. You just have to go online to see for yourself how different and beautiful this art truly is.

Staying in metal wall art, the next pieces I found are called steel image wall art. This particular art form is produced from medium gauge steel. The image is then laser cut and formed into art. The steel is then hand brushed to a rich textured finish. The unique colors available are from a process called Kaleidikolor. The final process is powder coating to assure durability for both inside and outside wall hanging applications.

I found a variety of different topics made into Kaleidikolor art forms. Some of these topics included gecko metal art, different forms of sun and moon metal art, a variety of different trees such as Aspen and Aspen branches of different sizes, Hummingbird metal art, North American animals of the wilderness and so much more.

I don't have enough space here to provide you with all that is offered in this Kaleidikolor art. You'll have to go online and see for yourself all the magnificent metal Kaleidikolor art offered to truly appreciate this art form. There are literally hundreds of pieces in different topics to choose from.

Wall Planters are another form of wall art that will enhance the atmosphere of a room. These beautifully crafted plant holding devices are a welcome addition to the total presentation, giving the room in which they are displayed an elegant touch of harmony only nature's plant life can provide.

Most of your wall planters are made of Iron. Many of these iron wall planters are constructed of iron rods bent into artful shapes or crisscrossed and welded together to form wall planters of exquisite style. Some of this metal artwork has metal framework while others do not.

Other forms of metal wall planters have artfully curvaceous wall mounted hanging brackets with metal mesh baskets hung by artful chains. After you have securely anchored the bracket to the wall, all you have to do is put a plant into the hanging basket and enjoy the heavenly scent of fresh flowers in bloom.

Staying with metal wall planters, let's explore one more version. This version is called the Wall Mounted Planting Bowl. This is different from what I have written about so far.

These beautiful wall mounted planting bowls are cast iron molds. All these wall mounted planting bowls use cultural period designs and castings that once graced Europe's cities, towns and estates. The handcrafted detail of these wall mounted planting bowls brings out the extremely artful display of a bygone era.

For a more rustic look you can go with a wooden three shelf wall plant holder. This shelf wall plant holder has the look of a picket fence. If you have rooms in your home with a country or rural theme, then this shelf wall plant holder will fit in quite well.

My last example of is often overlooked, but should never be ignored. This wall mounted art gives you a world of possibilities.

Let me ask you, "When was the last time you switched on or switched off a light in a room of your home? Did you notice something different on the wall? Did you have a feeling that something magical happened every time you used the light switch on the wall?"

If not, then you probably haven't opened yourself up to the world of Wall Switchplates. Most people decorate rooms of their home without even thinking about what the right wall switchplates would do to enhance the room. Are you one of those?

Well, today I will educate you to what is available in wall switchplates. I'm sure this information will surprise most of you reading this. You probably have no idea on the enormous amount of themes that these small but room enhancing artifacts are available in.

Get ready to have your mind blown. Here are a few examples of the themes that wall switchplates are available in. You have Abstract, African, Animals/Farm, Animals/Pet, Animals/Wild, Antique, Art, Asian, Baroque, Beverages, Birds, Books/Letters, Borders, Caribbean, Celtic, Children's, Christian, Classic, Country, Dancing, European, Extra Functionality, Fantasy, Fish, Flowers/Plants, Fruit, Games, Geometric, Global Spirit, Grab Bag, Hearts, Holidays, Insects, Kitchen, Latin-American, Music, Ocean, Odd Shapes, Patterns, Retro, Rustic, Scrolls and Swirls, Solid Color, Southwestern, Speckled, Sports, Sun/Moon/Stars, Victorian, Western, Whimsical and Wine/Grapes to choose from.

As if that wasn't enough, you have colors to choose from. The colors offered are Beige/Brown, Black, Blue, Gray, Green, Ivory/Almond, Metallic, Multiple, Orange, Pink, Purple, Red, Teal, White and Yellow. Take your choice...

