#6 What I learned this week (6 Dec 2024)
Sustainable home design tips, construction terminology, product discoveries, inventory apps and a bathroom I'm gushing over!
Things I learned this week…
Architect, Sarah Fiess, is doing a great series on Instagram sharing 30 Sustainable Home Design Tips in 30 Days.
My product discovery for the week is Laminex Architectural Panels.
And my construction terminology learning is ‘glulam beams’. Glulam (glue-laminated timber) beams are engineered wood beams made by bonding layers of timber together with strong adhesives. Carland Constructions shared how they’re using them in a new project - totally avoiding the need for structural steel.
Another term I learned is ‘thermal bypass’ [thanks to Conscious Construction Co].
I have to admit that I thought lino (or linoleum) was that cheap vinyl flooring that came in large rolls (and had retro orange and brown patterns like the stuff I had in the kitchen of my 1980s family home). Thanks to this post from SUHO I learned that linoleum is actually made from natural materials (linseed oil, wood flour, cork powder, and jute backing) and is eco-friendly and biodegradable. Linoleum has actually been used since the late 19th century, but when vinyl flooring became an increasingly popular alternative in the mid 20th century the term ‘lino’ persisted - hence the confusion!
It’s insurance renewal time at work and so I’ve been thinking about how we might improve our systems for keeping records of tools and equipment to make things easier in the event that we ever need to claim (and am now thinking about doing the same for my own home contents). It turns out that of course there’s an app for that - two that I’m looking at are Sortly and Itemtopia.
A useful discussion in the Live Life Build ELEVATE community led to a deep dive into learning about progress draws/payments and how they can be structured to ensure project cash flow.
Some things to share…
Design inspo that I’m gushing over this week…. Scamander Passivhaus A. Those bathroom colours 😍 😍 😍
And finally, a little tip if you’re embarking on your own home build/reno project… keep a journal! It can all seem like a bit of a slog/blur when you’re in the thick of it, but it’s so nice to be able to look back and see how far you’ve come. I use the Day One app and I love the feature where it reminds you of posts ‘on this day’ in previous years.
Thanks Clare, loving these little insights –very snackable! Cheers Vikki