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When you’re just starting out, this quote template is professional looking and easy to use. We like to help our tradies out where we can. This is why we provide this template for you. All you need is excel, or a freeware compatible software for excel. A simple search on google should help you find one. This quote template will auto-calculate your sums. However, it’s always good practice to double-check with your trusty calculator old pal just to be sure! Customisation of the template This template is no strings-attached free for you to use. There are no password protections or any advertising placed within the template. Such additions would make the template look cheap and nasty. That’s the last thing we would want for you in managing your business. Once downloaded, after you have input all your details save a copy as your master template. That way you only have to fill those details once. Every time you open it, save it as a new name. Then just enter your builder’s details, job details, and quantities. The parts are ‘protected’ as they contain the formulas. These formulas are the brain of your spreadsheet, performing all the maths. The protection is just so you can’t accidentally type over them and ruin the calculation functionality. If you have your own logo and want to add it- it is simple. You will first need to go to the Review tab, and select “Unprotect Sheet”. Then go to the “Insert” tab, click in the top right corner and click “Pictures”. Afterwards, browse your computer for your logo. After that, go back to the Review Tab and select “Protect Sheet”. Finally, just click OK. Let me know what you think! I hope you are loving what we do. Please give us a Facebook like. Alternatively, you could leave a Google review . You will need a gmail account to do a Google review. Any feedback inspires me to write more content for you! DOWNLOAD THE TEMPLATE HERE We also have a free Invoice template available to download. Legalities: This template may not contain everything required for your business. In using this template, you accept that it is your responsibility to ensure you have appropriate financial and legal advice for your business or company. We are not financial or legal advisers. By using this template, you also agree that you are responsible for checking calculations and ensuring accuracy on an ongoing basis. You will not hold MRWB Trust Pty Ltd trading as CDBS Construction Centre liable for any inaccuracies within the template. This template is for individual use, specifically for preparing individual business quotes. This template is not to be copied, distributed or used in any other way without seeking consent from CDBS Construction Centre. This template is protected by copyright. © CDBS Construction Centre – All rights reserved. See website T&C for further information.

When you’re in the market for a new electric pressure washer, you need to know how to find the option to get your specific job done. But with so many pressure washers on the market these days, it’s easy to get confused. There are pressure washers designed to help you wash a home before a paint job. There are also smaller options designed to help you clean a deck, and even pressure washers for gutters. Of course, you also have more industrial options for larger jobs. We’ve created this post to help connect you to the product that’s the best fit for you, your employees, and your job site. Read on to find the perfect electric pressure washer for you. How To Find The Right Electric Pressure Washer Step 1: Consider The Size When it comes to pressure washers, there are three different types to choose from: If you’re interested in handling smaller jobs, like gutter cleaning and deck washing, then consumer grade will likely be the best fit. It’s also good for more delicate objects and areas. Consumer grade pressure washers usually only pump out cold water. They use anywhere from 4 to 15 litres of water and cleaning solution a minute. Semi-pro pressure washers also pump out cold water and can use about eight to 23 litres per minute. Usually, these options will also come with a larger engine and a pump. Do you frequently use pressure washers on your job sites, even if you don’t always have huge jobs? Well then, these options may work best for you. However, if you need to run your pressure washer for hours at a time, every day, you’ll need the professional grade option. These washers use cold, hot, and warm water to get the job done. They can also use up to 38 litres of water a minute. Step Two: Consider The Job Now that you know about the different sizes of pressure washers, what comes next? Well, you need to think about the type of work you need to get done. In general, you can use a consumer option for things like getting rid of small stains and washing cars. You can also use them for getting grime out of shutters and window units and blasting away surface-level mold. If you need to handle small to medium-sized jobs and want to shave off the time they take, then go for the semi-pro option. It works for washing decks, cleaning signage, and even stripping off chipped paint. They’ll also work on cleaning sidewalks and driveways. Additionally, semi-pro washers use less water than their consumer grade cousins. They also don’t need as much power to boot up and run. Do you have a bigger job that needs to get done, like getting rid of graffiti or stripping the paint off of a home? Do you have to eliminate deep-seated mildew or mold, or even removing siding? Then it’s best to call in the big guns, especially if you’re working on a commercial job site. Nothing’s worse than wasting time dealing with shoddy pressure washer. Ensure you stay on schedule and do a thorough job by investing in a professional washer. Where Can You Buy The Equipment You Need Online? Thanks to this guide, not only do you know what to look for when you’re in the market for a new electric pressure washer, you also have a few suggestions to get you started. We also have the Aussie Pumps range of ultra tough petrol pressure washers for serious construction applications and we just order them in on request. Read more about our Garden Center here The only thing left to do? Start shopping. That’s where we come in. At CDBS Garden and Construction Centre, we’re committed to selling you the latest advancements in equipment and machinery, no matter your price point, industry, or industrial needs. If you are in Canberra and surrounds we are even able to repair any of your faulty construction machinery, as well as to rent out the machinery and equipment you need for a one-time job. What are you waiting for?

