How to Passivate Stainless Steel for Machinery

These springs could’ve avoided this rusty fate had they been passivated.

In my industry, rust can be a real problem. Metal parts can corrode and ruin an entire machine, which can be very costly to replace for my company. I can’t afford to be replacing things all the time like that, which is why anything metal we use, I make sure it’s been passivated. If you’re scratching your head wondering what that means, I’ll explain it in a minute. The one thing you need to know, though, is that it prevents rust from forming and can extend the life of tools, machinery, and even cars.

I first learned about the process when I was doing side jobs and working with some tools that were old—they belonged to my father, and frankly we hadn’t taken the best care of them at times. We had been working on building a deck and left the circular saw out on the back porch, and the next thing we knew, we had to replace a rusty blade. Imagine having to do that on a much larger scale for a mechanical industry. The cost adds up fast, so it might be in your interest to look into metal passivation.

What is Passivation?

Passivation refers to making the surface of an alloy “passive” or non-reactive. In other words, even when exposed to the elements, like air, water, and salt, the metals wont corrode or rust.

How Does it Work?

If you want to learn how to passivate stainless steel, it can be accomplished a few different ways. Typically, it’s done with chemicals—more specifically, acid. The most common acids used to passivate metals are nitric acid and citric acid. Nitric acid requires employers to provide specific safety measures as well as safe handling products to their employees so that no one is at risk of chemical burn. The way it works is that the acid exposes chromium in the alloy to the air, and the two combine to create chromium oxide, which is a protective barrier between the elements and the metal underneath. Even if the metal becomes scratched after passivation, the barrier can reform, since all a scratch does is expose more of the chromium, which, as you now know, bonds with the outside oxygen. The only way passivation can be “cancelled out” so to speak is if another piece of metal gets stuck in it. Think of it as a sort of open wound—if you have a cut, you can put a bandage on it and it will heal, but if you have a splinter, you can’t just put a bandage over it, because something is still stuck and will prevent healing. It’s why your car doesn’t rust until it gets scratched—the paint was what was forming the barrier between the metal and the elements. Once that barrier is scraped off a non-passivated metal, that metal is at risk of being damaged from the elements.

What Are Its Benefits?

The benefits of passivated metal are many. First and foremost, as you can imagine, passivated metals are rust-resistant. Like an iceberg above water, any visible rust you see is generally about 30 percent of the total rust on something. Surface rust can mean that a metal part or tool is far more rusted out than it looks, which can be dangerous, especially in the case of if the metal we’re talking about is, say, somewhere on your car’s frame. Additionally, if you go the extra mile and get metals electropolished, the surface will be extra smooth and shiny. The smoothness can prevent stress breaks in metals—for example, with metals that have to bend and flex, like springs, rust can be especially damaging. The metal can become very brittle and snap prematurely. Passivating metal can extend its life by protecting it from all of that.

Who Uses It?

While you can probably imagine that a lot of automotive applications utilize passivation, there are other industries that use it as well. The medical industry uses it because, obviously, medical tools and devices need to be smooth, clean, and rust-free. Though it’s somewhat rare, rusty metals can transmit tetanus because rust traps the, which is why if you’ve ever cut yourself on a rusty nail, you probably went to get a tetanus shot.

The food and beverage industry uses it too, in order to keep machinery bacteria free—if surfaces aren’t totally smooth, bacteria can become trapped within the nicks and dings and contaminate food and drinks processed on the machines.

While passivation is generally more of a thing that companies and industries use rather than us regular folk—it seems more cost effective to just replace a rusty wrench than to get it passivated—it’s an essential part of the process that makes metals as safe and long-lasting as they are.

 

 

Tips for Planning a Low-Budget Wedding

Every spring and summer, it seems like we have to go to at least four or five weddings. Love really is in the air, I suppose! It’s so interesting seeing what all of our friends and family members do when they plan their wedding, from the super thrifty couples to the ones who spare no expense. Nowadays, it seems people are trying to purchase homes sooner, so they’re putting money towards a down payment or their mortgages instead of fancy weddings. I can totally relate to living on a budget, which is how my husband and I planned our wedding.

With that in mind, I thought I’d give all you amateur wedding planners out there—that is, all you brides—a couple of ways you can scrimp and save on your wedding so that you don’t have sticker shock at the end of the night. After all, it’s supposed to be a fun day full of love, not one where you stress about all the money you just spent.