We're not done with wall switchplates yet. You also have a choice of finishes. Your choices when it comes to wall switchplate finishes are Antique Brass, Polished Brass, Satin Brass, Bronze, Dark Bronze, Oil Rubbed Bronze, Chrome, Satin Chrome, Copper, Mirror, Nickel, Satin Nickel, Pewter, Verdigris, Weathered Black, Weathered Rust, Distressed and Hammered. And we're not finished yet.

And now, you also have choices of what material your wall switchplate is made from. Here your choices are Aluminum, Brass, Ceramic, Decoupage, Masonite, Mirror, Pewter, Plastic, Polymer Clay on Plastic, Questech, Steel, Wood and Wrought Iron. Are you beginning to see the big picture?

Wall switchplates are a fascinating subject to study. Always take notes...

Well, there you have it. I attempted to introduce different and unusual wall mount accessories. These items are not your usual run-of-the-mill wall decorations. If you want to express yourself outside of the box, then go for it...

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Barbara_Tobiasz

How to Install an Iron Wall Candle Holder

Iron wall candle holders have been around for thousands of years. They date back to medieval times where these wall candle holders were used for lighting the hallways of castles. Today these charming pieces of decorative art are used to add a feeling of warmth and tranquility to the room whose walls adorn them.

In order to install these types of candles, you must first know the circumstances of the room in which these will hang. Since this form of indoor wall lighting will use candles for lighting, you must examine the room to make sure that these wall candles will not be placed on the walls near anything that could possibly catch fire while the candles are burning, such as surrounding art, curtains, coat racks and anything else that could catch fire.

Keep in mind that candles melt and melted wax can get on your walls and floors. To avoid this you may want to have some sort of glass cover around your candle. Glass covers are available in clear frosted or colors of your choice.

Another good idea is to determine how high on the walls you wish to place these holders. If children are a part of your household, you may want to place these holders above the reach of children.

After you know whether you want or don't want a glass covering your candle and exactly how high you want your holders on your walls, the next thing is to measure each wall for placement. Depending on how many you wish to place on each wall, with a tape measure, measure how high on the wall you want to place them. I suggest that you measure from the floor up the wall and mark the wall at the proper height using a pencil. Go about 12 inches over from your first wall mark and repeat this procedure. Now you have 2 pencil marks on the wall at the same height about 12 inches apart.

Next, measure the width of the wall at the same height you placed the 2 previous height pencil marks and write the width measurement on a piece of paper. Depending on how many of these holders you wish to hang, divide the width of the wall by the number of wall candles you wish to hang. Once you know how far apart each holder will be, then using a tape measure, mark the wall with a pencil dot on each place the holder will hang.

If you are placing iron wall candle holders along the sides of wall art or a wall mirror, then what you need to do is measure how far from the left and right side of the artwork you wish to place each holder. With your measuring tape go to the left and right side of the wall art (or wall mirror) and measure from the edge of the art outward on both sides. Make sure your outward measurements on both sides are identical. Repeat this step over again on both sides, only this time go about 8 inches either above or below your first marks on both sides of your wall art (or wall mirror).

Now using the 2 pencil dots you have on both sides of your wall art, line your tape measure from the floor up the wall using the 2 pencil dots as a guide for a straight line and mark a pencil dot on the wall exactly how high you wish to hang your candle holder. Repeat this procedure on the other side of the wall art and you will have identical spacing for your holders on both sides of the wall art (or wall mirror).

Iron wall candle holders are not light in weight. In order to hang these holders securely you must use what is known as a wall anchor. Remember, never try to hang an iron wall candle holder with a screw directly into drywall or plastered walls. It just won't hold the weight.

Wall anchors are small devices that are placed into the wall at the exact same place a screw would go to hold up these types of wall candles. By using a wall anchor you will be able to hold heavy objects such as heavy metal sconces securely to the wall without having to worry about the fixture becoming loose from the wall and eventually falling off the wall.

Wall anchors come in different styles and sizes to accommodate different size screws that will screw into it after the anchor has been placed into the wall. My favorite wall anchor for hanging wall mounted candle holders looks like a short stubby plastic screw with a screw hole in the center.

