Menturion

More and more homeowners are experiencing the satisfaction of repairing their tile and grout. The high cost of labor for even small jobs, has driven people to the stores looking for tile, materials, products and information.

This is GREAT! Why shouldn’t homeowners learn to tile and grout?

I’ve seen many new homes with completed ceramic tile jobs that have made the hair on the back of my neck stand up in fright … especially tract homes where the bottom line for the developer is speed and corners to cut. So the more we learn about the different trades and the applications and techniques thereof, the better we will recognize a well performed and finished product to be proud of.

With this in mind, here are some grouting techniques to install in your memory banks for your next tile or stone job around the house.

Whether you have laid new tile or have scraped out the grout from an existing tiled area, make sure you clean the grout joints thoroughly and have taped off the areas you don’t want the grout to “spill over.” Wiping grout off of sealed cabinets and semi or glossy paints, won’t hurt those materials if you use care when wiping, but sometimes a little labor invested in taping adjacent areas will make the job easier in the long run.

When the grout joints are clean and ready to fill; mix the powdered grout with clean water and according to the package specifications. The grout should be lump-free with a consistency that will not easily pour out of the bucket.

Use the appropriate grout for your application. A non-sanded grout should be used for grout joints that are 1/8″ and smaller in widths, while sanded grouts are to be used in joints which are larger. Typically you’ll find the smaller grout joints filled with the non-sanded grout in the bathroom and shower areas.

Use some latex gloves to protect your hands and with a grout float held at a 30-45 degree angle, spread the grout firmly into the grout joints. Don’t worry about the mess on the tiles as this will clean up with your sponge at the proper time. Some areas that are hard to float, you can force the grout into the joint by hand. When all the joints are filled completely, scrape the excess grout off the tiles by holding the float at an almost 90 degree angle and pulling diagonally across the joints so you don’t remove grout from the joints. Put all the remaining grout back in the bucket.

Allow the grout to set for about 10 minutes then with a clean bucket of water and grout sponge, lightly wipe the tiles with a damp sponge (not a dripping sponge). Always wipe with a clean side of the sponge, flip the sponge over and wipe another section, then rinse the sponge clean. The initial sponging wipes most of the unwanted grout from the surface. The second sponging smoothes and neatens the joints and the third cleans the haze or residue from the tile. Always allow a few minutes between the three sponging cycles as this will allow the grout time to properly set. Remember, you don’t want water from the sponge to puddle on the grout as this weakens and deforms the consistency.

Lastly, a final wipe will smooth any remaining high spots in the grout joints and clean the tiles of the remaining haze. After the grout dries, you can polish the tile with cheesecloth or a soft cotton cloth to remove any remaining residue. Nice Job!

Copyright 2006 Grout Getter Company

Michael Garman has 30 years experience in the construction trade and develops tools for professionals and homeowners involved in the ceramic tile industry. To view information and products on tile and grout removal or repair, visit his company website at:
http://www.groutgetter.com

This idea has been in use for twenty-five years, by my Vermont Rotary Club, and has been a tremendous success. The concepts used in this fundraiser are general to any successful and profitable fundraiser.

This fundraiser is a fundraising idea where the outcome, of sports results, is used to decide winners. Since each ticket has two teams, for a given week, that are randomly assigned, the fundraiser is best described as a sports-based raffle. However, this “raffle” has the added thrill of the buyer being able to root for a team’s outcome, if a certain outcome will enhance the chance of winning. It is enjoyable for ticket buyers because it is sports-based, they win money, and they buy one ticket and can win every week over the sports season.

A raffle is generally a contest in which participants purchase a ticket or “chance” at winning a prize. A raffle is an easy fundraiser to initiate, and requires fewer volunteer hours to plan and conduct than any other type of fundraiser. This raffle works so well because of the high profit margin. Total annual cost of running this raffle is less than 2% of total income. The annual cost is around $50 for commercial printing of the front of the tickets, and the proceeds are limited only by the number of tickets sold. My Rotary Club bases the fundraiser on NFL football (496 tickets for a complete “set” at $20 each). With a payout of 50% of total income, we make $5000.

A fringe benefit of raffles is that there are no large up front costs, no inventory or product to stockpile, no orders to take, and no product to deliver except winners’ checks. Also, success is not dependent upon advertising. The advertising is done one-on-one as people sell tickets. This is a great idea for any size
group from just ten people to hundreds. For a NFL football fundraiser, a group of fifty people is ideal, since each person would have to sell only ten tickets each.

A raffle may not be suitable for everyone. In the United States raffle laws vary considerably by state. Determine the legality of your potential fund raiser and that no local or state ordinances, that deal with raffles, are being violated. Do a little Internet research to find out if there are any restrictions in your area. Check with other organizations in your area. Some institutions may even have their own rules concerning fund raisers. Check with your college, university, school, etc.

The preliminary version of the Rotary Club software was written in 1999 to simplify the existing cumbersome method. The software does the setup for the front ot the tickets, prints the back of the tickets, and performs all calculations. The updated software is now being made available to everyone for only $39. The purchase price is negligible compared to the many years of profit your organization will make from this fundraiser.

For full details, visit: http://www.footballchance.com/

Ron Riquier is a retired aerospace engineer living in Killington, VT.

It seems like everyone has a web site these days. And those who don’t have one are probably thinking about one. If you’re in the thinking stage, congratulations! Having a web site is a fantastic way to grow your business by making you more visible to the world. But before you jump on the web site bandwagon, ask yourself this question: “WHY do I want a web site?” The answer is NOT, “Because everyone else has one.”

When I first developed my web site four years ago, I just knew I wanted a web
presence. But I didn’t put much thought into why I wanted one. So I created some
web pages that seemed to make sense, sat back, and enjoyed my (smallish) hit
counts. But after a couple of years, I knew something was missing… my web site
wasn’t meeting my needs, because it wasn’t created with intention! So I went back to
the drawing board and starting writing down goals. Now that my business is three-
fold (organizing, coaching, and selling products), my goals had to reflect those new
revenue streams. So my primary web site goals became:

• To generate organizing client leads

• To sell my products on-line

• To get people to sign up for my e-zines

My secondary goals were:

• To establish credibility as a top/veteran professional organizer and
marketing specialist

• To provide helpful information and resources

Goals in hand, I roughed out my new site. With the help of my web designer, we
created a home page that led to easy navigation within the site, which guides
visitors to the different sections depending upon their needs. So far, judging by hit
counts, sales, inquiries, and sign-ups, my goals are being met quite well!

As you plan for a web site (or think about a redesign of your current site), make
sure you take plenty of time to map out what you want the site to do for you. Some
ideas are listed below.

• To provide information about your company and its philosophies

• To highlight your company’s “in the news” status

• To enhance the credibility of your business by having an online presence

• To highlight your products and/or sell products on-line

• To provide detailed information about your services

• To attract new clients and customers

• To keep existing clients informed

• To build an e-mail list

• To educate visitors

• To answer questions

• To jump ahead of the competition

• To provide links to other organizations

• To show your expertise through testimonials, photos, etc.

Do any of those goals sound like yours? Can you think of a few others that will make
your site both fun and functional? Take the first step to a well-planned web site by
taking pen to paper as your very first step to a new — or improved — web site.

© 2005 Time to Organize

Sara Pedersen, author of the FREE e-zine “The Marketing Fairy’s Guide to Simple Self
Promotion,” is a professional organizer and marketing specialist. She helps small
business owners make their marketing dreams come true. Sign up today at
http://www.time2organize.net to receive your FREE monthly subscription.