Saturday, August 1, 2015

Wood bedrooms romantic and comfortable - decorated bedrooms , wood - See more in

Holiday -bedroom wooden
Wood bedrooms romantic and comfortable
Modern and attractive wooden bedrooms in a new design
Bedrooms with wooden very great lighting and brilliant colors
Wood bedrooms very romantic and comfortable new
Bedrooms - bedroom modern wood - wood bedroom new
Bedrooms - bedroom modern wood - wood bedroom new
Bedrooms - bedroom modern wood - wood bedroom new
- See more at: http://www.arabsdecor.com/2012/03/2012.html#sthash.QADxPOc7.dp 


 

Saturday, February 7, 2015

laminate flooring reviews: Urged full scientific ready for Wood

laminate flooring reviews: Urged full scientific ready for Wood: Wood Wood membership Mstrdobh porous material ( which absorbs moisture and keeps out ) as it is material subject to any f...

Urged full scientific ready for Wood

Wood Wood membership Mstrdobh porous material (which absorbs moisture and keeps out) as it is material subject to any form takes a variety of situations in the growth response to external stimuli, and would come from woody plants, particularly trees, shrubs and wood.
Wood consists mainly of cellulose by 40-50% cellulose and half by 20-30% and are linked with each other textured lignin Lignin 25-30% wood is wooden weaving plants Xylem
 
Growth trees
Growth rings in trees than the tree in the country shows that the episodes that appear in the outer circles inside the trunk when he made those episodes increase depending on the annual growth of the tree by one episode per year in most cases and observing the rings around the trunk can show the climatic conditions that have grown out of the tree Valhalqh petition indicates to significant growth and abundance season in moisture (water) and narrow rings indicate dry season, for example. In the past, it was the age of the tree is calculated by visual inspection, but currently based computers scans loops and calculating the age of the tree on the exact ·
Organic composition of trees:
If a tree were cut perpendicular to the level of the leg Vnchahd sector and note the
1 - pulp: - is the first component parts in the trunk of the tree and consists of cellular tissue and when the tree is small pulp be containing a large proportion of food media and non-existent for the attainment of the tree age aging, and move food cycle to the rings surrounding Ballbad and when there are knocks the tree we see that the core this branch out from the original pulp and therefore we note that the thinner branches of the tree trunk because of the distribution of winning mineral summary

2 - the annual rings: - a fabric loops cell with pores and scattered Hawa pulp in the crust and are parallel and do not take full form of rotation in some cases, and called on the label due to be ring every year so it can rule on the age of the tree of the number of these episodes and the initial annual rings configuration full of food-borne organic Article X and freeze them consists of wood used in the business and be solid wood near the crust is weak because the wood hardness less than the closer episodes about the crust color from the color of the other opening

3 - X medullary or membership: - a conductive food to parts of the tree which is wooden with a pore body horizontal lines and vertical on the parts of the tree tissue extending from the heart about the crust 4 - the crust: - is the cover spongy protective of wood and consists of fibrous cells of the wood and the increase in fish year after the age of accession layers of them from within and cracked when they reach old age tree

Wood features
Wood used since the dawn of history in the industry everything it needed human and therefore several distinct qualities of wood from other materials:
Ease of getting it from the trees
Endurance strength and rigidity
Ease of wood molding and easy pieces

Uses wood
Wood is mainly used as fuel to ignite the fire and it was charcoal, which is also used as fuel manufacturing. Wood was also used in ancient ships and weapons, houses and vehicles industry (so that the first bikes were wooden) and agricultural machinery and even shoes and newly for manufacturing furniture and floors mil ·

Wood sources
The natural source of timber is the forest, but for fear of extinction of natural forests due to logging for timber, the maximum importance to the continuation of life on earth and it is natural for the oxygen plant, being in the country exporting of timber in the world, forest farming for commercial purposes in order to get the timber, where grown tree seedlings rather than large trees that were cut. As good quality growth are cultured rapid timber trees.

Friday, January 23, 2015

laminate flooring reviews: If Trees Could Talk

laminate flooring reviews: If Trees Could Talk: If Trees Could Talk One of the best ways to learn about a tree is to look at its annual rings – the science of dendrochronology.  Tree r...