Your Dress

When I got married, I have to admit, I was addicted to that show “Say Yes to the Dress” where women go to this boutique in New York City and pick out their dream dress. I felt a little bit jealous of the insane gowns they tried on and ultimately purchased, but here in real life there was no way I was going to spend anywhere near $10,000 on a dress I’d wear once. There are websites out there that sell dresses that have already been worn once but are still in great condition that you can browse if you’re dead set on a designer dress. Those sites can save you at least a little bit of money, but if you’re okay with something a little simpler, you can scout out sample or trunk sales which are usually held in the fall before new designs are introduced. Consignment shops are also great, as are places like Etsy where you can purchase a custom-made dress.

The Cake

I was lucky to have worked in a bakery when I was younger, so I decided to take on the task of the cake myself. While it was a stressful and hectic time, knowing that I made my own cake and saved several hundred dollars made it worth it. Not everyone has the time or know-how to do that, though. One easy way to save money on your wedding cake is to ask a bakery to only include one tier of real cake—the one you cut. Slices of cake for the guests can be from undecorated sheet-cakes that the waiters can bring out from the back. No one will ever know the difference unless you tell them. This way, you still get the picture perfect “feed each other cake” photos, and your guests still get delicious wedding cake. What’s not to like about that?

Decorations

One of the most expensive things about wedding decor is the way tables are decorated. Tablecloths for wedding receptions are crazy expensive to buy outright, and some venues only offer plain white ones—kind of boring if you’re going for a more colorful wedding.  Wedding tablecloth rentals are one way to save some cash, that way you don’t have to pay a high price to own them forever. Another thing you can do is head to a fabric store and pick out some fabric that matches your theme and use it as a table runner. That way, you get all of the color without spending an arm and a leg on decorations you most likely won’t use again.

Music

Hiring a DJ can be a pricey endeavor, too. If you have an iPod and are comfortable making up a playlist on your own, you can put that on the venue’s speakers and let things go on their own. The only problem with this is that you’ll have to schedule breaks or pause the tunes for special announcements on your own, but that might be worth it when you consider the pile of cash you’ll save by not having to pay someone to press pause and play.  If you’re getting a band, perhaps you can make their set a feature of the reception rather than paying them to play the entire time the reception goes on. That’s one way to have the best of both worlds.

The Honeymoon

Some of my friends who have gotten married a little older already have the things listed on typical wedding registries. These days, it’s more common for a couple to live together before they get married, so they don’t need a new toaster or blender or towels. Instead, those couples signed up for a registry to help fund their honeymoons. Instead of gifting a set of pots and pans or a food processor, guests can contribute money that will go towards things like hotel stays, dinners at restaurants where the couple is honeymooning, and other honeymoon-related expenses. It’s a great way to enjoy a honeymoon without breaking the bank, and it’s becoming more and more popular.

What is Medical Device Passivation and Why It’s Necessary

In the world of metals, corrosion is a serious problem and can lead to metal products failing prematurely, especially if they are exposed to especially corrosive environments. One industry that utilizes passivation is the medical industry. In order to understand the importance of medical device passivation, though, it’s imperative that you know what it does, how it’s performed, and why it’s necessary to protect metals.

What is Passivation?

Metal passivation is a process that creates a protective layer on the outside of metal products to ensure they aren’t vulnerable to the elements that surround them, such as air and water. Left unfinished, metals can corrode and rust, which obviously compromises the integrity of the metal part.  There are several methods for creating a passivated surface on a metal, including acid passivation and electropolishing.

Acid passivation involves exposing a clean piece of metal to nitric or citric acid, which exposes a part’s chromium to the oxygen in the air. The chromium reacts with the oxygen to create chromium oxide, a protective layer that’s just a few molecules thick but that protects the underlying metal from becoming damaged. Passivation simply creates the protective layer, while electropolishing is a more intensive process that removes oxide scale—in other words, electropolishing smoothes a surface while passivation does not.

Chemicals and acids can be used to perform medical device passivation, in which the pieces of metal will be turned passive, or nonreactive. In other words, the metal will be protected from things like water and air exposure. Acid passivation typically involves using either nitric or citric acid. While both are popular choices within the industry, using nitric acid generally means that a company has to provide special handling equipment and safety devices to its employees to ensure no one sustains a chemical burn from an accident with the acid. There is also the necessity to dispose of nitric acid through methods approved for hazardous waste. When using citric acid, waste removal costs can be reduced since it is not a hazardous waste.

