This Caledonia, Ontario bungalow has a pool with walk-out access to an outdoor patio on the foundation level. Above the ceiling, which is I-beam construction, is the living room. The owner wanted to contain moisture and sound within the pool area, while creating aesthetic appeal and remaining within budget. Most residential spaces only require stretch ceiling support around the perimeter of the room, but swimming pool rooms are unusually large, so we opted to install the stretch ceiling in sections, attaching the support profiles directly to the I-Beams. The client chose a golden classical graphic to print on the centre sections. The entire family is happy with the results. The whole project came in at under $10, 000 and a turnaround time of less than 2 weeks.

Art-Tek Construction transformed this weathered fence and deck with a complete restoration and premium staining system using Dulux WoodPride Hybrid Solid Stain. Proper preparation was the key to achieving a beautiful, long-lasting finish, beginning with a thorough pressure wash to remove dirt, mildew, weathered wood fibres, and previous coating residue. Once the wood was clean and properly prepared, we applied Dulux WoodPride Hybrid Solid Stain, a high-performance coating engineered to provide exceptional durability and protection against Alberta's harsh climate. Its advanced hybrid technology offers outstanding adhesion, excellent UV resistance, superior colour retention, and strong resistance to peeling, cracking, and moisture penetration while allowing the natural texture of the wood to remain visible. The finished project gave the fence and deck a rich, uniform appearance while providing years of protection against sun, rain, snow, and seasonal weather changes. This project reflects Art-Tek's commitment to premium products, meticulous preparation, and craftsmanship that helps homeowners protect their investment while enhancing the beauty of their outdoor living spaces.

I was recently asked to survey an unusual stone floor at a house in in Harrogate comprising of Slate inlaid with Granite. The client advised that it had not been cleaned properly for 20 years and wanted it renovating! It was now definitely overdue a deep clean and professional attention. Fortunately, having worked on these floors for many years I knew I could make a substantial impact and transform its appearance. Fossilized slate is a beautiful stone when cleaned and sealed correctly. The owner confessed they had actually been sealing the floor every two years but without a deep clean first, so they were effectively sealing in the dirt each time. I discussed with them the process I would use to clean and re-seal the floor and we agreed a price to carry to out the work. To remove the layers of old sealer and dirt used a set of Tile Doctor Diamond Burnishing pads. The pads are attached to a rotary floor machine starting with the coarse 400-grit pad which was lubricated with a dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go to help strip the floor of dirt and layers of sealer. After rinsing and extracting the soil I worked through the different grades of pads in sequence finishing with the 1500-grit and this time using just water for lubrication. A set of diamond handheld burnishing blocks were then used to clean up the edges and corners where the large 17” pads struggle to reach. This ensures all areas are treated and free of dirt and old sealer. The floor was then rinsed and extracted again to remove the remaining soil. I find a wet vacuum is an invaluable tool for this. The floor was then left to dry out overnight ready for sealing the next day. I returned the next day to seal the floor, first checking with a damp meter that the floor was dry, and the moisture reading was below the acceptable level. These results were fine, so I had a green light to continue and seal the stone. The customer wanted a shine on the floor so rather than apply a satin sealer which I felt wouldn’t adhere to the stone properly I decided to polish the floor further with a the last of the four burnishing pads which is a very fine 3000-grit pad. You don’t need to use a lot of water with this last pad just a small amount sprayed onto the floor using a technique we refer to as a ‘Spray Burnish’. To seal the floor, two coats of Tile Doctor Colour Grow were applied. This is an impregnating matt sealer which intensifies the natural colours of this beautiful stone and provides long lasting durable protection. Even I was impressed with the finished result but more importantly the client was over the moon. To keep the floor looking its best I recommended they use Tile Doctor Stone Soap which is pH neutral. You should always read the label in detail when choosing a floor cleaning product as many are too strong and not recommended for sealed stone surfaces as they will prematurely erode the sealer. Nigel Stoker North West Yorkshire Tile Doctor

This project involved a small bathroom in a 1970s detached home in Dalhousie, NW Calgary. The layout measured approximately 5×8 feet and remained unchanged to control plumbing costs. The primary goal was improving usability and correcting moisture-related concerns without expanding the footprint.