Sunday, May 25, 2014

If Trees Could Talk

If Trees Could Talk

One of the best ways to learn about a tree is to look at its annual rings – the science of dendrochronology.  Tree rings show patterns of change in the tree’s life as well as changes in the area where it grows.  I shared with the class a cross-section of a Ponderosa Pine and a Western Hemlock.  We compared the bark and the growth rings of each and discussed how these rings could be used to tell stories of the trees past (fire or insect damage, years of drought or slow growth compared to years of abundant rain).
Tree Cross SectionI then read aloud the following story about a tree and asked them the questions listed below to check for their understanding.
Once upon a time, a tree grew in the forest.  In its first 10 years it grew slowly because the large trees overhead blocked the sunlight.  In its 11th year, the large tree next to it blew down in a storm.  This allowed sunlight to reach the little tree, and for the next 10 years it grew rapidly.  In its 21st and 22nd years there was a severe drought, and the tree could not get enough water.  This stress caused the tree to grow very slowly for three years.  In its 25th year, favorable conditions returned and the tree grew normally for 15 years.  In its 40th year, wildfire raged through the forest.  The tree’s thick bark enabled it to survive, but it was deeply scarred.  It grew slowly for several years after that.  Year 45 was particularly bad.  Bark beetles got under its skin, fungus entered its body through woodpecker holes, and caterpillars ate most of its leaves.  For five years the tree hardly grew at all and became very weak. In its 50th year, it blew down in a storm.  A science teacher found the fallen tree and used a chain saw to make a big tree cookie from the trunk.
What do you think the tree cookie from this tree looked like?  Draw a picture of what you think the rings might appear.

Thursday, April 17, 2014

Types of wood and disadvantages


Types of wood and disadvantages
1 - types of natural wood :
Timber is divided by a natural climatic zones to:
A - Woods soft dark color such as coniferous trees , including wood Sweden and grow in cold regions .
B - Woods medium hardness dark color , such as beech and oak wood and mahogany ... and grow in cold regions .
C - precious hardwoods such as oak and walnut , ebony and grow in the tropics . Prior to use, the use of any type of wood should be dried to reduce the percentage of water in it,
The types of drying :
1 - Altgfik steam and boiling water .
2 - drying ovens with natural air ducts .
3 - kiln drying with compressed air.
It consists of natural wood ( a section of the tree ) of the following :
Cortex , cambium , wood back, wood heart , the core , the annual rings , and the age of the tree is measured by the number of annual rings .
Defects timber :

Defects arise in the timber as a result of various factors, weather , and most important of these flaws :
1 - Contract: abound in softwood lumber such as wood white , and the node is a place contact the branch torso is notified that they may be separated during the work must therefore be removed machine that removed the contract, and they can be burned Beremus Incineration ( Babur ) .
2 - torsion : bends the branches as a result of the intensity of the movement of wind when the tree is small .
3 - rot : It is produced from the decomposition of materials Synovial in the tree.
4 - trauma : the faults appear in the cross section of the tree because of the drop at the cut trees and colliding heavily to the ground.
5 - aging : where it becomes the heart of the tree Ojoava and damage the wood part of the tree because of the delay in cutting the tree for a good time .

2 - Types of industrial timber :

A - sheets of plywood ( plywood ) : a layers the direction of the veins in the first layer perpendicular to the direction of the veins in the second layer , and plastered layers on top of each other with the pressure to ensure that no swollen when exposed to water , and not splitting panels when hammering nails in layers. And using a single number of layers least 3 layers , and each layer is called Ffinerh .

A picture of a wood and opposite note of its constituent layers
B - shingles latte :
Frequently used panels latte in the Household Furniture and Aalmketbi has many other uses .
The plates are divided into several types latte are:
1 - shingles latte in mass composed of strips of wood width not exceeding 25 mm and not less than 8 mm gathered and attached to a face -to-face and covered with sheets of double-sided natural wood .
2 - sheets of laminate latte : no more than a slide show for the 7 cm gathered and attached to a face -to-face to be a flat surface covered with sheets of double-sided natural wood .
3 - wood particleboard panels : in the form of sheets made ​​from a combination of grained wood adhesives with pressing and pressing .
4 - fibreboard : made ​​from a mixture of wood fibers and adhesives using heat and pressure .
5 - shingles plastics and melamine panels .