This anchor is easy to install. All you have to do is drill a small hole (about half the diameter of the anchor) where you want to place the screw to hold your candle on the wall. After you have drilled the small hole, all you have to do is screw in the anchor into the small hole you just drilled until it is flush to the wall. Repeat this procedure for all the screws needed to mount your iron wall candle holder. When you have inserted all the anchors needed to mount your wall sconce to the wall, then you simply hold the wall sconce in position over the anchors and proceed to screw your holder up to the wall. It is as simple as that and rest assured that your candle sconce is on the wall securely.

Iron wall candle holders are works of art that come in many different shapes and sizes. They add comfort to the overall feeling of any room in which they are placed on the wall. With a small amount of effort you can add these to several rooms of your home and enjoy a simple but pleasing touch of art passed on down through the centuries.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joe_Tobiasz

Wall Water Fountains - Create a Spectacular Look at the Workplace

The workplace must have a calm and serene atmosphere so that you find an ease at the moment when you are headed for any work or accomplishing any task. This is the common case with all the people when they are headed for any assignment with a thought to earn for your family or support the members present in the family unit which is fed by you. Most of the people are generally tensed and pressurized with the load of work that is waiting for them at the workplace. These days the workplace has become the spot of stress and tension. This is the main reason for which the supervisors of the corporate feel the necessity for reliving this stress.

The best way to improve the ambiance of the working place is by installing an interior wall water fountain. The soothing thud of the falling water can motivate you and keep you loaded with the energy when you are on any job. This is the best piece that can improve the appearance of the corner of your working place. You can take the aid of these wall water fountains to enhance the boring atmosphere at your office and switch over to calm environ at your office.

These decors at your office impart a passive and soothing effect at your office. The thuds of the trickling water over the surface which is made up of marbles and stone is quite satisfying and pleasant. These decor pieces are the modern and up to date equipments that can form the main attraction at your working place. You can step over these decor equipments that can enhance the appearance and ambience of your working place.

There are many administrative centers that have installed these interior wall water fountains in the lobby or the reception area. But you can place these decor parts at any other part of your working places. This will make you feel an ease with the relaxing and tension - free atmosphere. You can install these wall water fountains at the conference rooms and provide you with the calming atmosphere at the meetings.

Generally, these wall water fountains are availed with the re - circulating pumps that can avert you from the trouble to plumb these spouts for the perfect and easy supply of water. This cascade is designed in a way to create an uproar or fracas at the place where it is installed. The effect of the trickling of water is very soothing and can relax your entire body system. This fountain has the power to create the trouble-free atmosphere at the office.

The interior wall water spouts are space savers and can be installed easily. They are very compatible as compared to the customary floor cascades. They are competent of creating a humid effect for the atmosphere of room where they are installed. They can turn your mood on and turn it into the happy frame of mind. These decor pieces are very effective on the environment of the administrative center.

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Wall Stickers - Removable Wall Decor

There have been various fads for wall decor over the past decade. In the 90s, it was wall stenciling and before that it was wallpaper. Both of these options were very permanent decor options and when it comes to decorating a room that is most likely going to be changing within a year or two, these options are not ideal.

Instead of pasting paper to your walls, which is virtually impossible to remove later in life or painting on your walls, there is another option available to you. For instance, you can try a new and contemporary method of decor called wall stickers. This type of removable wall decor allows you a lot more flexibility later in the life of a particular room in your home.

There are several instances in life when you will be decorating a room that is not necessarily going to have this same decor for a long period of time. For instance, you just had a new baby so you want to do your new baby's nursery in a cute Winnie the Pooh or other Disney character design. So, you paint the walls and put up a wallpaper border, or you do the entire room in Winnie the Pooh wallpaper. Or, perhaps you do an entire wall mural of the "Hundred Acre Wood" in paint on the wall. But, what do you do when your little boy or girl decides that they are much more interested in Transformers or Barbie? Do you rip down the wallpaper and hope that you can salvage your walls? Do you cover up the paint with more paint?

