May 2019

Here in the UK, we’re most accustomed to seeing slate tile and corrugated iron roofs, or occasionally an old fashioned thatched cottage out in the countryside. However, there’s a wide variety of interesting and unusual materials that have been used to build roofs through the ages that are still used around the world still today. From seaweed to rubber tyres, there are plenty of unusual and eco friendly roofing materials being used all across the globe. To find out more about just a few less commonly used roofing materials, see some of the examples below.

Plastic bottles

Over 7,000 bottles were transformed into a colourful shingle roof for a small cabin in Merton Abbey, London in 2013. Called the ‘Fizzy Bottle Project’, volunteers collected thousands of plastic drinks bottles which were then flattened and the labels removed, before being hole punched and fixed together to make roof ‘shingles’.

Porcelain

China’s fourth largest city, Tianjin, is home to one of the country’s more unusual tourist attractions – a house built entirely from porcelain. The Porcelain House (or China House) has a colourful mosaic roof built entirely from old ceramic vases and damaged antiques. Opened in 2007, it reportedly cost its owner an astonishing $300 million to complete.

Rubber tyres

A garden shed in the Netherlands was converted into a home-come-office using a range of recycled materials, including rubber tyres for the roof. Already incredibly durable, the tyres were insulated using stone wool to make them both water and weatherproof.

Seaweed

It’s probably not a substance you’ve ever considered, but seaweed is actually a very common roofing material on the Danish island, Læsø. Many homes here are built using a variety of seaweed known as eelgrass, which is very strong and can last up to 300 years! Homes are insulated by adding wool, which is also used to hold the seaweed roofs together.

Newspaper

In 1922, mechanical engineer Enis Stenman built a house made entirely out of rolled up and varnished newspaper, as a way to demonstrate how much society was wasting. The idea spread to Norway, who came up with a way to turn newspapers and solvent free glue into ‘logs’, which can then be cut and used as a roofing material just like wooden logs would.

It’s important to protect your roof, whatever material it’s made out of, which is why at Kingdom Coatings we provide protection against the elements with our professional waterproof coatings. Our coatings are the perfect protection for tiled roofs, and ensure that your home stays waterproof and your roof remains in excellent condition for years to come. For more information about our coating options, give us a call or visit the website today.

The housing market is a cutthroat gauntlet to run through, especially when you’re looking to sell your home. No matter how many viewings or signs of interest you receive for your property, no one seems to be wanting to make an offer. This can be infuriating as it can delay any plans you may have and, if you’re already in talks with another seller, you could lose your chance to buy your dream home.

Luckily, there are ways you can turn your prospects around and transform your selling woes into wins. With this in mind, here are our top tips to help you finally clinch the deal on your home.

Create a great online profile

Everything begins on the internet these days and it’s likely your property is listed on various property websites for your area. This is one of the first points of contact a potential buyer will have with your property and if it’s not up to scratch you’re doing yourself a disservice.

Ensure that any photos of your home are professionally taken and cover all rooms of the property. This can help prospective buyers gain an understanding of your home and whether they would like to take things further.

Give the house a clean

Although a pretty obvious one, you might be surprised at how many sellers simply leave their property as is during viewings. A thorough clean is essential to make your property truly shine on viewing day, so be sure to clean every inch of the property.

It’s also a good idea to try to depersonalise your property for when prospective buyers come to visit. It’s not you who’s going to be living there, so you want to give viewers a blank slate to help them imagine how they can put their own stamp on the place.

Make any necessary upgrades

If your home is looking a little ‘lived in,’ it might be time to give your property a bit of a makeover. Although this can be irritating, ensuring that the property is up to scratch will both sell it quicker and add value to your home.

Don’t forget kerb appeal

Arguably one of the most important aspects when selling your home, kerb appeal is essential in selling your place quickly. Bad kerb appeal will nearly always equal a no sale as you only get to make a first impression once.

Propsective buyers will want a property that looks great on both the inside and outside, so take time to ensure your home looks great. One way is to invest in quality roof coating, refreshing your roof and giving your property’s exterior a renewed shine.

Kingdom Coatings offers comprehensive roof and wall coating services to both protect your property from excess mould and to improve kerb appeal. For more information, visit our website.

Summer may be on its way, but let’s face it – the UK weather is often unpredictable and you may find the odd cold and rainy day amongst the sunshine. Nobody wants a freezing or damp home at any time, but it can feel particularly miserable if the weather isn’t great, or you live somewhere with a cold and wet climate. Luckily, there are plenty of things you can do to insulate your home and ensure it stays cosy and dry all year round. From double glazing to wall coatings, see the list below for just some of the ways you can effectively insulate your property.

Double glazing

It might seem like an expensive investment, but adding double glazing can save you a lot of money on future heating bills, and add value to your property overall. Double glazing can cut heat loss escaping through your windows by half, and the double layered glass will make your windows more secure too.

Wall insulation

Cavity wall insulation is another very effective way to prevent heat escaping from your home; as around a third of heat is lost through your walls if they are uninsulated. It works to reduce heat loss by filling the space in between the inner and outer walls with an insulating material such as glass fibre wool, which immobilises the air in the cavity space.

Add draught excluders

One of the cheapest and simplest ways to insulate your home is to add draught excluders to block the gap underneath your doors. You can buy sealant strips from most DIY stores, or you can easily make a stuffed fabric draught excluder if you’re feeling crafty.

Underfloor heating

If draught excluders aren’t doing the job then you might want to consider underfloor heating. Like double glazing, underfloor heating can save you money in the long run, and it frees up wall space taken up by radiators – perfect if you have a smaller home. Underfloor heating is very comfortable to walk on, and can be installed underneath carpet, wood or tiled floors.

Invest in thick curtains and rugs

In some cases, heavy fabric curtains and some strategically placed rugs are enough to significantly warm up your home, especially in rooms with wooden flooring. Thermal curtains add a layer of acrylic foam between double or triple layers of fabric to block out sunlight, reduce noise and insulate your room from window draughts. Similarly, a thick rug can stop cold air coming up through gaps in wooden floorboards, and make a cosier surface to walk on.

Apply an exterior wall coating

Applying an external wall coating stops damp and moisture from penetrating the bricks in your external wall, which protects the interior of your home too. Damp can cause a lot of problems in your home, from mould to health problems and a cold, dank atmosphere, so protecting your outer walls is just as important.

If you’re after an external wall coating for your home, get in touch with Kingdom Coatings. Based in Scotland, we’re well aware of how cold and rainy the weather can get, so protect your home against damp with our professional external wall treatments. For more information about our wall coatings, give us a call or visit the website today.