Monday, April 14, 2014

4 steps to take care of wooden furnishings

The wood material months and the most popular in the furniture industry , and is hardly devoid of any house

of wood furnishings , to the elegant appearance and ease of handling .

But the wood can be exposed to many of the factors that You damage , so it is necessary to take some necessary actions , especially when cleaning upholstery, these tips will help a group to handle , according to the Times of India :

1 - protect the wood from water and Alasarowalsoaúl and other remnants of foods and cosmetics , where that can be absorbed by the wood and leaves stains deformation appearance , plus they cause putrefaction with time.

2 - maintaining a clean wooden surfaces of the furniture from dust and dirt by using a vacuum cleaner for this purpose, or a piece of dry cloth cleaned out regularly , and for wood coated lacquer used teak oil for cleaning , and the surfaces of heavily soiled wet the cloth with warm water with cleaning fluid suitable and wipes by soiled areas and then dried immediately .

3 - can remove dirt , sticky spots such as tea, coffee, using a cloth wet in a simple rub Btalv then dried with a dry cloth , preferably experimentation on the part of the furniture hidden in the beginning.

4 - must paint the wood with wax or paint annually to maintain its luster , and helps to protect it from moisture and weather factors , and to prevent the accumulation of wax can be used to piece cloth dampened with mineral oil , and must protect the hands and eyes during coating, and can be used specialists to get the best results , especially in the details small .

Monday, February 10, 2014

Hard and soft woods

Hard and soft woods

There is a strong relationship between the properties of wood and the properties of the particular tree that yielded it. The density of wood varies with species. The density of a wood correlates with its strength (mechanical properties). For example, mahogany is a medium-dense hardwood that is excellent for fine furniture crafting, whereas balsa is light, making it useful for model building. One of the densest woods is black ironwood.
It is common to classify wood as either softwood or hardwood. The wood from conifers (e.g. pine) is called softwood, and the wood from dicotyledons(usually broad-leaved trees, e.g. oak) is called hardwood. These names are a bit misleading, as hardwoods are not necessarily hard, and softwoods are not necessarily soft. The well-known balsa (a hardwood) is actually softer than any commercial softwood. Conversely, some softwoods (e.g. yew) are harder than many hardwoods.

Color

Color

In species which show a distinct difference between heartwood and sapwood the natural color of heartwood is usually darker than that of the sapwood, and very frequently the contrast is conspicuous (see section of yew log above). This is produced by deposits in the heartwood of chemical substances, so that a dramatic color difference does not mean a dramatic difference in the mechanical properties of heartwood and sapwood, although there may be a dramatic chemical difference.
Some experiments on very resinous Longleaf Pine specimens indicate an increase in strength, due to the resin which increases the strength when dry. Such resin-saturated heartwood is called "fat lighter". Structures built of fat lighter are almost impervious to rot and termites; however they are very flammable. Stumps of old longleaf pines are often dug, split into small pieces and sold as kindling for fires. Stumps thus dug may actually remain a century or more since being cut. Spruce impregnated with crude resin and dried is also greatly increased in strength thereby.
The wood of Coast Redwood is distinctively red in color
Since the latewood of a growth ring is usually darker in color than the earlywood, this fact may be used in judging the density, and therefore the hardness and strength of the material. This is particularly the case with coniferous woods. In ring-porous woods the vessels of the early wood not infrequently appear on a finished surface as darker than the denser latewood, though on cross sections of heartwood the reverse is commonly true. Except in the manner just stated the color of wood is no indication of strength.
Abnormal discoloration of wood often denotes a diseased condition, indicating unsoundness. The black check in western hemlock is the result of insect attacks. The reddish-brown streaks so common in hickory and certain other woods are mostly the result of injury by birds. The discoloration is merely an indication of an injury, and in all probability does not of itself affect the properties of the wood. Certain rot-producing fungi impart to wood characteristic colors which thus become symptomatic of weakness; however an attractive effect known as spalting produced by this process is often considered a desirable characteristic. Ordinary sap-staining is due to fungal growth, but does not necessarily produce a weakening effect.

