The kitchen is at the heart of many homes and it is for that reason that it’s important the little touches are done just right.

Even something as seemingly insignificant as your choice of sink and faucet can make a huge difference. Like many aspects of your kitchen, your sink is going to experience heavy use. It’s for that reason that choosing high quality sink and tap fittings is so important.

There are two main materials to choose from when selecting kitchen sinks and faucets; stainless steel and brass. Both are, if good quality, very hard wearing. It’s worth noting however that dirty marks such as fingerprints will show up much more clearly on brass than on stainless steel, meaning that the material can be quite high-maintenance in terms of keeping it looking spick and spam.

In addition, the availability of spare parts is a vital factor. Due to this, it is worth choosing a well-established and successful sink manufacturer, which also has a clear process in place for ordering spare parts.

Franke taps for instance, produce only the highest quality sinks and faucets, in sleek, modern and attractive designs. They have also taken the time to consider the practicality of their products and can easily supply any spare parts that might be needed.

Whether choosing products by Franke taps or any other manufacturer the suitability of the goods for their given purpose should never be disregarded. Many manufacturers including Franke taps now produce a huge range of mixer taps. Mixer taps are becoming increasingly commonplace in the modern kitchen and for good reason – they allow the two streams of water to mix together, thereby achieving the ideal water temperature for the user.

In terms of choosing a kitchen faucet it is vital that the kitchen sink is considered also. Not all kitchen sinks are adaptable to accommodate all types of faucets. For example, Franke sinks produced are tailor made to fit their range of taps and faucets. Rather than this being a marketing ploy to ensure you purchase the full set of Franke taps and Franke sinks, this is done to ensure the products are produced to the highest possible quality, and that any functionality problems caused by compatibility are eliminated.

The overall ‘look’ of your kitchen should also affect the type of sinks and taps that you choose to purchase. For instance, in a ‘traditionally’ styled kitchen brass should complement the décor perfectly. A round or square brass basin, combined with a matching mixer tap should enhance the overall appearance of the room.

Conversely, modern styled kitchens will work best with stainless steel sinks and taps. Many such fittings are available from Franke taps in a vast range of the most up-to-date designs around.

So, you’ve re-decorated your bathroom, and decided that you don’t like the colour of the tub, or that the tub itself looks a little chipped and worn. What can you do? Well, the good news is that you don’t have to replace the tub itself! You can get DIY bath repairs kits that work for bath resurfacing, so you can change your horrible pink tub surface for a nice pearly white one.

Home bath repairs may sound intimidating, and it’s certainly true that you need to read the bath resurfacing kit instructions very carefully before attempting your own home bath repairs. However, if you do it correctly, bath resurfacing can last a lifetime, and can save you a lot of money.

Safety tips for bath repairs

The chemicals used in bath resurfacing are incredibly strong, and dangerous. If you decide to use them yourself, then you should follow the safety instructions they provide to the letter. A few sensible precautions include:

1. Set aside a full day for your bath repairs. You don’t want to feel rushed while working on the bath.
2. Make sure any children and non-caged pets are out of the house while you’re working with the bath resurfacing chemicals.
3. Wear safety gear, including goggles and gloves. It might be uncomfortable, but a couple of hours of discomfort are worth it to avoid the possibility of getting harsh enamel stripper in your eyes.
4. Ventilate the room as well as possible
5. When you’re done, give the bath tub plenty of time to dry.

Take your time over your bath repairs, and make sure you read all of the instructions for preparing and working with the bath resurfacing chemicals. The part about cleaning all scum and soap residue out of the bath before you start is important, and you should take a lot of time over sanding the surface down. If you rush that part, you could end up with a new bath surface that starts to peel the moment water hits it! A few minutes of careful inspection and sanding at the start can save you a lot of wasted work.

If you have any doubts about doing home bath repairs then it’s probably a good idea to call in bath resurfacing specialists. It may be more expensive than doing the job yourself, but it will be worth it in the long run. If an attempt at DIY resurfacing goes wrong, you could be left without a bath until you find the time to make a second attempt. If you run out of chemicals you’d need to buy a new kit, and then you’ll feel under pressure to get the job right, otherwise you’ll be faced with mounting expenses, and grumpy people who are desperate for a bath!

A specialist bath repairs company will know how long your bath resurfacing job will take, and will be able to get it right first time. In the unlikely event of anything going wrong, they will come out and fix any problems you have under their guarantee.

At Step and Store we are committed to providing high quality British manufactured material handling, storage and access equipment.

We manufacture Hazardous Storage Cabinets here in the UK to meet health and safety regulations. Our COSHH Cabinet range come in a variety of shapes and include Flammable Storage Cabinets, all robustly constructed and fully lockable.
We also manufacture and sell other products such as commercial grade Work Benches. Our Workbench range caters for all needs, including Engineering Workbenches, Height Adjustable Workbenches, Wooden Workbenches and a huge range of Accessories.
Aswell as workbenches we also produce Mobile Steps. Access for warehouses, stores and high level shelving areas in a safe way. Our selection of Mobile Steps and Warehouse Steps offer the right solution for all your access needs.

Please visit our site to find out more about our extensive range of commercial products.