Art-Tek Construction transformed this weathered fence and deck with a complete restoration and premium staining system using Dulux WoodPride Hybrid Solid Stain. Proper preparation was the key to achieving a beautiful, long-lasting finish, beginning with a thorough pressure wash to remove dirt, mildew, weathered wood fibres, and previous coating residue. Once the wood was clean and properly prepared, we applied Dulux WoodPride Hybrid Solid Stain, a high-performance coating engineered to provide exceptional durability and protection against Alberta's harsh climate. Its advanced hybrid technology offers outstanding adhesion, excellent UV resistance, superior colour retention, and strong resistance to peeling, cracking, and moisture penetration while allowing the natural texture of the wood to remain visible. The finished project gave the fence and deck a rich, uniform appearance while providing years of protection against sun, rain, snow, and seasonal weather changes. This project reflects Art-Tek's commitment to premium products, meticulous preparation, and craftsmanship that helps homeowners protect their investment while enhancing the beauty of their outdoor living spaces.

Art-Tek Construction transformed this weathered fence and deck with a complete restoration and premium staining system using Dulux WoodPride Hybrid Solid Stain. Proper preparation was the key to achieving a beautiful, long-lasting finish, beginning with a thorough pressure wash to remove dirt, mildew, weathered wood fibres, and previous coating residue. Once the wood was clean and properly prepared, we applied Dulux WoodPride Hybrid Solid Stain, a high-performance coating engineered to provide exceptional durability and protection against Alberta's harsh climate. Its advanced hybrid technology offers outstanding adhesion, excellent UV resistance, superior colour retention, and strong resistance to peeling, cracking, and moisture penetration while allowing the natural texture of the wood to remain visible. The finished project gave the fence and deck a rich, uniform appearance while providing years of protection against sun, rain, snow, and seasonal weather changes. This project reflects Art-Tek's commitment to premium products, meticulous preparation, and craftsmanship that helps homeowners protect their investment while enhancing the beauty of their outdoor living spaces.

Art-Tek Construction transformed this weathered fence and deck with a complete restoration and premium staining system using Dulux WoodPride Hybrid Solid Stain. Proper preparation was the key to achieving a beautiful, long-lasting finish, beginning with a thorough pressure wash to remove dirt, mildew, weathered wood fibres, and previous coating residue. Once the wood was clean and properly prepared, we applied Dulux WoodPride Hybrid Solid Stain, a high-performance coating engineered to provide exceptional durability and protection against Alberta's harsh climate. Its advanced hybrid technology offers outstanding adhesion, excellent UV resistance, superior colour retention, and strong resistance to peeling, cracking, and moisture penetration while allowing the natural texture of the wood to remain visible. The finished project gave the fence and deck a rich, uniform appearance while providing years of protection against sun, rain, snow, and seasonal weather changes. This project reflects Art-Tek's commitment to premium products, meticulous preparation, and craftsmanship that helps homeowners protect their investment while enhancing the beauty of their outdoor living spaces.

Art-Tek Construction transformed this weathered fence and deck with a complete restoration and premium staining system using Dulux WoodPride Hybrid Solid Stain. Proper preparation was the key to achieving a beautiful, long-lasting finish, beginning with a thorough pressure wash to remove dirt, mildew, weathered wood fibres, and previous coating residue. Once the wood was clean and properly prepared, we applied Dulux WoodPride Hybrid Solid Stain, a high-performance coating engineered to provide exceptional durability and protection against Alberta's harsh climate. Its advanced hybrid technology offers outstanding adhesion, excellent UV resistance, superior colour retention, and strong resistance to peeling, cracking, and moisture penetration while allowing the natural texture of the wood to remain visible. The finished project gave the fence and deck a rich, uniform appearance while providing years of protection against sun, rain, snow, and seasonal weather changes. This project reflects Art-Tek's commitment to premium products, meticulous preparation, and craftsmanship that helps homeowners protect their investment while enhancing the beauty of their outdoor living spaces.

These luxury authentic flat-weave collection represent an ancient method of creating a faux animal hair pile which was widespread amongst nomads from Central Asia to Turkey. Woven with cotton warps and Angora goat hair wefts. The goat hair creates the long haired fur-like look. Angora goats are named after the Turkish province of their origin, Ankara and these goats produce the fibre known as mohair. The lustrous hair of the angora goat occurs in every natural shade ranging from black through browns to white, thus making possible a wide variety of colour-schemes with no dyes. More about Mohair… Mohair is one of the oldest textile fibres in use. The Angora goat is thought to originate from the mountains of Tibet, reaching Turkey in the 16th century. Mohair is warm in winter as it has great insulating properties, while remaining cool in summer due to its moisture wicking properties. It’s possible to use double-side, hairy side for winter, woven side for summer. It is durable, naturally elastic, flame resistant, crease resistant, and does not felt. It is a luxury fiber, like cashmere, angora and silk, and is more expensive than most wools that comes from sheep. Mohair is composed mostly of keratin, a protein found in the hair, wool, horns and skin of all mammals.