Friday, October 18, 2013

Health insurance shock shoppers sticker suffer

Health insurance shock shoppers sticker suffer

"It's a horribly complex and ill-designed system that's going to be good for some people - 
mostly people with lower incomes - but for a lot of people, it's not going to be good for them," 
said Jeff Francisco health insurance agent who supports universal coverage but believes the law doesn't go far enough to help consumers and curb costs."Every plan is going to cost more than what I pay now. And what I pay now is ridiculous," said Ross, 47, who owns a cat-sitting business called y and pays more than $400 a month for her insurance. "It's a great thing for some people, but it's certainly not helping me."
the Affordable Care Act because she was hoping to get a better deal.
Ross is among the millions of Americage on their own, but must find new coverage because the health law has rendered their current policies outdated. But Ross, like many others, is not finding the plans sold through the Affordable Care Act to be particularly affordable.
Aside from a prohibition on denying coverage to people with pre-existing medical conditions beginning Jan. 1, the health law also rlicies sold next year to cover a minimum number of benefits. And that can add to the cemiums.
These include such mandamaternity and newborn care, substance abuse treatment, and dental 
But now that she's seen her options, Ross is disappointed. Turns out she earns slightly too much money to qualify for federal financial aid to help her buy coverage in the state's exchange, called Covered California. And because policies have to be upgraded to comply with the new law, her rates are going up nearly 10 percent.

Laminate Flooring Is An Alternative To “Real” Wood

If your home maintenance projects have led you to the conclusion that some of your finish floor covering needs to be replaced, then take a look at laminate flooring….it is durable alternative to wood that is worthy of consideration. This Raleigh Home Inspector installed some laminate flooring in his own home; after six years, its performance and durability are proving to be quite satisfactory.
(ARA) – You love the look of natural wood flooring but are afraid to install hardwood because you know the floor will take a beating from the kids, dogs and the heavy day-to-day traffic all too common in modern family life.
But you don’t have to sacrifice high style looks for boring sensibility when considering a new flooring option in your home – not if you choose laminate, that is.
Today’s best laminates combine the realistic grain and texture of wood with high durability and scratch and indentation resistance that “authentic” wood floors don’t provide, according to Jeff Katz, director – laminate for Tarkett Residential, a leading provider of innovative and sustainable flooring. And not only are today’s laminates available at a fraction of the cost of real wood floors, but they’re right in sync with the latest designs.
“There’s always a new decorating trend around the corner,” Katz says. “It’s imperative for manufacturers to respond to market demand, keeping up with the most up-to-date trends to ensure consumers are getting the latest in style and design, as well as technology.”
One such line is Tarkett’s Trends laminate, a durable new collection featuring eight of the hottest flooring designs, including Old World-inspired antique-stained planks and soft, hand scraped wood grains. Colors and styles in this line will continually rotate out with new introductions to give homeowners the newest, most popular looks in flooring, ultimately providing them with the high style of premium wood floors without the fuss.
“That’s the beauty of laminate products,” Katz says. “They’re the new normal – great-looking products that deliver great performance at a great value.
When shopping for laminate products consumers should look for flooring that is engineered with sturdy inner core board layers – preferably ones that deliver high impact resistance (at least an IC3 rating). This type of rating helps provide excellent indentation resistance, and when combined with highly rated top surface protection (AC3 or better) kids and pets can run and play freely on laminate floors without making a dent or marring up the surface’s good looks. As a result, laminate flooring is so durable versus real wood products that some laminates come with up to a full lifetime warranty.
What’s more, creating a laminate flooring transformation in your home is a relatively simple DIY project. Many of today’s new laminate floors come in easy-to-install planks that simply snap together without the need for messy glue or nails to pound. Laminates can even be used over several types of existing flooring, often eliminating the need for costly sub-floor preparation.
“Consumers now have the choice of selecting laminate floor innovations that provide excellent performance and value, while also reflecting and accommodating their changing tastes,” Katz says. “Laminate flooring solutions keep up with their day-to-day life. That’s something we know will never go out of style.” For more information about the latest trends in laminate flooring, visit www.tarkettna.com.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
For a Raleigh Home Inspection, call Quality Residential Inspections to schedule today……919.848.4833. We provide Home Inspections, and related ancillary services e.g. Radon testing and water testing, to the greater Triangle region of North Carolina to include Cary, Apex, Holly Springs, Fuquay-Varina, Wake Forest, Clayton, Garner, and Durham.

