Trends in Asian Themed Bathroom Accessories

Many people have discovered the benefits of practices from Asia, such as doing yoga or learning martial arts.  You may have experienced the peace and calm that these activities bring and desire to decorate your home to reflect these feelings.  If so, you no longer have to stop before you get to the bathroom.  These days, there are many asian themed bathroom accessories that can bring Zen to your bathroom.  Wouldn't it be nice to start the day getting ready for work in a soothing, peaceful atmosphere?  Utilizing the asian themed bathroom accessories on the market today, a Zen bathroom is just a little bit of work away.

Let's begin with color.  You'll want to stay away from garish, bright colors when looking for asian themed bathroom accessories.  Think about earth tones.  Bring the textures of nature inside to coordinate with your asian themed bathroom accessories.  Think about the colors of stone, or wood.  Look for candles with spicy or woody smells.  Another color scheme that will work for asian themed bathroom accessories is black and white.  For splashes of color, go for red or gold.   

After you've come up with a general color scheme, look next for a shower curtain.  Your selection of shower curtain will guide all of your asian themed bathroom accessories.  One idea is a shower curtain with Chinese symbols on them.  You can find asian themed bathroom accessories imprinted with the symbols for love, happiness, wisdom and tranquility painted on them.  Wouldn't it be wonderful to be surrounded with these lofty symbols on a daily basis?  There are also matching bathroom accessories with these symbols on them-tumblers, toothbrush holders, wastebaskets and soap dishes.  You might want to choose this style of asian themed bathroom accessories in black and white, and then use bath towels and rug in either gold or red.  This combination would give you an asian theme with a very contemporary feel.

Another idea for asian themed bathroom accessories is to play with images of bamboo.  You can get shower curtains printed with images of bamboo, or fabric with an overall bamboo design.  You can look for asian themed bathroom accessories such as soap dishes which are made from bamboo, too.  The textured look of bamboo makes a wonderful backdrop for all kinds of colors, and this might be a good choice if you don't want an overt asian theme.

You can complete the entire asian theme by looking for new bathroom accessories such as towel racks and tissue holders.  Continue the same colors and materials as you choose these bathroom accessories.  Consider painting your walls in coordinating colors of choosing wallpaper that will carry on the asian themed bathroom accessories in the rest of the room.

Once you begin your search for asian themed bathroom accessories you will be amazed and delighted at how much awaits you.  It's so much fun to decorate a bathroom exactly to your liking.  With an asian themed bathroom, you'll have your own Zen haven right at home.  

The Career Basics of Carpentry

Carpenters are skilled people in crafts making who perform carpentry.  Carpentry involves a wide range of woodworking.  Constructing may include woodworking, buildings, furniture, and other objects made out of wood.  Entering this profession needs on to be informed of the career basics of carpentry.

Of course, knowledge of the chosen profession is important.  Passion is not enough to select a field, it is also important to know the nature and necessities a career you’re interested in requires.

Due to intense physical and manual labor this career requires, most of the carpenters are male.  Almost 98.5 % of carpenters are male, making it the fourth most dominated occupation in United States.

There are about 1.2 million carpentry jobs in 2002.  Most of them are contractors who build or repair buildings.  Other carpenters work for manufacturing firms, government agencies, retail stores, and schools.  About 30 percent of carpenters are self-employed.

There are different types of carpenters.  Knowing each type or occupation description may help future carpenters to decide on what field to specialize.  The following are the different types of carpentry jobs:

• Mayster – involved in rough carpentry; includes framing, formwork, roofing and other structural or large-scale work that is not necessarily polished in appearance.

• Joister- involved in putting floor joists.  Floor joists are horizontal boards that provide the floor strength in holding the weight.

• Finish carpenter- involved in finish carpentry which is cabinetry, furniture making, fine woodworking, model building, instrument making, parquetry, and other carpentry that require minimal margin of error.

• Trim carpenter- involved in molding and trim like door and window casings, mantle, baseboard and ornamental work.

• Cabinetmaker – involved in cabinet, wardrobe, dressers, storage chests and other furniture making which function is for storage

• Ship’s carpenter- involved in shipbuilding, maintenance and repair, and carpentry specific to nautical needs.

• Scenic carpenter – involved in scenery and set production for  films, television and theatre

• Framer- involved in building skeletal structures or frameworks of buildings.

• Roofer- involved and specialized in roof construction especially on rafters, beams and trusses

• Millwrights – involved primarily in metal and with machinery and equipment requiring precision

• Piledrivers - involved in the installation of heavy timbers requiring the use of cranes and the skill of rigging

• Plasterer - mix and apply cement and gypsum based wet plaster to provide a fire-resistant finish to internal surfaces such as walls and ceilings, etc

To gather much knowledge on their chosen profession, carpenters learn their trade through on the job trainings, formal training programmes, vocational education or employer training and apprenticeships. As early as high school, carpentry is already being taught in school trough courses like carpentry, shop, drawing and math.

Apprenticeships combine on the job training and classroom work. Applicants for an apprenticeship are required to be at least 18 years old and pass an exam to see if they have the skills to become a carpenter.  The length of the program is usually 3 to 4 years.   Starting carpenters learn under the supervision of more experienced practitioners.