This project involved a small bathroom in a 1970s detached home in Dalhousie, NW Calgary. The layout measured approximately 5×8 feet and remained unchanged to control plumbing costs. The primary goal was improving usability and correcting moisture-related concerns without expanding the footprint.

Art-Tek Construction transformed this weathered fence and deck with a complete restoration and premium staining system using Dulux WoodPride Hybrid Solid Stain. Proper preparation was the key to achieving a beautiful, long-lasting finish, beginning with a thorough pressure wash to remove dirt, mildew, weathered wood fibres, and previous coating residue. Once the wood was clean and properly prepared, we applied Dulux WoodPride Hybrid Solid Stain, a high-performance coating engineered to provide exceptional durability and protection against Alberta's harsh climate. Its advanced hybrid technology offers outstanding adhesion, excellent UV resistance, superior colour retention, and strong resistance to peeling, cracking, and moisture penetration while allowing the natural texture of the wood to remain visible. The finished project gave the fence and deck a rich, uniform appearance while providing years of protection against sun, rain, snow, and seasonal weather changes. This project reflects Art-Tek's commitment to premium products, meticulous preparation, and craftsmanship that helps homeowners protect their investment while enhancing the beauty of their outdoor living spaces.

Most trees have leaves that will change colours every time the seasons change. This means that you may see changes three to four times a year depending on where you live. However, they will typically retain some measure of green colouring on their leaves until fall rolls around. During the fall season, trees explode with bright reds, oranges, and vibrant yellows. This is a natural part of their growth and hibernation process. However, if you see these colours in the offseason, it may be a sign that there is a problem. Below, Five Star Tree Services discusses why your leaves may be yellow during the summer and what you can do about it. Should Leaves Turn Yellow in the Summer? If your trees have yellow leaves in the summer, it is a sign that it is suffering from disease, or having a problem with its growth cycle. Having your trees inspected periodically by a trained professional will help you catch problems early. If your trees already have yellow leaves in the offseason, they can identify the cause and suggest a solution. When diagnosed early, suggested treatments can help save the tree. Keep reading for some common causes of yellowing leaves. Improper Watering One of the most common reasons trees start to develop yellow leaves in the summer is due to dehydration. Checking the soil moisture levels will help determine if your trees are getting enough water. Hydration is important all year long, but especially crucial during the hot summer months. If there are dry areas around your tree trunk, it is a good idea to partake in deep root watering to help keep your trees healthy and well-watered. Make sure that you don’t overwater your trees because flooding their roots can also be unhealthy. Lacking Nutrition Just like people, trees need to get the right blend of nutrients in order to remain healthy. If your tree has yellow leaves in the summer and is also getting enough water, chances are it is not getting the nutrients it needs from the soil. If soil testing shows low levels of nutrients, it is a good idea to schedule a deep root fertilization treatment to adjust the levels. In many instances, correcting the soil will help you save the tree. Insect or Pest Infestation Yellow summer leaves are also a sign that a tree has been infested with pests. Some pest is only active in the summer. Some of the most common are: Emerald Ash Borer Asian Long-Horned Beetle Yellownecked Caterpillar Ash Flower Gall Bronze Birch Borer Apple-and-Thorn Skeletonizer Eastern Tent Caterpillar Birch Leafminer Fall Webworm Gypsy Moth And many others The first thing you should do is call an arborist to have the tree inspected. They will be able to identify the root of the problem and formulate a solution to treat the pest infestation. This will help you get rid of the bugs once and for all and save your tree in the process. How We Can Help If you have noticed that one of your trees have begun to develop yellow leaves, give Five Star Tree Services a call as soon as possible. We have been providing tree care services in Toronto for over 10 years. Our skilled arborist would be more than happy to evaluate your tree and suggest a solution to treat the problem, so don’t wait. Contact us at (416) 990-3355 today!