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Industry unconventional wooden houses


Industry unconventional wooden houses
Industry unconventional wooden houses gave you a picture of an unusual wooden houses We hope that you 
like it

Homes unusual made ​​of wood, you can put or move it in a place that you Chaeh or your destination with ease of transportation house made ​​of logs believed the beholder it is a pile of tree trunks because of the façades wood, even the windows are made from these logs, camouflaged the viewer not to The existence and the building was a block of wood Almkom


Monday, July 22, 2013

Wooden houses


We manufacture houses Alkhh_i

With the increasing construction problems and high costs of construction materials, especially some rebar Turn in D Gulf states to wooden houses

We are building and finishing a half wooden houses Tekle wooden houses and this in addition to many other features

In terms of the cost in wooden houses

P-timbered houses less expensive than the normal construction is less by more than half because all the raw materials used are wood Finnish

While cultivation of this type of trees in the Arab world will be less cost Kthiraa

Terms of speed of construction in wood houses

Do not compare the house of wooden houses and construction methods known in wooden houses optimal known in the construction and repair

Which means saving a lot of time

In terms of safety in wooden houses

First before anything wooden houses is not a modern invention They are found in more than 400 years and is present in the states, but

Saturday, July 20, 2013

Stairs decor ideas and creations home



As you can see can Badafahbed the simple touches
To beautify the overall shape or use Almessahhalm_khassh her ​​in other uses
Or adding a colored paper or other materials, or sometimes work stairs from Mosaic

Monday, March 11, 2013

Nook Dining Table – Luxury Wooden Dining Table


This Nook Dining Table might suitable with what you search. This luxury dining table made of wood with fine finishing. This dining table appear lustrous so looks more clean and interesting. Check below,,,

Nook Dining Table Nook Dining Table Luxury Wooden Dining Table

Nook Dining Table
A dining table to feast on, and not just on wonderful meals. For this too is where you can feast on the beauty of wood, the lustrous finish, the striking shape, and the spectacular construction; feast on warm intimate gatherings; feast on life
.

Wooden Cottage

Wooden Cottage

   Our Wooden Cottage are offered to the esteemed customers at industry leading prices. These wooden cottage are designed and manufactured as per clients' requirements, with the help of our team of experts. Moreover, we make sure to timely complete the undertaken projects within the committed time frame, reflecting excellence.

Some of the quality attributes are as follows:

    Easy installation

    Elegant design

    Termite resistance

    Durable standards

Wooden benches

For those with money to spend, there is a wide selection today of garden furniture, so I thought that I might share some tasteful options to the typical English Teak bench we always seem rely on. Pricey? Sure. But let's dream.....this garden bench from France ( circa 1890-1910), available at 1stdibs is perfectly modern and classic at the same time. Its straight lines and bleached walnut wood are contrary to most decorative European movements of the time, and I think inspired more by the Belgium Arts & Crafts movement, which makes blend in timelessly with todays modern aesthetic. I imagine that it was probably was bleached recently, but since bleaching wood is popular again, this remains attractive
.

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Laminate Flooring Installation Methods

Armstrong’s locking installation technologies make installing laminate floors fast and easy.

It’s easy to le
arn how to install laminate flooring. You don’t need any special skills or tools. Armstrong laminate products in the premium and best collections feature Lock&Fold® Installation technology, the fastest and easiest installation system available. Laminate floors in the good, better and best collections use the Armalock® system for an easy, glueless installation. Both systems are called “floating floors” because individual boards join to each other and “float” above the subfloor. No nails or glue are needed.

Check out this quick start guide to installing laminate flooring, plus tips to keep your project running smoothly. In the DIY area, you’ll find helpful guides and installation instructions for all our laminate products.
Easy steps on how to install laminate flooring

    Download detailed installation instructions for the laminate product you purchased. Always refer to the installation instructions for complete information on how to install laminate flooring.
    Assemble materials and tools.
    Prepare the subfloor, making sure it is clean, flat, dry and smooth.
    Roll out Armstrong Quiet Comfort or Quiet Comfort Premium underlayment along the starting wall in the direction that you will be installing the flooring and cut to length. To ensure a smooth and even surface for your flooring, do not overlap edges. Installation over concrete may require additional moisture barrier sheeting. Check the installation instructions.
    Begin installing laminate boards on the left side of the room and work right. Always start with the tongue facing the wall.
    For Lock&Fold, join boards in a two-step process by locking them together, then folding into position
    For Armalock, angle boards into a position that allows edges to lock together before folding them down into position.
    Use spacers to allow for expansion gaps where the boards meet the wall. When you reach the end of the row, measure and trim to fit.
    Begin the second row with the cut from the last piece in the first row. Stagger end joints of all boards 8” or more for a more attractive appearance.
    For the last row, measure each board for width as you go. Rooms are rarely perfectly square, so you may have to custom-cut each board to fit.
    Finish the floor by installing trim and molding. Remove all spacers, attach the moldings to the wall or the subfloor material not the flooring.