Aside from laborious and arduous tasks a carpenter does, carpentry jobs also requires or engage in the following tasks:

• Reading blueprints and/or getting instructions from a supervisor

• Doing the layout including selecting materials, method or work and measuring and marking materials to avoid costly mistakes

• Cutting and shaping materials and joining them together

• Checking completed units to be sure they are level, square, plumb and the right shape, size and location

Knowing the career basic of carpentry of course makes a soon-to-be-carpenter groomed for taking the necessary steps needed to become one.

Train Now: Building Your Carpentry Career

Anyone interested in pursuing a carpentry career must establish knowledge in the chosen profession.  It is important to be trained and certified in the profession we have chosen.   Undergoing training and educational programs that will enhance our skill in the selected field would ensure a brighter future ahead.  

With carpentry, there are two main types of carpentry to choose from.  First is structural carpentry.  Structural carpentry deals mainly with buildings.  The second one, detail carpentry, is mainly involved with building and restoring furniture and other similar items.  Structural carpentry requires more education and experience.  

There are some skills necessarily present or needed in order to be good carpenter.  Making sure that you’re physically fit is important since carpentry is very much involved in physical and manual labor.  Math skills are also needed.  For anybody who would like to purse a career in woodworking, wood shop is also important.

High school and college students who are thinking about entering into the carpentry career normally takes additional math courses to have a head start about woodworking.  

For people who are no longer in college or high school there are several trade schools and vocational institutions that offer carpentry training programs.  Every locality is likely to have a trade school in the area.  Trade schools offer carpentry courses along with other courses like automotive or mechanics.  

Vocational institutes and trade school offer carpentry practical training, in-depth curriculums and academic knowledge.  Students are taught how to read blueprints, understand and comply with building codes, equipment use, foundation layouts, framing and roofing. 

Typical coursework for Carpentry programs includes topics such as how to: 

• Estimate time and materials for various types of projects

• Read construction plans

• Measure, cut, drill, join, fasten, and finish materials

• Safely use tools, materials and fasteners

• Construct foundations, frames, roofs, and siding

• Install drywall, floors, doors, windows, and trim

• Repair existing structures

Distance learning or online Certificate Programs in Carpentry are also being offered nowadays by accredited collages and vocational schools.   This is to offer flexible course timetable to students that may still be involved in current work or personal responsibilities.

Practical training or on the job training is also a prerequisite for soon-to-be carpenters.  More experience and knowledge is garnered from hands-on experiences.  

There is another form of training called apprenticeship.  With apprenticeship, a more-experienced and well-established carpenter is asked to guide or train an interested or starting carpenter.  This means a beginner get to work closely with an expert carpenter and learning a lot hands-on.  

Carpentry is mostly offered as a specialization, like cabinet making or ship carpentry.  Carpentry schools offer courses that enables the student to select if there would be any field he would like to specialize.  

Getting the best training in carpentry can help the students get positions in construction and in the building industry.  Good training can provide students the understanding needed in this business, making it possible to improve their employment and also salary.  

Carpentry is very important to the construction industry and also to the economy.  In 2002, in the United States 1.2 million people are in the carpentry industry.  It is expected to increase in the years to come.  With  proper and good training  and good skills, carpenters can anticipate a gaining and permanent employment.  With a good education and training, your carpentry career is sure to reach sky high.  

Carpentry Career - Benefits As A Member of the Union

Being a carpenter involves a lot of backbreaking work. Is it worth pursuing? It depends who you ask but those who have been doing it for years are satisfied with the benefits they get choosing a carpentry career. 

One thing that most people would like to know is how much do you earn as a carpenter. Depending on your experience and where you are working, the annual salary range is from a little less than $18,000 to just a little over $49,000. 

Since most carpenters are part of a union, you can expect to be covered with insurance, medical, dental, vision, medicine, disability and pension benefits. This means that the longer you stay, the more you get. 

You become part of the union the moment you sign up as an apprentice. This will allow you to train in various centers in the US and Canada so your skills are updated with any developments in the construction industry.

What is even better is that you don’t have pay for it because this is shouldered by the union. Of course this is not entirely true because they are just returning what is due to you when a certain percentage of your salary is given to them in the form of union dues. 

Further training can also be acquired given that the union has partnerships with contractors, government agencies, industry users and suppliers. 

Since you have the opportunity to study in both, get the one that offers classroom instruction and not just on the job training because it is nice to learn theories first before applying it which makes you a better candidate to land a high paying job. 

One other benefit of being part of the union is the ability to find work. They can call up some people they know so you will be able to put food on the table however this should not stop you from looking for employment on your own by looking at newspaper ads, online or calling your former employer.  

Wherever you work, pay is commensurate with experience. In carpentry, this could mean leaving carpentry and then moving up to a managerial position within the company. If you are ready to go into business, you can leave your employer and start up your own firm. Instead of doing the back breaking work, you will have people doing that for you so make sure that your employees are able to satisfy the demands of the customer. 