Putting metals through a passivation process ensures that oxygen, water, or other elements that it comes into contact with will not damage the integrity of the metal. As you might imagine, that characteristic is important in the medical field, as they into contact with humans and thus need to be clean and working at optimal performance. A smooth, clean surface also inhibits bacteria growth—another extremely important aspect when using metals in the medical field.

Why is the process necessary for medical applications? The accuracy and precision necessary in the medical field doesn’t just apply to doctors and diagnosing problems. When it comes to things like surgery, medical device passivation can ensure that blades are not just sharp, but also free from rust or other corrosion damage. Further processing, like through electropolishing, ensures not only that the products are free from corrosion damage, but that they are also free of burrs, slight ridges, or laser slag. In other words, this more intensive passivation process ensures an exceedingly smooth surface on the device.

Laser marking is also a reason that medical device passivation is an important aspect of taking care of medical tools. Laser marking is used to align surgical tools, stents, tubing, dental products, and orthopedic products. The mark is permanent and repeated use and sterilization won’t fade or disintegrate the mark, but marking steel with lasers alters the surface composition and results in a mark that, unlike the rest of the tool or product, is not passive. For that reason, the mark needs to be passivated. Another aspect of this, however, involves making sure that the original laser mark is not degraded with the passivation process. There are standards for passivation within the medical industry, however, that help with the process.

Aside from surgical tools, though, medical device passivation is also important for things related to the pharmaceutical industry. For example, think of asthma inhalers. They utilize metal cannisters to hold the drug they are meant to dispense, and having a surface protected from corrosion is important when employing these cannisters for dispensing the powdered asthma drugs. Other benefits include having a surface smooth enough to prevent the drug from sticking, but generally speaking, that benefit comes moreso from electropolishing than passivation.

Overall, medical device passivation spans a few industries, including, obviously, the medical industry, but also the pharmaceutical industry and the dental industry. Using metals that are of the highest integrity when it comes to medical applications offers standardizations to follow, but when it comes to meeting those standards, companies have a few choices for which method they use, including chemical and acid passivation as well as electropolishing. As previously mentioned, electropolishing creates the smoothest possible surface, but passivation is what creates the reaction between the metal and the oxygen that builds the protective barrier between the metal and its environment.

Setting the Tone with Linen for Wedding Receptions

When the one you love finally pops the question, it’s understandable that there are a million things going through your mind. First and foremost is probably how excited you are to spend the rest of your life with your partner, but after that, you’re probably going to start thinking about just how you want your wedding to look. If you’re the sort of woman who’s been planning her special day since you were just a girl, you’ve probably got a pretty good sense of what you want the event to look like, down to the colors of the napkins and the sugar flowers on the cake. If not, though, there’s probably a handful of things that haven’t really crossed your mind yet.

Sure, you’ll need a dress and to figure out who you want in your wedding party and what they will wear, but past that there are probably a hundred other things to make decisions about. For example, what kind of plates do you want to serve the food on? What kind of food will be served on those plates? Those are questions you can probably make decisions about relatively quickly. But what about the color scheme of your wedding? When it comes to linen for wedding receptions, the sort of colors and fabrics you pick set the tone. Do you want your reception to be whimsical and romantic? Lace, sheer fabrics, or lush satins are a good choice. In other words, you wouldn’t pick a brash plaid flannel to cover the tables, right?

But tablecloths aren’t the only thing to consider when choosing linen for wedding-related events. What’s more, tablecloths don’t have to be the only thing on the table in terms of decor. You can lay out a plain tablecloth and accent it with a sheer overlay for added dimension, or you can use a table runner to showcase the centerpieces (which, by the way, you’ll have to also choose). Past that, there’s things like napkins and chair covers that you’ll likely have to choose.

Napkins might seem like a no-brainer—just choose one that matches the colors you’ve already chosen, right? But what if the event you’re planning is a little more over the top and you want something that’s a bit more visually interesting? In that case, you can decide to fold the napkins in a certain way—say, in the shape of a diamond or an animal of some sort—that will further set the tone of your event.

As far as chair covers are concerned, there are several different things you can pick from. When it comes to linen for wedding chairs, some people opt to cover the entire chair, while other people want something a bit simpler, like a color-coordinated ribbon tied around the back or a cover just for the back of the chair, which can cover only the top, only the bottom, or both. Other options include chair pad covers which accent the colors on the table subtly. While these may seem like an afterthought or like something that would take a backseat to the tablecloths, sometimes chair covers can complement a plain tablescape like nothing else can. For example, imagine plain black tablecloths accented with perhaps a bright fuchsia or yellow satin chair cover, or a taupe tablecloth accented by orange chair ties. The look would be simple yet stunning.