Maybe it’s because your home, like a majority of the other residential dwellings in Australia, consists primarily of bricks. Or, perhaps because of the fact that this industry is worth $3 billion. Or, maybe it’s due to the surge in new construction and engineering projects, which means demand for these professionals will rise. Or it could be for the simple reason you love doing it, which is why you want to keep honing your skills and mastering the art and science of laying brick. Whichever the case is, we’d like to congratulate you for wanting to improve your techniques even more. Now the question is, which ones can really help you become a better bricklayer? Worry not, as we’re here to help. We’ve rounded up the top tips that can help you pave the way to your success as a bricklayer. So, make sure to read on! First and Foremost: Make Sure You Have All the Basic Tools of the Trade Before you can even start laying bricks, you first need to have the basic tools. Even if you already have a bricklayer’s toolbox, it’s still important to make sure you’ve got all the essentials. And that they’re not rusted, with broken handles, or suffer from any other flaws. The basic tools of the trade include pointed trowels, bolster chisels, club hammers, spirit level, spade, and tape measure. Don’t forget to have some soft brushes and a tape measure. These tools are so important that you can already build a mansion with them. To take things to a castle level, you may want to invest in the following too: Now, you have the essential tools, but what about the bonding tasks? Good quality cement, sand, and stone are crucial to brick laying. And for you to mix mortar, you’d also need a hose pipe and a bucket. With these, you’re all set to start shopping for bricks. Polish Up on Your Knowledge of Brick Types In Australia, we’re lucky to have access to various types of top-of-the-line bricks. And knowing what your options are is a critical step to learning how to lay bricks (or at least improving your techniques). This is especially true since there are now so many to select from! There are the standards and the specials, and you can even have them customised. To make classification of these brick products easier, it’s best you know them according to their types. Let’s take a look: Facing Traditionally, the term “facing” in bricks used to only refer to ornamental elements placed on the exterior side of a building wall. Nowadays though, you’ll find these have extended into any bricks with a good frost-resistance rating. Hollow Hollow bricks feature a hollow space of about 20% of their entire dimension. These are great for improving a building’s heat insulation. Their low weight, combined with their bigger sizes, makes laying them to build walls quicker. Keep in mind though, that these bricks aren’t ideal for load-bearing walls. The huge empty space inside them can make the wall easy to topple when placed with immense weight or forces. Solid High frost-resistance rating, extreme hardness, and ease of use are three of the characteristics of solid bricks that make them popular. Perforated If you’re planning to put up a DIY brick interior wall, perforated bricks can do the trick. The same goes for the innermost portions of cavity walls. Just be sure that they’re in compliance with the rigorous Australian standards. Cut and Roll A lot of newcomers to the world of bricklaying find the cutting and rolling of mortar too slow to their tastes. The thing is, the cut and roll technique is far more efficient, not to mention cost-saving since you can get the most out of your mortar. Just think about it: When you stick your trowel into your mortar pile and then lift a huge chunk of it onto the wall, what do you think will happen? Most likely, most of what you’ve put on the trowel will fall off. And from there, the mortar smears the brickwork’s surface. Even when you successfully get the mortar onto the surface, you still are at risk of “overbedding.” When this happens, you’re only creating more work and problems to deal with later on. Not to mention the added pressure and stress on the wet course. The result? Your bricks may tip and dislodge. More work right? Not to mention a lot of waste of materials. As such, make it a habit to cut the mortar down starting from the very top. Use the trowel’s blade for this. Then, roll the mortar before you lift it to the wall. Relaxed and Slow is Key Everyone wants to finish brickwork projects as soon as possible. After all, it’s very exciting to see the results of one’s hard work. But when it comes to laying brick, especially the bedding part, make sure you keep yourself relaxed. Slowly and gently pile the bricks on top of each other. Avoid putting too much pressure as you apply a downward force on each brick. This way, you can prevent tipping of the bricks. Also, prepare yourself to catch any surplus mortar as you lay the bricks. Remember, bricks will sink into the bed because of their weight, which will then “squeeze out” excess mortar. To do this, run the trowel blade’s sharp side along the brickwork’s face. Make sure that the back of your trowel sits as near to the surface as possible. Then, as the surplus mortar oozes out, quickly turn the trowel to catch it before it falls. Laying Brick the Right Way is Only as Good as Your Materials and Supplies As a final reminder, make sure that the materials you use when laying brick are of top-notch quality. Your techniques may be the best out there, but if you use cheap or low-quality materials, then you can expect your hard work to go to waste. Want more useful and handy articles like this? Then make sure you check our blogsite out!