The benefits you get in a carpentry career are many and the one you will probably thank who is looking out for you is the union. But if you want to become more successful than others, you have to show that in your performance everyday on the job so people will take notice and praise you for hard work and dedication. 

To know more about what other benefits you get when you decide to become a carpenter, you should take this up with your union representative. There are some variations from state to state which is something you have to live with. 

If you don’t want to be part of the union, think again because there are more benefits as a member compared to a non-member for people who want to pursue a carpentry career. 

Carpentry Career Skills

A carpentry career can extend to many areas within the construction industry. A majority of the job involves cutting, sizing, and constructing wood. Their job is important for building residences, commercial establishments, factories, boats, wharves and even bridges. There is a great number of work that involves the skill for carpentry.

Carpentry in itself is a highly skilled profession. Carpenters, in order to be more proficient in the craft, require building up a certain set of skills and aptitude. In order for one to be able to accomplish work associated with it. Carpenters also require having certain skills to develop so that they can become more proficient in their job.

One of the most important skills needed for basic carpentry is to have a good knowledge of carpentry tools. This covers not just identifying the different tools and equipment used in carpentry but also the right techniques in using them. There can be quite a number of carpentry tools used that may be required to achieve certain types of work with wooden materials. Having a thorough knowledge of these tools, what they are being used for and how they are used is a very important skill that a good carpenter would need.

Another very important skill that a carpenter should develop is having a good eye for measurements. When it comes to building homes or any other wooden structure or object, the use of exact measurements becomes important to achieve building a strong and stable structure. Architectural designs for structures require accurate measurements in order for it to be built. 

A carpenter should have a skill for measurements that goes beyond just knowing how to convert the different units of measurement used in carpentry. In this case math comes into wide and common use. Essentially, carpenters should also have to develop good mathematical skills in order to perform measuring tasks required for the job. 

This skill may also require knowing how to read the basic measuring instruments used in carpentry. Carpentry rulers as well as certain leveling equipment may require a good eye for reading measurements. It is a basic skill for carpenters to know and be adept at reading measurements exactly using the different tools. This would help ensure that the measurements are applied exactly as they are planned.

Developing these skills in carpentry usually takes time and lots of practice. Patience in this case may also be a good virtue as learning may sometimes require lots of reading. Apart from the rudimentary basics of carpentry, there is still a lot to learn and improve on in terms of gaining important carpentry skills. 

There are various ways in acquiring carpentry skills and knowledge. Books for one can provide the basic knowledge and instruction. There are several reading resource materials available about carpentry that one can use for reference and for additional learning.  Books can form the basic source of knowledge for most carpenters.

Aside from books, educational videos may also provide a more convenient source of carpentry career skills. There are also various online carpentry resources that people can take advantage of to equip them with further knowledge about the craft. But aside from getting instruction from all these learning resources, a would be carpenter should not forget the importance of practical application.

Book knowledge should also be used and applied in actual practice in order to better develop one's carpentry skills.

A Carpentry Career Begins in School

Shop class probably made you fall in love working with tools. It gave you the chance to make a table,  chair or even a bird house. But there are other things you need to learn if you want to pursue carpentry career so after graduating from high school, make it a point to go to carpentry school. 

There are many carpentry schools all across the country so you don’t have to move out of town or state. You should first check if this is being offered in the nearby community, technical or vocational college. 

If there is one, find out what does their curriculum cover. It should have subjects such as math, estimation of costs of jobs, times and materials, use of equipment and tools as well as various techniques in carpentry. 

Another thing you have to consider when you select a carpentry school is which career in carpentry you are striving for. Is it to pursue  a residential or commercial career in carpentry? The difference between the two is that you can start a residential carpentry career in less than half the time it will take to be a commercial carpenter because the latter requires more skills and even certification. 

For those who are not sure yet why they want to do, pick a school that offers both residential and commercial carpentry training. This will give you time to study how to install doors, frames, roofing systems, scaffolding and a host of other things making you a well rounded professional. 

You should also consider how much the tuition is. Can you afford to study in this school? If you can’t, don’t give up just yet because they may have a scholarship program that you can avail of. 

Apart from schools in the neighborhood, you can also enroll in such a course online. You get to learn the same things as though you are in the classroom and at the end, you also get certification upon successful completion.

If the program or money is not an issue, the only thing you have to worry about now is the success rate of people who graduated from the program in finding a job. Some of these schools may not have a job placement program which means you have to look for one yourself. Others are more helpful because they have tie ups with carpenter contractors or with the various carpentry associations.

Once you have all the information, try to narrow down your options to at least 3 to 5 schools. You then review what each one can offer to students and which of these is favorable to you. From there, all you have to do now is enroll in be willing to accept the training they are giving you.  

You don’t get a bachelor’s degree in carpentry when you finish a program given by the community, technical or vocational college. What you have in your hand is a simply a certificate of completion which makes you someone qualified to work in that profession. 

What you do after you obtain your certificate is up to you. If you want to work right away, find employment as an apprentice. To further enhance your skills, it will be a good idea to pursue higher education so you can work in a specialized field in carpentry. If you want to be your own, then start your own carpentry contractor business.

You have a lot of options and going to school is the first step when you decide to pursue a carpentry career.