Instead of having to worry about repainting walls or tearing down wallpaper, you could make life and your decorating much easier on yourself. You have several options with removable wall decor, or wall stickers. This removable wall decor is available in all of your child's favorite designs. You also have the option of wall murals, so no painting is needed, nor is an artist. You can choose from a wide variety of borders and other decor as well. If your child is a Disney fan, self-stick wall appliqués provide you with a number of different Disney and Pixar characters to select from. All are easy to put and made of heavy duty vinyl that they can peel and stick whenever the desire.

As your child grows, their tastes change. They enjoy a variety of different cartoons, movies, and even sports teams. They will probably even want to change their room's decor once every couple of years or so. This cannot only get very expensive throughout their life, but it is a time consuming process to paint, repaint and wallpaper the same room repeatedly. Removable wall decor makes it easy for them to decorate their own room. With removable wall decor, you can provide your child with a blank wall and some wall stickers and let them have at it. You can even find wall sticker growth charts so that you can track your child's growth without having to write on the walls or make notches in the doorframe.

One of the many benefits of wall decor is that you don't have to worry about the wall stickers leaving any residue. They stick to virtually any flat surface in their room, which allows your children to be as creative as they want. Your child can change the room everyday if they want. With borders, wall murals, and appliqués to choose from, they will have the flexibility of not only what designs they want, but they can decorate any way they want.

In addition, they can create a unique photomural of photos on their wall as well. These are removable wall décor that provide you with various options including wall pockets and photo frames. These allow your children to frame photos of them, their friends and family all over their walls. Wall pockets provide them with a way to store all of their little trinkets or display items on their walls.

If you're interested an easier way to decorate and keep up with your child's ever-changing decor tastes, you can keep up with them by using removable wall decor. Removable wall decor does not cost any more than what you would pay for wallpaper or paint. It's an affordable way to decorate and you can reuse the wall decals for up to two years or more.

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How to Secure Your Larger Heavier Wall Clocks on the Wall

Wall clocks are an amazing and fascinating subject to explore. With the variety of shapes and sizes, you can always expect the unexpected just when you thought you saw it all. Today with all the forms of wall hanging timepieces, one has to be sure when it comes to larger and heaver clocks, that when you hang them on a wall, you are careful enough to hang the clock securely so that your artful display of time will remain safely on the wall.

In order to hang a heavier wall clock on the wall, you must do certain things to make sure your clock will remain in place without doing damage to your wall and possible damage to your clock. If you follow the procedures that I have set forth below, you will have a wall timepiece that will remain in place without any damaging effects whatsoever.

The first thing you have to do is make sure you find a secure section of your wall to fasten your clock. This is done by using a tool that is called a Stud Finder. Behind your plasterboard or drywall walls are support wooden frames called studs. These studs are made from long wood pieces of 2 inch by 4 inch boards. The vertical sections of these frames behind your walls are generally constructed about 18 inches apart along the inner wall.

In order to find exactly where these stud boards are located behind your wall, you will need to use an electronic device called a stud finder. You can find these stud finders at any hardware or home improvement store. With a stud finder you will be able to locate the stud inside your wall near the location you intend to hang your heavy wall clock.

Once you have found the stud behind the wall, make a pencil mark on the wall where you intend to hang your clock. When determining the correct location of inserting a large wood screw into the wall in order to hang your clock, be sure to take into account the position of the hanger located on the back side of the clock.

After you have determined the exact position to insert the screw into the wall, with a hand drill and a tiny drill bit, drill a tiny hole into the wall making sure you drill through the stud. Next, after you drilled your tiny hole into the wall, insert your large wood screw. Make sure you screw the screw in only far enough so the head of the screw sticks out from the wall enough to support the clock. A quarter to a half inch out from the wall should be enough to support the heavy clock. Hang your clock and enjoy.