These photographs below are of a Slate Tiled Kitchen floor taken at a customer’s house in Henley-on-Thames which, as its name suggests, sits alongside the River Thames in Oxfordshire. My client’s Slate kitchen floor had recently been cleaned with unsuitable cleaning products which I suspect impacted the sealer leaving it looking dull. Sealers really to improve the look of a stone floor so unsurprisingly once the sealer had been damaged my client had been unable to find a cleaning product that could have any kind of positive effect on the tiles. It’s fairly well known that many supermarket quality cleaners are only really designed for use on Ceramic or Porcelain tiled floors as they contain acids which strip away at sealers and acid sensitive stone floors, leaving the stone beneath vulnerable. So your select a cleaning product for your floor always read the small print on the back of the label and make sure you avoid anything that mentions not for use on acid sensitive stone; belter still Tile Doctor have a number of products for cleaning tiled floors including Neutral Cleaner and Stone Soap. To clean the floor and remove any remaining sealer I first made a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Pro Clean which is a strong alkaline cleaner and then spread this over the floor, leaving it to dwell. This allows the cleaner to seep into the slate and get underneath, breakdown sealers and start to lift out ingrained dirt. Following a dwelling period of roughly ten minutes, I agitated the floor periodically with a rotary machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad and scrubbed along the grout lines with a stiff grout brush. I then used a wet vacuum to extract the resultant slurry away and then followed up by rinsing the floor with clean water, and once again vacuumed up the residue. Any stubborn areas were retreated until I was happy with the floor and then I left the floor to dry off completely overnight, in preparation for sealing the following day. Upon my return to the house the following day, I ran some damp tests on different parts of the floor to check for any excess moisture which could potentially damage the performance of the sealer. Once I was satisfied that the floor was completely dry, I proceeded to seal the tiles using Tile Doctor Seal & Go. This will provide a robust surface seal for the future, along with an aesthetically pleasing low-sheen finish. This sealer works particularly well on Slate tiles and, being a water-based sealant, additionally Seal & Go does not emit an unpleasant smell as it dries. Slate is quite a porous stone so I applied six coats of seal to provide long-lasting protection. Barry Woodward Oxfordshire Tile Doctor

Tenuous link I know but I worked on this semi riven Black Brazilian Slate Tiles in the kitchen and dining room of a house in the seaside town of Thornton-Cleveleys around the time of the Rio Olympics. I love working on Slate as although it’s appearance can degrade without proper maintenance due to a build-up of dirt I knew they would look fantastic by the time I had finished. The tile itself had lost its rich black colour and the grout lines had become stained, leaving the floor as a whole looking very unattractive. Out of interest honed Slate has a smooth, refined texture whereas the riven Slate has a rougher, more natural texture, and this can make it more difficult to keep clean. Needless to say, the customer was keen to have the tiles restored to looking their best. To restore the appearance of the Slate, I cleaned the floor and removed what remained of the old sealer off using Tile Doctor Remove and Go. This was scrubbed into the floor using a scrubbing pad fitted to a rotary machine. The floor was then rinsed with water, and the process repeated where necessary to tackle particularly stubborn areas of dirt. As mentioned previously, the grout lines were in a particularly bad state, and would need special cleaning attention. I cleaned carefully with a strong 5-to-1 dilution of Tile Doctor Pro Clean with water, which is our high alkaline cleaner. The cleaning solution was scrubbed I’m using a stiff handheld grout brush, with the grout lines looking immediately cleaner. When I was satisfied that the grout lines had been restored to the best possible condition, I gave the floor a thorough rinse using the wet pickup function of a wet wax machine to get the floor as dry as possible and then left the whole floor to dry off overnight. Upon my return to the property I ran some quick damp tests to check that the floor was completely dry. This is important as any excess moisture would have prevented me from sealing the tiles, since it can cloud the sealer and damage it performance. Previously I discussed sealer options with the customer and they stated that they would prefer a Satin finish, so I applied a sealer called Tile Doctor Seal and Go, our topical sealer which will both protect the Slate from dirt and stains, and also gave it the desired finish. As you can see from the below photographs, the rich, dark shades in the Slate were really enhanced. The customer was very pleased with the finished result, but was also concerned about keeping the Slate clean in the long-term. For regular cleaning I advised the customer to use a pH neutral cleaner for aftercare called Tile Doctor Neutral Cleaner. As a pH neutral cleaner, it will not erode the sealer compared to acidic cleaners you so often find in supermarkets. Russell Taylor Lancashire Tile Doctor

? Innovative Design and Durable Quality—Cabinet with Wood Grain and Stainless Steel Countertop ? we are excited to introduce our latest home solution—Cabinet with Wood Grain and Stainless Steel Countertop! ✨ Product Highlights: Natural Wood Grain Cabinet: Adds a warm ambiance and elevates your home’s aesthetic. Stainless Steel Countertop: Waterproof, durable, and scratch-resistant, making it perfect for everyday use. ? Key Benefits: Durability: Specially treated stainless steel countertop ensures it remains pristine even after extended use. Waterproof: No worries about moisture in the kitchen, providing you with peace of mind. Aesthetics: The perfect blend of wood grain and stainless steel creates a modern and stylish home environment. ? Whether you’re designing a home or constructing a building, the Cabinet with Wood Grain and Stainless Steel Countertop is the ideal choice. It enhances the beauty of any space while standing as a symbol of practicality and quality. #besting #bestingfurniture #kitchen #kitchendesign #DIYkitchen #modernkitchen #kitchenpantry #cabinethardware #cabinetbasket #interior #interiordesign #home #housedesign