Wondering how to boost your concrete finishing game? You need the right speciality tools to get the job done, no matter what the job is. With a good arsenal of concrete grinding tools at your disposal, you’ll never have to turn down concrete finishing work opportunities. In this guide, we’ll walk you through what you need to learn about concrete grinding and the best tools for the job. Keep reading to learn what concrete grinding tools you need to keep on hand for your concrete finishing needs. What is Concrete Grinding? The concrete grinding industry is still relatively new, so you may not be familiar with it yet. Before we get into the best tools to have on hand, let’s take a look at what you’ll be using those tools for. This industry is growing fast, thanks to the attention of architects, property owners, engineers, and other influencers. If you haven’t added concrete grinding to your repertoire yet, you should – this industry is sure to grow even more. Industry Growth If you’re new to the business, you may think that grinding or polishing is as simple as applying abrasives to the bottom of a machine. However, you’ll quickly learn that it’s much more complex than that. This process is actually quite technical, and there are a number of variables you’ll need to keep in mind while you work. If you’re not experienced with the equipment and methods, and don’t know how to factor in the variables, you could run into problems quickly. Some variables will be outside your range of control, while there are others you’ll need to learn to control while you’re working with concrete grinding. One more thing to keep in mind while building your business is to price things appropriately. With a new, popular service like concrete polishing, it’s tempting to base prices on what other contractors are charging. However, you should actually price based on your expenses plus the profit you need to make. You’ll have even more success in the industry if you know how to impact your knowledge to the customer, so they know exactly what you’re doing every step of the way. Grinding, Polishing, or Processing? Concrete grinding is slightly mislabeled: it’s actually concrete processing. You’re not exactly polishing or grinding the surface with your tools, so much as you are processing it the same way an optical lens would be processed. In concrete processing or “grinding,” what you’re really doing is changing the current surface of the concrete by a mechanical process that cuts or otherwise refines the surface until it has the right finish. Polished concrete is a common end goal of this process, but it’s not the only one. Abrasives can be used to get a variety of different textures, hence the term “grinding.” For the most part, people talk about either grinding or polishing as separate processes. However, if you get the right specialty equipment and training, you’ll easily be able to tackle both jobs. If the end goal is polished concrete, the process will involve first grinding, then honing, then polishing the surface. You’ll need to invest in the correct equipment for each step. And, of course, within each step, there are really multiple steps. You can’t hone a concrete surface all at once, for example. Instead, you’ll need to work through a series of abrasives with a consecutively finer grit, leading you to the finish you want. While in this process, you also need to know the correct times to apply a densifier or hardener to make the concrete more hard or dense using a chemical reaction. Although there are similarities between grinding, polishing, and processing, they aren’t quite the same. Using just grinding and honing, you can get a finish of a high, medium, or low sheen, without ever going through the polishing process. A Closer Look at the Steps Since it’s important to understand the steps involved in this processing when choosing your equipment, let’s take a closer look. 1. Ground Concrete This is the lowest category of processing steps. A grinding step uses grit abrasives of about 50-grit resin and below. These surfaces have dull, flat appearances with minimal or no sheen. 2. Honed Concrete This is the next-highest category of steps. Honing steps use abrasives that run from 100-grit resin to 400-grit resin, give or take. These honed surfaces are generally matte in appearance, but may also have a slight, medium, or even high sheen to them. 3. Polished Concrete Finally, polishing is the highest category in the concrete processing steps. For polishing, you’ll need abrasives of 800-grit resin to about 1000-grit or even 1500-grit. Polished concrete has a very reflective, shiny, mirror-like surface. Variables in the Process This process may sound simple, but it’s actually fairly technical, which is why having the right equipment is so important. Now, let’s look at the variables that can influence your results. First, things like equipment and abrasive quality are easy for you to control. Other variables are outside of your control, though, like how flat or level the surface is, and the design of the concrete mix. You’ll need to learn to work with your equipment through all of the variables you may encounter. Specialty Tools to Use Which speciality tools are best for concrete grinding? For small jobs, a hand-held grinder is a great choice. These are also great for detail work. Angle grinders allow you to reach every corner easily. If you want to polish your concrete floor slab, you probably want to use a large grinder that can cover surfaces fast. If you’re not a concreter by trade, you are probably best to hire a machine out or look for a professional. In addition to grinders, you’ll probably want polishers to round out your capabilities. Don’t forget diamond tools to get the job done effectively. The whole process creates a lot of toxic concrete dust, so don’t forget to invest in an industrial floor vacuum for safe cleanup. Compacting and