Color choice can influence the way your wedding looks significantly. If you’re going for a modern gothic look, you’re probably not going to want turquoise, orange, or other bright colors. Burgundies and grays are probably more up your alley, similar to how if someone wants the traditional “white wedding” feel, they’re not going to choose a palette of orange. In that case, ivories, whites, and pale pinks are more appropriate. Whatever your end goal is, color plays a huge role in determining what the event’s theme looks like.

Whatever your style preference for the linen for wedding receptions is, there’s something available for every budget, so long as you choose a linen rental company that has more than just a handful of choices. It’s important to have a lot of options when choosing what to feature at your wedding, because otherwise you might end up settling for something you don’t truly love—counterintuitive to what a wedding is all about, no?

Planning the decor for your wedding, especially the linens, shouldn’t be something you dread or stress out about. You already know you love the person you’re marrying, and together you can choose the look you want that will both make you happy as well as delight your guests. With just a little bit of planning, you can achieve the look you want for your wedding, whether you want something bright, sassy, and modern, or subdued, classic, and romantic.  

How to Install Copper Wire in Your Home

 

Like a lot of people, I’ve experienced home projects involving a lot of wiring. Well, okay, my husband was the one adamant about getting copper wire for the project, telling me all about how it’s the most conductive material for the job. We found that for some appliances and lights we needed to use copper throughout the home to keep them safer from fire and short circuits. It’s actually really easy to do. You don’t need to be an expert on home improvement to install copper wire pretty much anywhere you need it. You might need different kinds depending on the job, like plated or solid bare copper wire. Copper is pretty much the best material to use for electrical wire installation because of its ability to avoid water corrosion along with its conductivity. Here are some basic steps to help you out when organizing your installation.

Step 1: Start with Grounding

Putting copper wire in the ground right outside of your house is really where you should begin. These prevent spare charges from going to your electrical box, and connect all fo the wiring to the different rooms in the home through the main electrical box. The ground wire will be like stakes that are placed in the soil in your backyard. They should be short so that the wire connected to the top has a more direct connection into the house. Each end of ground copper wire should connect to a different room.

Step 2: Connect Wire to the Main Electrical Box

You’ll find the electrical box where the meter is read. In my neighborhood, a stranger typically walks in our backyard awkwardly to check ours, clipboard in-hand. Make sure the power is off, which is absolutely the most important action to take here, and connect copper wire to the fuses on each switch. Run the wire through the house up into the ceilings, and if you’ve got a house with two or more floors, you’ll want to slip it through the upstairs flooring as well. To help you do this, just follow the wiring already in the walls. Eventually, you’ll reach the lights and other appliances, along with the electrical outlets. This part should be pretty straight forward once you get going. My husband only had a little trouble tracing the wire when there were a lot of different outlets and appliances in one room.

Step 3: Make the Final Connections

Once you have all of your copper wire, whether it’s stranded or solid bare copper wire, you can connect it to your outlets. Remove the switches and outlets with a screwdriver and rewire them, removing all of the wiring already attached to them and attaching the copper in its place. Do the same thing with all of your ceiling lights, removing them and rewiring. Once this is done you can turn the electricity on, check to see if the lights are working properly, and if you have more to work on, turn the power off and go for it. The electrical current should be linked to the ground wire through the house.

Now depending on where you live, these steps can change. Make sure you find a good patch of soil for ground wire, and you may want to purchase a lot of copper so you don’t worry about running out. One of the most frustrating moments my husband experienced was when he found that he didn’t have enough wire to connect the ground wire toward the side of the house to the fuse box. Then we found that there are plenty of places where you can find it in bulk. We didn’t need much more then, but for future projects, like if we install new light fixtures, it can definitely be helpful to have a plentiful amount of wire.

There are a lot of different kinds, too. You can get solid bare copper wire if you want a strong stable wire, or you can get it stranded if you’re looking for more flexibility. It makes perfect sense that this stuff has been used since the telegraph in the 1820s. I had no idea so many appliances (and even modern computers) use it. The best part is that it’s not going to take a huge wad of cash to buy a lot of it, so if you’ve got a lot of wiring to do, keep in mind it won’t cost you half the house itself.