On the other hand, there are some cases where the stud behind the wall is not located in a position where you intend to hang your timepiece. In this situation the solution to this is using what is called a screw anchor. These screw anchors are available in plastic and metal. There are styles of screw anchors available for a variety of wall hanging projects.

These screw anchors come in different shapes and sizes. Depending on how much weight your wall clock is will determine what style and size screw anchor will be necessary to hang your clock. The employees at your local hardware or home improvement store will have the knowledge to help you determine exactly what type of screw anchor is appropriate for your clock hanging situation. Just tell them exactly what you intend to do.

Once you have determined what type of screw anchor to use, drill an appropriate size hole into the wall. Always make sure you account for the position of the hanger on the back of the clock when positioning your clock hanging screw. After you have inserted the correct screw anchor into the wall, with a screw attached and sticking out from the wall one quarter to one half inch, gently hang your clock. Make sure that your clock is securely in place. Enjoy your clock.

If you are placing a heavy wall clock on a masonry or brick wall the same procedures apply. Determine exactly where on the wall you wish to drill a hole to hang your clock, but with masonry or brick walls use metal screw anchors only.

Hanging a heavy wall clock is not a difficult project when done correctly. There are certain procedures and tools to make the job easy to complete. All you have to know are a few easy steps.

Tag : wall,wall clocks,wall paper,wall decor

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joe_Tobiasz

How To Install A Wall Candle Holder Safely

The first thing you have to do when safely installing a wall candle holder is to choose a wall sconce that has built in safety features. Always choose a candle holder that has a hurricane glass or some other kind of glass that completely surrounds the candle from top to bottom. This feature will eliminate the possibility of wax getting on your walls, floors or carpet.

The next thing to do is position the wall candle far enough away from flammable objects such as curtains, wall art, coat racks and any other objects that could catch fire if your sconce is positioned too close.
Now you should consider how high on the wall you should place your sconce. To determine how high on the wall your candle holder should be you have to consider your personal circumstances. Take into consideration if you have children or seniors around. Could your pet get too close? Is this sconce to be placed in a high people traffic area?

Once you have considered how high on the wall you need to hang your candle holder, the next thing to do is make sure you attach the sconce to the wall very securely. You have two very safe ways to safely secure your wall candle holder to the wall. You always want to make sure that your sconce will remain on the wall at all times.

The first way to hang your wall sconce is to use a wall anchor. These wall anchors come in a variety of screw sizes. Because of the different anchor sizes, you want to make sure that the anchor you use is the correct size to match the screw you will eventually screw into the anchor. If the anchor is too big for the screw, the wall candle holder will not be secured to the wall properly. As a candle burns there is a weight shift that could cause the candle holder to tip and this could cause candle wax to spill or the candle itself to fall. Be careful to insert the correct wall anchor into the wall so that the wall sconce will be attached properly.

Your other choice for hanging your wall candle is to use mounting brackets that are used for hanging wall planters and other heavy wall hanging objects. These mounting brackets are found at most home improvement and hardware stores. You can also find them online. Do a search and in no time you will find the best wall hanging bracket for your sconce.

Another thing to do is light the candle and drip melted wax on the candle holder base. Immediately place the candle on top of the melted wax so the candle is securely bonded to the candle holder. This way, if the candle holder is tilted, the candle will not fall off of the holder.

So now let’s review this entire wall candle holder installation safety procedure.

1. Make sure your sconce has some sort of glass enclosure so melted wax stays on the holder
2. Make sure the placement of your wall candle is free from fire hazards.
3. Consider how high on the wall you should place the sconce according to your personal circumstances.
4. Securely attach the wall candle holder using the correct wall anchors or mounting brackets.
5. Drip melted wax on the base of the candle holder and place the candle on the melted wax to create a strong bond to the candle holder base.

There you have it. With careful preparation, your wall sconce will flicker with beauty for many years. You can rest assured that you have considered all the possible hazards and removed them from possibly occurring.

By: Joe Tobiasz

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Tag : wall,wall decor,wall paper,wall design,install wall