Most people think that picking the right masonry drill bit is easy and straightforward. But that’s not true. Choosing a drill bit that matches your project’s needs can be confusing and time-consuming because of the diverse drill types available. It’s much more complicated than you might think. Tips to get you the perfect Masonry Drill Bit for Your Project In this piece, we are going to discuss tips that will help you pick drill bits that match your project needs. The tips will also help you avoid the mistakes that most buyers make when selecting masonry drill bits. Here are the tips and factors to consider when choosing drill bits: The Type of Job You Are Doing The choice of drill bit largely depends on the project at hand. If you’ll be drilling small holes into light concrete or artificial stones, you can go for any masonry drill bit. You should, however, avoid bits made of substandard material regardless of the quality of concrete you’ll be drilling. They’ll overheat quickly and do a shoddy job. If you’re dealing with hard concrete and natural stones, ordinary drill bits are not for you. Go for drill bits that have tungsten carbide or durum tips. They are usually stronger, more efficient, and penetrate hard surfaces better and faster than the typical drill bits. However, it’s advisable to choose a high-quality drill bit if you intend to use it for different tasks. Compatibility with Your Masonry Drill What type of drill do you use? This is another important question that you should ask yourself. You should choose a drill bit that is compatible with your drill type. This will make your job easy and smooth. It’ll also help ensure that your drill will never be damaged by discordant drill bits. You need to examine the drill bit shank and ensure it’ll be grasped perfectly by the chuck of your drill. However, choosing a drill bit that’s compatible with your drill does not necessarily mean that you have to buy bits of the same brand. No! Manufacturers are now coming up with universal drill bits that are compatible with almost all drills. Do thorough research and you’ll find out which drill bits are compatible with your drill and which ones are not. You can even carry your drill to the store to try the bits before you buy them. This will help ensure you don’t make any mistakes. Drill Bit Material When selecting a drill bit, you have to consider the material it’s made of. There are masonry drills bits made of low carbon steel. These drill bits are cheap and can be used to drill soft surfaces. However, they overheat quickly, are less efficient, and don’t last long. Besides, they cannot be used on hard surfaces. Some drill bits are made of high-speed steel (HSS). These bits are a bit more expensive than those made of low carbon steel. Thankfully, the high-speed steel bits can be used on hard surfaces, have good heat resistance and usually last long. If you go for a drill bit made of HSS, however, make sure it’s coated with carbide, diamond powder, or even titanium carbon nitride. This helps make it tough and good for masonry. The coating also helps reduce corrosion and wear. You can also choose masonry bits made of tungsten carbide. These are the bits you want for your masonry project. They’re tough, highly durable, and resistant to heat. Regardless of the of the type drill bit you choose, the golden rule here is to ensure that you pick a drill bit that is made of a high-quality and durable material, which is coated with carbide, diamond powder or titanium carbon nitride. The Size of the Drill Bits Drill bit sizes range from 3mm to 16mm. When it comes to length, there are standard lengths, but there also long masonry drill bits that range from 300 to 400 mm. The size and length of the drill bit you choose depend on the length or the size of the holes you want to make. It’s important to ensure the bit you choose has exactly the same size as the hole you are going to make. Going for a bit that is a little bit larger than the hole you wish to create is also fine. What about the length? In most instances, you’ll need a drill bit of standard length, but like we mentioned, there are longer bits if you need something longer. Make Sure it’s actually a Masonry Drill Bit There are many types of drill bits out there. While some are meant for wood, others are specially designed for glass, metals, and masonry projects. Therefore, you want to ensure that the bit you pick is meant for masonry. There are two types of masonry drill bits: tungsten carbide drill bits and diamond hole saw. These drill bits are effective in penetrating stones, concrete block, solid concrete, and other hard and soft materials found in the construction world. The good news is that they rarely overheat and are highly durable. You can also use them to drill holes in timber is you need to. You should, however, note that the holes will be rough. Avoid Cheap Bits Yes, it’s good to consider the price when buying drilling bits, but that does not mean that you should go for cheap bits. Cheap bits are usually made of substandard material and have a history of overheating and shattering when subjected to pressure. Buying them is a waste of your hard earned money, not to mention that they can ruin or delay your project. Go for quality. There are thousands of high-quality drill bits out there that are reasonably priced. Advice from the Field Drilling into brickwork requires the right tools and techniques to ensure efficiency and safety. The team at Rednax observes that many DIY enthusiasts and even some professionals underestimate the importance of using appropriate equipment. “We often encounter situations where individuals attempt to drill into brick without the proper masonry bits

With an annual growth of 3.9% in the industry and an average of $1 million in revenue, now is the perfect time to start your own landscaping business. If you’re thinking of creating a landscaping company, there are tons of things to get figured out. One of these is landscaping tools. Despite how trivial it may sound, having the right supplies is essential to your landscaping success. Not only do people want excellent communication, service, and cost, but the job itself should be high quality. Fear not – we have compiled the ultimate landscaping tools list. Here are the best landscaping tools to have for your business so you can grow yards and your company. Basic tools checklist for General Lawn and Gardening To maintain your lawn and garden efficiently, you need reliable tools built for tough jobs. Here are the essentials: Quality matters – Choose tools made with stainless steel, fiberglass, or metal, and look for rubber grips for comfort. Well-maintained tools made from durable materials will serve you longer and improve results in your landscaping work. Moving from basic Gardening to Landscape Construction: Professional Landscapers need to know a lot more than basic Lawn and Landscape maintenance. Because the work they do overlaps in work done by other trades, landscapers need to know a bit about everything. Landscapers need more knowledge and equipment to handle the tasks. Retaining Walls: Retaining walls can be build from a variety materials with the most popular being: Experienced landscapers generally have decent knowledge in basic bricklaying for building low retaining walls. But as a professional you need to know your local regulations on retaining wall construction as they vary from council to council. Factors such as height, proximity to property boundaries, easements, sewers or water lines might mean council approval and a requirement for you to hold a license. Laying concrete Despite what many people think, there is a lot that goes into laying concrete. Within the concreting trade, there are different niches. Some concreters specialise on formwork, which is making the frame (form) for the concrete to be poured into. Others focus on concrete grinding and polishing, which is the process of taking the top off the concrete once