Resources for Copper Wire

If you want to know more about the different kinds of copper wire and the uses for them, here are a few places to look.

Install Copper Wire for Your Home: Costs and Estimates

You can learn more about the specific costs and reasons for using copper in installation projects.

Find plenty of different kinds of wire in bulk, like braided, stranded and solid bare copper wire, for all types of applications.

How to Remove Corrosion from Copper Wiring

Should your copper wiring somehow wind up corroding, which is rare, this guide tells you how to get it off.

The Different Types of Copper Wire and Their Uses

 

There are a lot of purposes for copper wire, and all of these different purposes can require a unique kind of insulated wire. Copper has been the main conductor of electricity in a lot of wiring ever since the birth of the telegraph in the 1820s. Because of the many uses for it, different wiring types have been constructed for each use over the years, many of which I’m sure I’ve used more than I remember. For example, there is a fairly large difference between wires used for automotives, telecommunications and appliances. There are a lot of types that serve different purposes such as copper wire cables and braided wire, just to show you how we’ve messed with this technology through the centuries.

General Uses

Used for buildings and homes, there is almost nothing copper can’t conduct. In fact, copper is so prevalent in homes and businesses that buildings can simply be labeled “all-copper” to signify that every wire running through the structures is comprised of copper. From circuit breakers to heavier appliances, copper is a major material used in just about every area of the home. That’s how reliant we are on this stuff. Forget about if the Internet disappeared; if copper did now, we would still be in a lot of trouble.

Speaking of the Internet, copper wire can also be found in computer system mainframes. Because of its versatility, its ability to be solid, stranded, or even braided makes it useful for just about any application imaginable. Each use can benefit from a uniquely produced wire type.

Automotive and Marine Wire

Normally used for vehicles or marine applications (though not limited to them of course), this kind of wire uses tinned copper which resists water corrosion, and bare copper conductor for automotives. There is a variety of general purpose wire styles, including:

• GPT – Used for circuit wiring
• TWP – Smaller in diameter than GPT, this wire is used for applications requiring thinner wire
• HDT – Great for more protection than GPT
• SXL – Optimal for areas where more heat resistance is required, with a maximum temperature of 125 degrees Celsius
• GXL – Solid for thinner wire requirements and higher heat resistance
• TXL – In addition to high heat resistance and a thin diameter, this copper wire is also more lightweight.

There are also wires for trailer and conductor cables, along with SGT, SGX and STX wire types in batteries.

Household Integration

You know the back of your T.V.? The F connector coaxial cable connected to it may seem to be disguised to look nothing like copper, but if you look in the center of the plugging end you can see the copper wire poking out.

Copper is also used in a ton of other electronics, like telephones and computers. Structured wiring is the use of modern day copper wiring to connect computers to each other so they can have a high speed connection. Structured wiring is used for connecting computers to other devices as well such as printers and fax machines. Ethernet cables use it, and I guarantee most of your appliances anywhere in the home use it, from your washing machine to your microwave.

Most copper wire cables are either solid or stranded. Stranded is more flexible but both are really conductive. Braided wire is used not so much for electrical purposes, but to coat and support other wires. When braided, copper is really flexible, and at the same time tough. You can even coat your hoses with it to keep them from bending and tearing.

Copper Wire is Still Necessary in the Digital Age

Since we have developed such a dependency on it, copper wire is likely to stick around for a while. The uses for it are so extensive that the world would need to restart just about every electrical system before copper can safely disappear. So many different types have been developed for individual uses, from braided wire to solid bare copper wire, making it integrated to the point where we just can’t let go. Its strength reveals why it has been around for so long, and why automobiles use it due to its ability to withstand more extreme temperatures, fire and other elements.

At the same time, it’s one of the most inexpensive and plentiful materials to come across, making it a lot better of an investment than other more costly and yet less useful materials. I’ve been able to find copper wire cables in bulk, in spools no less, for some larger wiring projects I’ve worked on at home. It’s definitely not an expensive option and its usefulness makes it perfect for anything requiring a lot of conductivity

Why I Read Sports Novels

Every year when March Madness wraps up, I get kind of bored. Sure, baseball season starts right after, but even when I’m rooting for my favorite teams, it’s not nearly the same as making up a bracket and following it to the very end. I suppose the same could be said for the day after the Super Bowl—all the hype has died down, and there’s a bit of lag and downtime between the end of one season and the start of something else.

