Friday, February 19, 2016

Do’s and Don’ts of Hardwood Flooring


Do:

·        Choose a hardwood species that will stand up to the type of foot traffic you expect in the area you wish to have it installed; the Janka Hardness Scale will inform you about this
·        Consult the terms and conditions of your purchase, including all warranty and maintenance information
·        Hire a professional installer if you have little or no experience installing hardwood floors.
·        With unfinished hardwood flooring options, consult contractors and manufacturer recommendations about which finish or stain is most appropriate for your choice of hardwood flooring
·        Choose an appropriate moisture barrier to rest between the subfloor and your hardwood flooring in order to add another level of protection
·        Expect color variations, as hardwood is a natural material.
·        Use DRY mops and vacuums to keep your new hardwood flooring clear of dirt and dust
·        See to your pets nails, spills, “accidents”, and other issues immediately

Don’t:

·        Install hardwood flooring in an area that will be subject to excessive moisture. This means avoiding an installation in “below grade” locations (like a basement for instance) or in bathrooms
·        Install hardwood flooring in an area that is not environmentally controlled all year long – say, in a cottage or summer home that is not constantly maintained
·        Use wax-based cleaners or harsh detergents that will dull the finish of the hardwood flooring
·        Use steel wool or any other abrasives to clean a hardwood floor
·        Use excessive water when cleaning a hardwood floor as it can cause damage
·        Walk on your hardwood flooring with athletic spikes or high-heels
·        Install hardwood flooring over radiant heat. For this, it is best to consider engineered hardwood flooring options that are designed to allow for the temperature variations resulting from radiant heat
·        Leave damp rugs on the surface of hardwood flooring for an extended period

Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Custom Flooring Is The First Touch, Not The Final Touch!


A special touch to any house is the warmth and character that you put into it. And part of that character is the type of flooring you install, whether wood, area rugs or carpet. Installing flooring in your house can require a bit of research to get familiar with the options and techniques involved. You need to determine what type of floor covering material will best create the look and feel you want. Flooring does not have to be expensive, considering the choices of discount house wood flooring, carpet, and rugs available.

There are also wall-to-wall patterned carpets that bring a homey touch. If you choose wood flooring for rooms, adding a tiny throw of an embroidered house rug of warm colors gives a lived-in appearance.

Wooden flooring comes in both light and dark colors, such as pine or walnut. Some flooring comes in strips, pre-cut and laminated to a paper backing to hold it all together. Other types of wood flooring options are wooden strips that you can cut to size and lay yourself or sheets of veneer that you can cut to room size, and then scribe or indent the piece for a plank appearance.

Stone flooring made from rolled-out paperclay can be an interesting flooring option for greenhouses or front walkways. After rolling the paperclay to the desired thickness, the laid stone effect created by pressing in a flagstone-pattered sheet looks very real. Colored clay or a touch of paint finishes off the look of grout joints and brings the outdoors into your house.

Flooring for kitchens and bathrooms is easy to find. Discount house wood carpet, rug, and flooring outlets offer plenty of options for no-wax vinyl floors just like your own kitchen. Available patterns range from hexagonal tile to marble. There are even mosaic patterns available that rival the appearance of the work of real life artisans. These types of flooring are easy to apply by cutting the vinyl to size with scissors or an Exacto knife. Add strong adhesive to prevent curling, and your kitchen flooring is done.

Before you lay down any flooring in your house, be sure to do the electrical work and run wiring for lighting between rooms first. Not only that, install wallpaper before flooring to avoid headaches. Make sure the base floor is clean and free of dust before application of any type of flooring and choose the proper glue for the job.

Flooring does not have to be expensive, considering the choices of discount house wood flooring, carpet, and rugs available.

If you choose wood flooring for rooms, adding a tiny throw of an embroidered dollhouse rug of warm colors gives a lived-in appearance. Stone flooring made from rolled-out paperclay can be an interesting flooring option for greenhouses or front walkways. Discount house wood rug, flooring, and carpet outlets offer plenty of options for no-wax vinyl floors just like your own kitchen. Before you lay down any flooring in your house, be sure to do the electrical work and run wiring for lighting between rooms.

Monday, August 31, 2015

Laminate Hardwood Flooring-- What Is It And Why Is It So Popular?


Laminate hardwood flooring is very versatile flooring that gives the appearance of having hardwood flooring without the expensive price tag. Laminate flooring does look like hardwood, it is not made of solid wood. It is called engineered hardwood because it is made from several materials bonded together under extremely high pressure. It is easy to care and lay for and when you step on it, it is almost like you are floating. This is why laminate hardwood flooring is also called a floating floor.

In contrast to solid hardwood, laminate hardwood flooring is about half the cost. Another advantage of laminate flooring is that it can be laid down on virtually any type of surface, except, of course, carpet. It is suitable for installing on top of vinyl, wood or concrete. 

When you ask the flooring retailer about how to lay laminate flooring, you will get several different instructions about how to prepare the floor beforehand. You do have to make sure the surfaces is free of any dust or small pieces of dirt that might work their way up through the laminate hardwood flooring.

You do have to take extra care when you install laminate hardwood flooring over radiant heating. You have to read both the instructions for how to lay laminate flooring and the instructions regarding the radiant heat before you start. You don't have to open the packages until you are ready to start when you plan to lay laminate hardwood flooring in your home, of course the easiest and best way to have your flooring put in is to have it done by a professional.

Laminate hardwood flooring is very versatile flooring that gives the appearance of having hardwood flooring without the expensive price tag.