it is dry to expose the rock and other aggregate that makes up the concrete and then polishing it so it is a beautifully smooth surface. Landscapers often have to lay concrete foot paths, or even the basic concrete slab for a tool shed. Depending on the size, when they are experienced in this, they will often create the form themselves and pour the concrete. Other concrete may need to be laid to do a neat and profession garden edge. Paving The art of paving can make a landscape look amazing and professional landscapers know that a perfect balance of paving and greenery can also make the area very comfortable to use. From outdoor patio slabs, to walk ways, poolside, and garden edging pavers laid correctly are guaranteed to last. Pavers cover a wide range from brick, concrete, terracotta, granite, limestone and travertine and can be designed in any pattern to suit your style and budget. Hand tools for Landscaping Construction (not Gardening) As professional landscapers are using skill sets across bricklaying, carpentry, concreting, concrete form work and even concrete grinding it makes sense that the hand tools they use are the quality used by the masters of those individual trades. Brick Trowel Just because bricklayer isn’t in your title, does that mean you should go to the chain hardware store and buy the cheapest trowel you can find? There is a reason, brickies don’t buy low grade trowels and that is because they don’t last and they are not built with comfort in mind. Why don’t they last? Cheap brick trowels are spot welded at the shank- that is the point where the handle meets the blade. They will snap at that point. They are fine for the DIY home handyman, but a professional construction worker wants tools that will last job after job. Premium trowels are made from one piece of steel- this is called solid forged. Another thing to consider is the trowel balance. High quality trowels have been designed to reduce the stress and fatigue on your wrist and arm that comes with prolonged use. For any trowel you will be using over and over, look after your body and get one designed for professionals. The most popular brick trowel in Australia is the Marshalltown Brick Trowel, but they are by no means the only high quality option. Also leading the field are WRose Brick Trowels, WHS Brick Trowels, and OX Tools Brick Trowels. If you want to see our recommended high quality brick trowels and the different styles available, we have listed them altogether here. Brick Carrier The inventor of a brick carrier has saved brickies so much time over the years. Picking up 6 bricks at a time, you can really move some bricks with a brick carrier in each hand. This handy tool has many affectionate names like, six pack, brick tongs and brick grabs. The last thing you want to do is waste time, moving bricks by hand without on or two of these useful tools. A good quality brick carrier like the BT engineering brick carrier will only cost you around $30 – a small price to pay for the time saved. String Line, Line Blocks and Line Pins No brickie goes anywhere without his string line, line blocks and line pins, so if you are a landscaper laying bricks, you should not either. Stringline: One of the most underrated tools that produces so much efficiency if used correctly. When using a string line, you do not have to use leveling tools as often which means you get level work at a much faster pace. When choosing your string line there are a couple of things to consider. You want a line that is braided not twisted. Twisted string line will fray making it difficult to use. a Tight

Did you know that the shortage of skilled workers and an increase in labour and materials will continue to push up the cost of construction in Australia? The cost of masonry materials and tools are not that cheap. However, if you want a building to last and be strong-standing, you need to ensure you get the right equipment and tools for the job. If you are new to masonry, then keep reading to discover the must-have masonry tools that you need. Masonry Materials Masonry workers use specific materials such as bricks, stones, or concrete. Your project needs will determine what types of masonry material you will need. If you are completing DIY projects, it is best to purchase the materials when you need them. Storing materials for a long time could lead to moisture damage. Moisture damage will leave your materials to harden and become useless, so save yourself some money by only buying in what you need. Some essential materials you might need for your masonry project could include veneer mortar, cement, aggregate, mortar, grout, and rebar. Veneer mortar is a specialised type of mortar that is enriched with polymers, this helps the veneer masonry units stick to vertical surfaces. Cement can come in ready-mix bags which means all you have to do is add water to harden the mixture. Cement is great for setting fence posts and lying down flagstones in your garden. Aggregate is a material made of sand or gravel, which helps to fill out and forms the bulk of concrete. Mortar is a mixture that helps to stick together masonry units. Grout is used to fill the seams between masonry units. It’s a mixture of cement and sand. Rebar, or reinforcing bars, are steel bars that are added throughout masonry to increase a structures strength. Masonry Tools and Their Uses Not only do you need to consider what materials you will need for your project, but you also need to create a masonry tools list. This list will depend on what kind of project you are doing, for example, you will need brick masonry tools for building a house. Below are some of the essential masonry tools that most projects will require. Trowels There are many different types of trowels that you might use as a masonry worker. For instance, there are: ordinary trowels pointing trowels brick trowels buttering trowels edgers and margin trowels. It is very important to use the right one for your project, otherwise, you may not get the desired outcome. Margin trowels are typically used with narrow masonry units, for example, manufactured stone veneer. This is so that the masonry worker doesn’t spill excess mortar over the sides of the veneer units. However, margin trowels are probably the most universal trowel you can get. So, if you aren’t sure what type of trowel to choose, try a margin trowel. Drill Bits Drill bits are used to drill through concrete. They can also be used to drill through brick and stone. If you need a drill bit that is very strong, then you need to get one with a tungsten carbide tip. Choosing the right masonry drill bits for your project can be confusing and time-consuming, so save yourself some time by learning how to choose the right one for your project. Cold Chisel Your project will probably need a cold chisel. This is a type of chisel has a wide and flat head that can help you slice bricks or veneer stone in half with a blow of a