 

I guess I get a little nostalgic for my high school years, too. The saying is cliche, but those really were some of the best years of my life. So I guess that’s why I started to seek out novels that were about sports. It’s not just that I’m a fan—sports are a huge part of my life. I watch the games on TV, I play with the neighborhood kids when I can, and, yes, I read the books. I love them, and if you’re a sports nut, you probably would, too.

 

Putting Myself In the Book

 

I’d be lying to you if I said that one of the biggest reasons I love sport fiction books is because I can live vicariously through the characters on the page. I stopped playing football once I graduated high school—I wasn’t the star QB or anything, so there weren’t any colleges throwing scholarships at me—but I look back on those days fondly. Reading other athletes’ accounts, even if they’re made up, makes me reminisce about my time on the football team. Plus, for the ones who made it to college teams and maybe even went on to get drafted by the NFL? Well, let’s just say I sometimes wish that was me. Anyone who has ever watched the TV show “Friday Night Lights” knows what I mean—these books have a way of making you feel like you’re somehow part of the team, just like that show did. I connect with the characters in a way that I can’t in some other novels, because I’ve (sort of) lived what these characters live.

 

Big Dreams

 

Maybe I never was a star pro-athlete or a coach back at my old high school, but some of the books I’ve read feature characters who are. As for teams that actually exist, it doesn’t matter if the players actually exist—it is fiction, after all—it’s just fun to think about what the team might be like if that character was on the team. Other books I’ve read have focused on people who dream of one day owning a sports team and the struggles they go through to do so. Who wouldn’t want to own their favorite sports team? In the same way that you feel happy for your best friend when he tells you his kid got into college, I feel happy for these characters when they achieve their dreams. Okay, okay, maybe not in the same way—we’re talking about real people versus fictional characters, but I think you know what I mean.

 

Underdog Champions

 

Similarly, when I read stories about athletes that were like me—decent, but not great enough to really steal the show—who rise about their struggles and persevere with their team, only to come out on top in some way, I can’t help but feel proud, as though these kids were my son.  It’s a good feeling when someone makes it to the top, even if it’s not a real person.

 

Sort-of Book Clubs

 

My wife hosts a book club once a month with a handful of her friends, and she’s suggested all along that I join up. I never wanted to, though. The last time I did, she was reading that book that Oprah tore apart on her show after she found out parts of it were fake. After that, I decided I’d stick with fiction that calls itself fiction, none of that “real-life-story” stuff. I mentioned one of the books I really liked to one of my colleagues, and it turned out he had also read it and liked it. It’s not a book club, per se, but I can discuss these books with him and we can give each other suggestions for what to read next. My wife says that’s basically the same as a book club, but I’m not baking cookies or sharing glasses of wine when I talk about the scene in that book where the guy threw the pass that won the team the game. It’s a win-win situation, if you ask me.

 

Reading sport fiction books might not earn me any prizes for being ultra cultured—these aren’t usually written by the so-called “classics” authors, but that doesn’t matter. These books are good. That’s what matters. 

 

Silver Tablecloths: Tacky or Tasteful?

When you’re planning an event or choosing new home decor, one of the things you probably consider are table linens and the look you’re trying to achieve using them. The theme of your event or the decor in your home probably dictate the colors and fabrics you choose, and one of the more rare choices in table linens are silver tablecloths. They’re available in many places, but it seems that people avoid choosing them because their place is a bit hard to pinpoint. That is, are they good for corporate or formal events? Are they appropriate for home use? Are they tasteful in some occasions, or are they tacky across the board?

The truth is, they can be both. While it depends on what your definition of tacky is and how much you care about what those attending the event think of the table linens, silver tablecloths can offer up a unique way to decorate for an event, especially if your theme calls for something a bit off the beaten path.

Silver tablecloths can be perfect for a couple who is throwing an anniversary party. For a 20th anniversary, the standard gift in the U.S. is platinum, while the gift for the 25th anniversary is silver. Obviously, both of those could work with silver tablecloths. If you just can’t wait to use them, though, they could work for the fifth anniversary as well, which suggests a gift of silverware.

If you’re hosting a corporate event, though, silver tablecloths may be a bit much. They seem to say “party” moreso than they say “work,” so a work event is probably not the most appropriate setting for metallic table linens.

Instead, try using metallics at events where a bit of originality is celebrated and expected. For example, if you’re looking for a unique theme for a party and you want to use silver table linens, throw a robot-themed party or an outer space-themed party—with that, you can pair the silver linens with bright yellow and dark blue to mimic the color of planets/the sun and the sky at night, respectively. They may not be the most common themes, but you have a lot of wiggle room when it comes to designing them.