Tips on how to install laminate flooring

    Purchase 10-15% more laminate material than your room actually calls for to cover any waste from cuts or mistakes.
    The wall where you start installing the new floor should be more visible than your ending wall.
    Create a good visual effect by mixing boards from 3 –4 different boxes at the same time.

Beautiful, affordable and durable, Armstrong laminate flooring brings the unmistakable look of hardwood, ceramic tile or natural stone to any room in your home. Its versatility and easy installation make laminate one of the most popular flooring options available
sourse: .

Hardwood Flooring vs. Laminate Flooring.


Ah, the age ol’ debate, well not really as laminate flooring was invented back in 1977 (according to Wikipedia), but regardless, it’s a debate. Every homeowner who wants to spruce up their home by changing their floors has to make an important decision, laminate or hardwood? And up until recently, laminate flooring did not even hold a candle to solid hardwood, but with technological advances and great strides in engineering, laminate has propelled itself back into competition.

There are numerous pros and cons to choosing either. Let’s go through some of the primary considerations a homeowner goes through before deciding which step to take.

PRICE
Flooring costs can burn a hole through your wallet and depending on your budget, flooring quality has a drastic range.

Laminate - Laminate is essentially wood pressed together with the look of hardwood or image of hardwood pressed on top making it a cheaper option. Installation for laminate is also significantly cheaper and significantly easier. Many homeowners choose to install laminate flooring themselves as opposed to hiring outside help.

Hardwood - Hardwood flooring is solid wood and depending on what variety of wood you purchase, the pricing can differ greatly. The fact that it is solid wood combined with the fact that it is much more difficult to install greatly increases the price of hardwood flooring.

Winner of Price: Laminate

DURABILITY
The durability of a floor is measured by it’s ability to resist scratches, moisture, how long it can last and how long it retains is beauty. 

Laminate - With laminate it really depends on the quality of the laminate. Laminate quali

Thursday, July 5, 2012

Eco-friendly Hardwood Flooring in Minneapolis

Eco-friendly Hardwood Flooring in Minneapolis

As the call for the green movement grows stronger, making daily choices that will help protect the environment has become the norm. As you make your own contributions to environmental sustainability, you should also consider getting eco-friendly counterparts of hardwood flooring in Minneapolis. Not only is green flooring good for the environment, it is also good for you.
Made from eco-friendly materials, green flooring undergoes environment-friendly production and installation processes to ensure lesser environmental footprint. The most popular options for eco-friendly hardwood floors include cork, bamboo, wool carpets with jute backings, stone tiles, hardwood, linoleum and ceramic tiles.
Eco-friendly hardwood floors are also safe for the health of the homeowners and guests. Green flooring does not emit toxic or harmful substances that can jeopardize the health of people. Most green flooring materials are also noted to be hypo-allergenic, particularly cork, bamboo and marmoleum. Since these flooring materials are not prone to accumulation of dust, dirt, dander, pollen and other allergens, you do not have to worry about your family members or your guests getting allergy attacks and respiratory complications.
Because green flooring is made of 100% natural materials, green flooring materials are biodegradable. The materials can be disposed without harming the environment. Green flooring is also reusable. Furthermore, you have the option to bring your used green flooring to recycling centers and shops.
Compared to other flooring alternatives, green flooring guarantees a better air quality with no harmful fumes, scents and odors. Formaldehyde resin, a colorless and pungent-smelling gas that can cause numerous health side effects, is likewise not present in numerous green flooring options. To avoid respiratory problems, it would be best to choose formaldehyde-free hardwood flooring.
Lastly, green flooring has a longer lifespan with an easy maintenance requirement. With all of these advantages, it is indeed clear that green flooring gives you great value for your money