hammer. You can also use a cold chisel to chip away excess mortar. A cold chisel is also useful to remove a single brick from a brick wall. Most cold chisels have a plastic handle, which helps to absorb the shock from the hammer blow. Brick Hammer Masonry workers need to have a brick hammer. This specific type of hammer is essential for the work you will be doing. You can’t use a normal hammer, because it might break and will leave your masonry work looking shoddy. A brick hammer has a blunt side, which makes it great for chopping stones or bricks in half with one quick blow. On the other side of the brick hammer, there is a smaller tool that can be used to score lines for more precise breaks. Wire Brush An essential thing that masonry workers need is a wire brush. This is used to brush away rock chips or concrete crumbs that you need to clean up. You can’t simply use a normal sweeping brush to clean up, because they aren’t strong enough to get rid of stubborn concrete crumbs. The only way you can remove all the debris from a crack that you’ve opened in the concrete is by using a stiff wire brush and a shop vacuum. Safety Equipment And finally, before starting any projects or masonry work, you need to ensure that you have the correct safety equipment. For example, some projects may require you to wear a helmet and goggles. If you are working with materials that might chip or breakaway, be sure to protect your eyes and your body from the debris. Get the Right Masonry Tools Having the right masonry tools can significantly improve your projects and save you a lot of time and money. Remember to buy the right materials and tools before you start your project. If you are looking for new masonry tools, or want to repair your existing tools, then get in touch with our friendly team today.

Whether you’re replacing outdated flooring or looking to touch up your garage, your concrete renovation isn’t complete without a protective finish. Applying a non-slip surface could mean the difference between a glossy, resilient finish or a slippery surface prone to easily preventable falls. The benefits of epoxy flooring extents further than just preventing accidents. Epoxy floor coating provides a resilient seal for your floor and shields against any damage or wear. When you coat the floor of your auto shop, studio, garage it can: a. preserve your concrete surfaces b. protect against slips and falls c. give it a nice glossy finish. Still not convinced? Here are six reasons why you should be using a non-slip floor coating on your concrete floors. 1. It Transforms Your Space An epoxy floor coating can completely transform your concrete flooring. While gray concrete can sometimes have a harsh feel, a non-slip coating can elevate the look into something more refined and elegant. The shiny surface can give the space a whole new dimension. With a more polished look, you can put concrete flooring in any space, not just garages or basements. This coating can also disguise any defects on your concrete floor. Chips, dents, or light stains from other materials can be glossed over by the finish. For further effects you can pick metallic or colored epoxy coatings. 2. It Can Save You Money Compared to the purchase of new flooring, including the new material and installation costs, epoxy is an affordable option. You don’t need to remove your current flooring. All you have to do is apply the coating over the cement you already have installed. This makes it easy to revamp your flooring while spending less time and money. 3. It Protects Your Floor Epoxy coating isn’t just for appearances. Water, chemicals, and daily wear and tear can wreak havoc on your floors. Epoxy can fortify your concrete flooring and keep it from getting damaged in the future. Impact Epoxy is both tough and flexible, which means that it’s shock resistant. Impacts like dropping a heavy object or the grind of cars driving over the surface won’t affect epoxy. If you have flooring in a high traffic area or you’re at risk of dropping heavy tools, machinery, or recreational gear, epoxy can keep your floor safe from jarring crashes. Heat Once the epoxy has dried, it can withstand high heat. The typical limit is about 90 degrees Celsius, but some types of epoxy can withstand even more heat. This makes it ideal for garages or kitchens–where the flooring might come into contact with heat. Chemicals Chemicals left behind from cars, household supplies, or garage supplies won’t have any impact on epoxy. So if you end up spilling fertilizer, brake fluids, oil, or more on your floor, you can rest assured that the chemical resistant coating will keep anything from seeping through to the concrete and corroding it. Water For internal flooring, making sure your floor is water-resistant is important. Flooding or spills can stain your concrete flooring. Epoxy won’t let the water soak through into the floor, and the extra grip will keep it from becoming too slippery. 4. It Strengthens the Floor Many people select concrete flooring because of how strong it is. No matter how heavy your car, equipment or furniture is, concrete can handle it all. But repeated exposure to heavy weights can slowly wear away concrete. This corrosion only leads to unsightly damage and concrete particles in the air. Adding an epoxy coating to the floor can enhance the natural strength of concrete. Certain types of epoxy flooring can help concrete support up to almost 5,000 kilograms. This strength also means that it won’t peel or tear once properly bonded to the concrete. 4. It Simplifies Cleaning Another benefit of epoxy is that it reduces maintenance. With a regular concrete floor, you’ll have to keep cleaning up dust and other particles. These settle on the ground or even into other rooms of your house. Epoxy can lock in these particles and reduce the dust buildup. The smooth surface created by epoxy is also easy to clean with a mop, broom, or vacuum. Bacteria and grime don’t adhere to epoxy, which makes it simple to keep things sanitary. Even with heavier cleaning supplies, the surface will resist scratching or corrosion. Water or chemicals can be wiped away without damaging the floor or dulling its shine. 5. It Has Long-Lasting Effects Once you’ve initially applied the epoxy, it won’t need to be redone for a long period of time. This coating lasts longer than wood, concrete, tile, and carpet flooring because of its strength and resistance. This durability means it will last for years. The longevity means you’ll have a practical and cost-effective coating for your floor. 6. It’s Safe to Walk On Installing epoxy floor coating can increase safety and visibility in any space. The reflective surface illuminates the room, even if its a dark space like a basement or garage. Not only is the space more visible, but a non-slip coating mix can increase the stability of your flooring. Using a surface with grip effects-like grit, mortar, gravel, sand, or aluminum oxide- you can keep the slick surface of the epoxy slip-free. This means that even when the epoxy looks shiny and smooth, you’re less likely to slip and fall when walking through. On-the-Job Perspective Epoxy flooring is renowned for its durability and low maintenance, making it a popular choice for both residential and commercial spaces. The team at Local Workforce Hire notes that while epoxy floors are resilient, their longevity heavily depends on proper installation and preparation. “We’ve seen cases where inadequate surface preparation led to peeling or uneven finishes,” a representative explains. They recommend engaging experienced professionals to ensure the substrate is correctly prepared and the epoxy is applied under suitable conditions. This approach not only enhances the floor’s durability but also ensures a smooth, attractive finish that stands the test of time. What