You can also use silver tablecloths as an accent instead of having them be the main attraction. What that means is that instead of leaving them bare and having them take center stage at your event, you could use them as a base color and then add an overlay so that something else is the main color and the silver is just a backdrop.

As for weddings, using silver as your tablecloth color depends on your wedding’s overall theme. You can obviously choose this look if you are trying to create something elegant yet modern, and there are plenty of fabric choices to pair with the silver to make the entire reception look exactly how you want it to. It might be especially great for a winter wedding, as it can draw to the mind what ice looks like.

When it comes to trying to decipher whether silver tablecloths will look tacky at your event, it’s a good rule of thumb that if you have to ask yourself if it will look bad, it’s probably not the appropriate time to utilize the metallic table linens. In this instance, it’s likely better to choose something that you are already comfortable with so that you don’t have to worry about what your guests are thinking about your decorations. Of course, if you are trying to step out of your comfort zone, unique table designs are one easy way to do so—it really just depends on how willing you are to think outside the box and what the rest of your event’s decor looks like.

Depending on the rest of the decor, silver could be the neutral that grounds the rest of the color used. For example, if you’re throwing a New Year’s Eve party, you can use silver as the background, then use jewel-toned table runners, placemats, or napkins. This will take a bit of the emphasis off of the silver, while still providing a stunning, party-perfect look.

Regardless of what your event is, you aren’t stuck purchasing the tablecloths for it. Instead, look for a company that specializes in tablecloths for events and rent the linens so that you don’t have to commit to a product that you only need to use once. These companies also offer the additional benefit of usually having staff on hand who are willing to help you come up with ways to decorate for your event using their products. 

In closing, silver tablecloths are great for a number of different events. They’re only tacky if you think they are or if they aren’t balanced with the rest of the decorations at the event. In other word’s, the sky is the limit when choosing what kind of table cloths to feature at your next event. 

Keeping Cars Where They Belong

Every now and then, I’ll read a story in the newspaper about a car that went careening through a store’s front windows. Even when no one gets injured, the damages are significant, and I can’t help but be thankful that it hasn’t happened to anyone I know—and I don’t mean just the car’s damage. The last story I read about this sort of incident mentioned several people being injured. That sort of accident should have a way of being prevented. The same can be said for bike paths or places, in general, where pedestrians are allowed but cars aren’t—there needs to be a method in place for stopping cars from entering.

A few of my friends who own shops in the area have set up bollards—which look like short pillars—outside their front windows, so that if a car does make that mistake, they’ll hit the bollards instead of the store. Of course, the bollards won’t stop, say, a charging semi-truck if it’s coming right at a building, but for a driver who’s just confused about where to go (like a public park that has yellow lines on asphalt for pedestrians or bikers, but not for cars) or who makes the mistake of hitting the wrong pedal, bollards are a really effective way of keeping everyone safe.

They’re More Common Than You Think

Keeping everyone safe is a top priority. We don’t want to read stories about cars crashing through store windows or a biker getting hit by a car that was driving on a bike path. For that reason, bollards are a popular choice for store owners and city governments alike, as they protect people in a number of different settings. In fact, you’ve probably come across them so many times that you’ve stopped noticing them, even if you didn’t realize what they were there for at first. Outside your gym, those pillars with the lights in the top? Those are bollards, stopping cars from crashing into the row of treadmills against the window. Some big department stores, like Target, have even customized their method of keeping low-speed cars out of where they don’t belong. if you’ve seen those large red spheres outside their stores, that’s what they’re there for. Keeping cars out of places they don’t belong is a pretty important part of designing spaces.

Different Kinds for Different Places

Of course, different spaces are going to use different types of bollards. It’s not just aesthetics, either—some places have different security needs when it comes to keeping cars in and out. For example, a car dealer is ordinarily going to want to keep cars out of its showroom…except when they’re bringing in new models. There are removable bollards for applications like that. They’re also customizable—some models allow for parking meters to be temporarily added to the top, for special event parking control. Those meter tops can be removed when the event is over. Other places don’t need much protection, they just need to let cars know that they’re not supposed to enter. For example, in a forest preserve area where people can bike, run, or skate along a paved trail, it’s important that cars know that’s not another road. This is especially important if there is an adjacent parking lot. Putting up a bollard in the center of the pedestrian entrance lets drivers know that although an area is paved like a street, it’s not meant for cars. Chances are, cars aren’t going to pull up to that entrance and charge through it, so a strong barrier isn’t needed—just something that deters vehicle entrance. There are removable bollards as well, for areas that don’t need constant security, just temporary. For example, if a town is hosting a carnival in a large parking lot, there will be a lot of foot traffic where it’s necessary to keep traffic out. Bollards can prevent accidents from happening in that event, then be taken down when the event is over.

