List of purchased items:
- Metro
- Aspirapolvere For now only these two, which I ordered today on the 26th of August and are going to arrive by amazon up here on the 28th.
Project & Procurement Notes
1. Laser Level
Initially, the plan was to acquire a self-levelling laser level. A suitable model, the Huepar Self-Levelling Laser, was identified on Subito, complete with a tripod, and the aim was to negotiate a purchase price of approximately €25, including shipping. The inspiration for its use came from this YouTube video.
However, upon further consideration, I have decided to postpone this purchase. For the immediate interior work, a standard spirit level placed on the floor will suffice to check for level, and a tape measure will be adequate for all other requirements. A laser level is not deemed essential at this stage, though it may prove useful for future landscaping projects, such as levelling the garden.
2. Heavy-Duty Vacuum Cleaner
The intention is to purchase a Lavor Freddy 1200W Wet & Dry Vacuum Cleaner with a 20L tank. This machine is intended for heavy-duty cleaning tasks involving both solids and liquids, rather than for daily use. For routine cleaning, a Roomba will be acquired at a later date. Unfortunately, the specific second-hand unit I was monitoring has been sold, so the search will continue for another. Penso quindi di optare per prendere questo: https://amzn.eu/d/2abeV7B, da 16L 1200W mi costa il doppio ma almeno lo prendo su amazon cosi se ci fossero problemi si può fare il reso.
3. Concrete & Microcement Projects
I am exploring the creation of concrete countertops and outdoor furniture, inspired by this YouTube tutorial. The video highlights a significant challenge: the specialised countertop concrete mix used in the US is not readily available in Italy. Alternative solutions present their own difficulties:
- Fibre-reinforced concrete is recommended to prevent shattering but is prohibitively expensive (approximately €19 per 25kg bag).
- Rapid-set cement is a slight improvement over standard cement but is not ideal.
A more viable approach suggested is to use a finishing cement plaster over a timber base. However, this requires carpentry skills to build the underlying structure, which I feel falls outside my current expertise if the entire structure relies on it.
Therefore, the most practical solution seems to be applying a microcement finish to existing surfaces. This technique is demonstrated very effectively in this tutorial. My plan is to modify the existing kitchen structure according to my design and then apply microcement to the countertop. To ensure it is durable and smooth enough for kitchen use, I will finish it with a protective resin, as shown in the original video. This same microcement technique could potentially be applied to other surfaces, such as doors, perhaps without the final resin coat.