The Australian lawn care industry has experienced sustained growth over the past five years and only projects to continue this growth for the next five. As long as people care about the way their home and yard look, there will be a need for lawn care professionals. Often even more impactful–as long as people care about what their peers think of this, property maintenance will be a necessary business. Those looking to get into this business might get overwhelmed at the sheer variety of tools they may think they need to get started. Not only that, but each piece of lawn care equipment comes in a variety of forms. You’ll see equipment in different sizes, made of different material, costing vastly different amounts, either mechanical or manual, etc. Where should you start? What are the essential pieces of landscaping equipment to get your business up and running? Offer Different Services Before we get into the actual lawn care equipment you should start your landscaping business off with, it’s good to consider what services you plan to actually offer. Landscaping and property maintenance is far more than just cutting grass. Professionals in this line of work often try to gain skill in a great variety of different property maintenance services. Doing so will allow you to better fulfil your customers’ needs. Another major advantage of this is that it prevents your customers from calling other lawn care service companies from coming in and taking care of the services you don’t offer. If this were to happen, your customer may consider dumping you for the convenience of having the other company just take care of everything. Even if there are certain services that you aren’t currently able to offer, how may you get around this problem? Tell your customer that you’ll take care of the service needed. Then, subcontract the job out, calling another company to come and take care of the job while you oversee it and take your cut. But beyond cutting grass, what are some of these other services you might offer? Consider these additional options: Tree removal services If you have a business in a colder climate, snow and ice removal Maintenance of shrubs, bushes, trees, and gardens Mulching, loaming, and lawn repair Another cooler climate need, offer autumn and spring clean up services Once the business has grown, offer landscape construction services–walkways, retaining walls, patio installations, etc. The Quintessential Pieces of Lawn Care Equipment The industrious neighbourhood 14-year-old boy looking to make a bit of extra money from his neighbours. The fully-equipped business with its fleet of landscape trucks, trailers, crews, and all. These two businesses may not have too much in common. Still, if there’s a single piece of equipment these two vastly different in size businesses share in common, it’s probably a lawnmower. This is because the most basic and frequently reoccurring need in the way of lawn care is grass maintenance. In this regard, the entrepreneurial 14-year-old may start off with his parents small, underpowered push mower. But he and others looking to start a lucrative, professional lawn care business will want to get higher quality push and ride-on mowers. Usually, this means starting off with a push mower. Eventually, though, you’ll want to graduate to the larger ride-on mower for the sake of efficiency (unless the great majority of your jobs are smaller, city lawns where manoeuvrability is key). The Quintessential Piece of Tree Removal Landscape Equipment Many homeowners have one or more trees in their yard they’d like to get rid of. Perhaps the trees are simply unsightly and the homeowner would like their house to get more sunlight. It could also be that a tree is rotting and becoming a potential hazard to fall on their home or vehicle. Whatever the case may be, this is a lucrative service to be able to offer. Depending on various factors, such as the size of the trees, their locations, and the full range of service you’ll be providing, it’s not uncommon to charge anywhere from a few hundred dollars to even in the thousands per tree. It also doesn’t take a major initial investment when it comes to the right lawn care equipment to perform this task. The most basic piece of equipment you’ll want and need for this job is a quality chainsaw. Be sure to have a chainsaw that is both large and powerful enough for the tree(s) at hand. Otherwise, you’ll be putting yourself in unnecessary danger. Safety Is a Priority From the Start For each and every service your professional lawn care company will be providing, there are certain dangers. Even jobs such as hand-pruning bushes could present such dangers as getting a loose twig in your eye. The dangers of other jobs are more obvious. Sawdust, dirt, and other material could be thrown into your eyes when using a chainsaw. Without protection, sustained exposure to loud machine-powered equipment can damage hearing. Another important set of lawn care equipment to make sure to have from the start is landscaping safety gear such as: Safety glasses/sunglasses/goggles Earmuffs/earplugs Contractor gloves Quality Is Often the Difference-Maker Hopefully, this list has acted as a guide for you in knowing where to start when it comes to getting the lawn care equipment needed to get your landscape business up and running. Just as important as having the right type of equipment, though, is having good quality equipment. It’s why you won’t often see the high-end, fully equipped landscape professionals buying their most important pieces of equipment at the local Bunnings. Rather, they’re more likely to shop from vendors offering high-quality, commercial equipment. Quality equipment helps you to perform quality work for your customers. And when it comes to keeping customers in the business of property maintenance, nothing is more important than quality. It’s something most who can are always willing to pay for. With these points in mind, check out our full inventory of high-quality lawn care equipment for landscape professionals.