? Innovative Design and Durable Quality—Cabinet with Wood Grain and Stainless Steel Countertop ? we are excited to introduce our latest home solution—Cabinet with Wood Grain and Stainless Steel Countertop! ✨ Product Highlights: Natural Wood Grain Cabinet: Adds a warm ambiance and elevates your home’s aesthetic. Stainless Steel Countertop: Waterproof, durable, and scratch-resistant, making it perfect for everyday use. ? Key Benefits: Durability: Specially treated stainless steel countertop ensures it remains pristine even after extended use. Waterproof: No worries about moisture in the kitchen, providing you with peace of mind. Aesthetics: The perfect blend of wood grain and stainless steel creates a modern and stylish home environment. ? Whether you’re designing a home or constructing a building, the Cabinet with Wood Grain and Stainless Steel Countertop is the ideal choice. It enhances the beauty of any space while standing as a symbol of practicality and quality. #besting #bestingfurniture #kitchen #kitchendesign #DIYkitchen #modernkitchen #kitchenpantry #cabinethardware #cabinetbasket #interior #interiordesign #home #housedesign

? Innovative Design and Durable Quality—Cabinet with Wood Grain and Stainless Steel Countertop ? we are excited to introduce our latest home solution—Cabinet with Wood Grain and Stainless Steel Countertop! ✨ Product Highlights: Natural Wood Grain Cabinet: Adds a warm ambiance and elevates your home’s aesthetic. Stainless Steel Countertop: Waterproof, durable, and scratch-resistant, making it perfect for everyday use. ? Key Benefits: Durability: Specially treated stainless steel countertop ensures it remains pristine even after extended use. Waterproof: No worries about moisture in the kitchen, providing you with peace of mind. Aesthetics: The perfect blend of wood grain and stainless steel creates a modern and stylish home environment. ? Whether you’re designing a home or constructing a building, the Cabinet with Wood Grain and Stainless Steel Countertop is the ideal choice. It enhances the beauty of any space while standing as a symbol of practicality and quality. #besting #bestingfurniture #kitchen #kitchendesign #DIYkitchen #modernkitchen #kitchenpantry #cabinethardware #cabinetbasket #interior #interiordesign #home #housedesign

These luxury authentic flat-weave collection represent an ancient method of creating a faux animal hair pile which was widespread amongst nomads from Central Asia to Turkey. Woven with cotton warps and Angora goat hair wefts. The goat hair creates the long haired fur-like look. Angora goats are named after the Turkish province of their origin, Ankara and these goats produce the fibre known as mohair. The lustrous hair of the angora goat occurs in every natural shade ranging from black through browns to white, thus making possible a wide variety of colour-schemes with no dyes. More about Mohair… Mohair is one of the oldest textile fibres in use. The Angora goat is thought to originate from the mountains of Tibet, reaching Turkey in the 16th century. Mohair is warm in winter as it has great insulating properties, while remaining cool in summer due to its moisture wicking properties. It’s possible to use double-side, hairy side for winter, woven side for summer. It is durable, naturally elastic, flame resistant, crease resistant, and does not felt. It is a luxury fiber, like cashmere, angora and silk, and is more expensive than most wools that comes from sheep. Mohair is composed mostly of keratin, a protein found in the hair, wool, horns and skin of all mammals.

These luxury authentic flat-weave collection represent an ancient method of creating a faux animal hair pile which was widespread amongst nomads from Central Asia to Turkey. Woven with cotton warps and Angora goat hair wefts. The goat hair creates the long haired fur-like look. Angora goats are named after the Turkish province of their origin, Ankara and these goats produce the fibre known as mohair. The lustrous hair of the angora goat occurs in every natural shade ranging from black through browns to white, thus making possible a wide variety of colour-schemes with no dyes. More about Mohair… Mohair is one of the oldest textile fibres in use. The Angora goat is thought to originate from the mountains of Tibet, reaching Turkey in the 16th century. Mohair is warm in winter as it has great insulating properties, while remaining cool in summer due to its moisture wicking properties. It’s possible to use double-side, hairy side for winter, woven side for summer. It is durable, naturally elastic, flame resistant, crease resistant, and does not felt. It is a luxury fiber, like cashmere, angora and silk, and is more expensive than most wools that comes from sheep. Mohair is composed mostly of keratin, a protein found in the hair, wool, horns and skin of all mammals.