Highly Effective Security

There have been many stories of bollards saving a person’s life or preventing a more serious accident. Because different kinds are meant to manage different levels of impact, companies or municipalities can choose the type that will best suit what they need.

New Standards

The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) is developing a new standard test method for low speed vehicle barriers that will test the parameters necessary for these barriers to be effective against oncoming vehicles. With new standards, shop-owners, architects, and engineers will be able to provide adequate security measures against cars that are less than 4,500 pounds and that are going slower than 30 miles per hour. Currently, many bollards only provide simple access denial and pedestrian safety. In other words, if a car were to hit the bollard, it wouldn’t be strong enough to protect people.

Why Having Parking Bollards Installed is a Worthwhile Investment

My business has a parking lot that is fitted with a number of bollards, on the borders and in between spaces. I’ve found that it was a great decision when cars and pedestrians are near each other so often. Since my facility is in a high traffic area, I think it’s especially important that not only does my business possess the proper security measures, but so does the lot.

There are a lot of different bollards designed for different areas of parking lots, and for different kinds of lots altogether. I know the last thing I would want to see is a customer have to pay for damages to their car due to another right behind or in front driven a little too far forward. Even worse would be if someone was near the entrance to my building and got hit because a driver veered off the edge of the lot and near the doors. For these reasons, having parking bollards is as much about citizens’ safety as it is about the building’s.

There’s a number of different parking bollards to choose from to ensure your business isn’t the only thing being protected on your property. The options are pretty much as varied as regular traffic bollards.

Collapsible Bollards for the Lot

Depending on how often authorized vehicles need to get in and out of a specific lot, collapsible bollards can be an excellent option for access control. They’re also great for residential areas like apartment parking garages for individually reserved spots. Every resident can have their own keys for their own locks, meaning collapsible bollards are personalized.

Use Removable Bollards for Nearly Any Location

I love using these in my lot next to fixed bollards. They’re a great choice if you want to allow people to get through certain areas at certain times. You can use them if there’s an event going on nearby and you want to expand your security temporarily. What’s nice about these is you can use a filler to completely cover the empty space replacing any posts, so no ugly-looking holes.

Sometimes you can even find removable bollards that have space at the top for a parking meter head. These are ideal for something like an event going on in-town and you’d like to make a little money by getting people to pay for spaces. At the same time they can also offer more security, so they’re really serving two purposes for you.

And, of Course, the Fixed Posts

The most common parking bollards you’re likely to use in any parking lot are fixed bollards. If you want to have a permanent blockade in specific areas, they’re perfect for keeping unwanted traffic away from walls or other vehicles. These are the most common parking bollards I’m willing to use in my lot because they’re sturdy, surface mounted into the cement, and I never feel like I’m leaving the building vulnerable when heading home or out at any given moment.

Placing them between parking spaces is a great use for them, keeping cars from touching bumper to bumper and also just generally helping to mark where the end line of a space lies. All in all, they’re good for the parking lot if you never intend to have them removed.

Even the Parking Lot is at Risk

Not to be paranoid, but I don’t particularly like leaving any holes in my business’s security measures. I want every person who visits my business to feel like it’s a safe environment, and while fixed, collapsible and removable bollards can be found all over my property, they’re strategically placed so they’re not obtrusive. If anything, I think they add a look of professionalism and organization.

If you truly want to protect your business, the parking lot is as much a part of it as any of the buildings themselves. It’s better to pay a little for beefed up security than it is to empty your pockets from damages.

Resources for Parking Bollards

The National Institute of Building Sciences’ Whole Building Design Guide

This will provide more information on what bollards are crash-resistant versus non-crash-resistant.

Parking Bollards

This company sells some of the best lightweight and heavy duty options for traffic and parking barriers of all kinds.

Decoration, Security and Other Purposes of Parking Bollards

Here you’ll find even more reasons for using bollards in a parking lot, whether they’re fixed, removable or collapsible bollards.