You’re in the market for a new lawn mower for your landscaping and gardening business. But is a riding mower something you should consider as a good investment? The only trouble is that with so many options on the market, you’re having serious difficulty making up your mind. You want to ensure you invest in a lawnmower that gets the job done efficiently, but doesn’t sacrifice quality.  You need to be able to choose from different grass heights, work on many types of terrain, and feel confident that you’ve purchased a mower that will last for a long tie.  It sounds like you’re in the market for a push mower.  Read on to learn why you should invest in a push mower for your business.  Are push mowers easy to use? Let’s face it — no matter the time of day or the kind of terrain you’re working with, lawn mowing is hard work! The job of the best lawn mowers is to make the task as simple and intuitive as possible. And if you can actually be comfortable throughout the process, all the better.  Push mowers are incredibly simple to use, whether you’re finishing landscaping edges or tackling an entire lawn. They also come with handles set at the perfect angle, so that you can mow for hours at a time without having to deal with that annoying pressure and pain in the wrists and arms.  Plus, the specially-designed grips will help you to avoid blisters and slipping, meaning you’ll be both safe and comfortable. These grips also work to cut down on the intensity of the vibrations that hit your wrists, so you can keep on going until the job is done.  Some mowers even let you adjust the handle height, so you’ll get the perfect fit every time.  We especially love the fact that a push mower makes the collection as easy as possible. This means that you no longer have to worry about leaving behind grass clippings, leaves, and even twigs. Instead, everything just gathers in the collector tray — so no cleanup required.  Finally, multiple blades mean that you won’t have to spend your entire afternoon taking care of a lawn. They have strong cutting decks, dual ball-bearing wheels secured into place, and much more.  What should I look for in a push mower? Depending on the specific job you’re working on, you may need to use a variety of cutting options.  Today’s top push mowers offer different cutting systems, allowing you to get the perfect grass height every time. Remember that the grass type, the season, and the terrain will all impact the ideal grass height.  A good lawn mower can have as many as 9 different cutting heights to choose from. Additionally, you can adjust the speed of your mower according to your goals and the current condition of the lawn.  Especially if you’re using a push mower in your landscaping and lawn care business, you need to be able to do lots of different things with it.  Depending on the type of work, you may need a grass cutting mower or a mulching mower. The great thing is that the vast majority of push lawn mowers are able to tackle both jobs.  Perhaps the most important part of the mower is the engine itself. Look for a high-quality engine designed by a trusted company, like Briggs & Stratton. You should also look for safe and quick start features that don’t require lots of effort on your part to get the mower going.  Many people incorrectly assume that storing a lawn mower requires lots of garage or warehouse space. However, if you invest in the newest models, this isn’t true.  Today’s best lawn mowers, like the LC118 Push Mower from Husqvarna, make storage a snap. Thanks to their collapsible handle and quick cam lock, it will only take you a few moments to find the best place for your now compact mower.  This means more space for the things you love, or for your other construction equipment.  Are push lawn mowers worth it? Yes, the right lawn mowers are a bit of an investment up front.  However, especially if you work in construction and landscaping, your clients will absolutely expect you to be able to provide lawn mowing services. Having your own lawn mower means that you can meet customer demand and that you’ll save serious cash by avoiding having to hire someone else to get the job done.  Additionally, the lawn mowers that we sell in particular are designed to last you for as long as possible — meaning that you won’t need to buy a new model once every year.  They can also work on both rough and smooth terrain so that you can tackle any job with ease.   Don’t spend your money on cheap tools and mowers at hardware stores that will have you spending more than you would have if you’d bought a high-quality mower the first time around.  Instead, make an investment in your business — and watch your company thrive as a result.  Are You Ready to Buy a Push Mower? We hope that this post has helped to convince you that investing in a push mower is the right move for you.  Not only do they offer lots of different cutting length options and a collection tray for easy cleanup, but they’ll also keep you comfortable while you’re on the job. So, where can you shop for some of the best push mowers on the market today?  Want to learn where you can go to have your lawn mowers and other construction equipment serviced and repaired?  We can help you with that.  Browse through our incredible inventory of bricklaying, concreting, and other products. You can also shop by brand to make sure you get equipment from companies you trust.