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Archive for the ‘Flooring’ Category

Beyond Tradition: the Hardwood Flooring Advantage

Hardwood flooring is looked upon by many as the flooring option that lends a sense of permanence to an interior. Whether it’s a residential interior, or an office installation, hardwood flooring adds an air of class, as well as structural strength. For these reasons, hardwood flooring remains to be a classic choice. It is a flooring option that has the advantage of tradition behind it; many cultures and civilizations have used hardwood flooring, and have done so for centuries. But, there are reasons beyond those of tradition that make hardwood flooring a practical and decorative choice.

One of the most attractive attributes of hardwood flooring is the range of options open to you in terms of finish, surface, stain, and species. All of these aspects play a very important role in determining the look of your flooring. With all of these choices, hardwood flooring is known to make for a unique effect in each interior. To this point, an advantage you will experience will most likely be all of the compliments you’ll get because of your hardwood flooring for years to come.

Pre-finished and Unfinished Hardwood Flooring

Hardwood flooring can be purchased in either prefinished or unfinished varieties and there are distinct advantages in both. For pre-finished hardwood flooring, the obvious advantage is that of convenience. No sanding is required for these types of hardwood floors, and therefore more time is saved on preparation as well a mess; sanding a hardwood floor involves both. Also, no time must be allowed for the finish on your hardwood flooring to dry, a period which can take a half a day to longer, depending on the kind of finish you use.

As far as unfinished hardwood flooring goes, the most compelling advantage is that of a more uniform seal. This is the reason why many professionals offer unfinished hardwood flooring to clients; it is easier to make sure that all of the minute gaps between the hardwood flooring boards are sealed when finish is applied on the whole surface of the flooring, and not on a board-by-board basis. This means extra protection against moisture, the hardwood floor’s most dangerous enemy. In this sense, all of the preparation and mess is worth the effort.

Hardwood Flooring Surfaces and Stains

The diversity of hardwood flooring extends not only to finish, but also in the range of surfaces and choices in stain available to the customer. Some hardwood flooring is planed evenly at the mill, offering a smooth, refined surface that many consumers have come to admire in hardwood flooring. But another variety of hardwood flooring that is becoming popular with flooring professionals and homeowners is that of the handscraped hardwood flooring. In this case, the hardwood plank is actually worked by hand to create a contoured, seasoned surface that gives the hardwood flooring a more rustic, lived-in appearance.

The variations in hardwood flooring are further extended by the variety of stains available as well. Some stains serve to bring out the natural range of color in a chosen species. Others effectively change the color altogether, allowing a consumer to enjoy the benefits offered by one species, while enjoying the color of another. Hardwood flooring is probably one of the more flexible choices with regard to appearance and personal taste.

Hardwood Flooring: the Luxury of Choice

Overall, hardwood flooring is not just an option which relies upon tradition, although hardwood flooring has been relied upon for centuries because it is such a durable material. What hardwood flooring offers is the luxury of choice and an ease of integration into an interior design. Along with the advantages of appearance, hardwood is and continues to be a choice in flooring that can add structural strength to a residence or office.

Popular Species of Hardwood Flooring

Red and White Oak – These species are naturally pale in color, with hints of pink running through the Red Oak. Both are known for their utility across all kinds of applications. White Oak is known to be slightly harder than red oak, although red oak in turn is slightly easier to saw and nail.American Cherry – Used for cabinet making as well as flooring, American Cherry is known to be an attractive species that is very easy to work with. It is not as hard as either red or white oak, but offers a greater tonal range of color that darkens over time to become even more rich in tone, due to photosensitivity.Hard Maple – Harder still than oak, the uniform texture of maple as well as its naturally abrasion-resistant surface makes it an excellent choice for hardwood flooring. Early North American settlers relied upon maple for its hardy nature, and it continues to be popular today.Brazilian Cherry AKA Jatoba – One of most notable features of this exotic species is its color – a rich, reddish brown that eventually ages into a lustrous burgundy. Another important as aspect of Jataba is how hard it is; it is harder than some species of mahogany. So for look as well as durability, Brazilian Cherry excels.

Hardwood flooring “Dos” and “Don’ts”

Do:

Choose a species of hardwood which will stand up to the type of foot traffic you expect in the area you wish to have it installedConsult the terms and conditions of your purchase, including warranty informationHire a professional installer if you have little or no experience in installing a hardwood floor. Hiring a professional flooring contractor will spare you the costly mistakes that often characterize installations by the inexperienced In the case of an unfinished hardwood flooring option, consult with contractors or local retailers about which finish or stain is most appropriate for your choice of hardwood flooring Choose an appropriate moisture barrier to rest between subfloor and hardwood flooring in order to add another level of protection Expect color variations, as hardwood is a natural material. This can be to your advantage in terms of design. Open all boxes to view the tonal range in your particular batch and lay out the boards accordingly to suit your personal styleAllow your hardwood flooring to “acclimate” before you install it. This means opening the boxes of flooring to expose it to the temperature of the area where it is to be installed. Being a natural material, hardwood flooring expands and contracts according to climateUse DRY mops and vacuums to keep your new hardwood flooring clear of dirt and dustSee to your pets – clip their nails, buy water dishes with a wide base to avoid spills, use area rugs or runners in higher pet traffic areas, and look out for “number one” (clean up those “accidents” as soon as they happen!)

Don’t:

Install hardwood flooring in an area that will be subject to excessive moisture. This also means avoiding an installation “below grade” (in a basement for instance) or in bathroomsInstall hardwood flooring in an area that is not environmentally controlled all year long – say, in a cottage or summer home that is not constantly maintainedUse wax-based cleaners or harsh detergents that will dull the finish of the hardwood flooringUse steel wool or any other abrasives to clean a hardwood floor

Use excessive water when cleaning a hardwood floorWalk on your hardwood flooring with athletic spikes or high-heelsInstall hardwood flooring over radiant heat. For this, it is best to consider engineered hardwood flooring which is designed to allow for the temperature variations resulting from radiant heatLeave damp rugs on the surface of hardwood flooring for an extended period.

For a more comprehensive list of dos and don’ts, and for more details in general, it’s always best to talk to the professionals directly. Contractors and sales reps that specialize in hardwood flooring can often serve as excellent resources before, during, and after your hardwood flooring purchase.

Rob Jones is Communications Coordinator with BuildDirect, a leading online wholesaler of building products. Rob writes articles for commercial contractors and DIYers on features, installation, and maintenance of building materials used in commercial and residential projects. These articles focus on materials such as flooring, decking, roofing, and siding, and other related topics.

The wide range of flooring options makes available today likely your head buzzing every time, if you look at, always a new floor. At the same time, it also means that you can find the perfect flooring idea for your home or Office/place of work. So you can choose laminates, ceramic tile, slate/stone, vinyl flooring, rugs, stone and marble from wood or wood, etc..

And then there are the sections: If you wood, what is it, maple, oak, pine or teak? Do you like black, white, Connemara, rough finish or polished marble? Of course, much depends on your budget and individual taste, but here is a ready guide for the categories of flooring on the market:

Laminates: If you can install a solid wood flooring, wood laminates are great. They are in so many colors and species such as wood, and in many styles, but the way they constructed makes them longer and resist moisture and traffic better than wood. This makes it an excellent idea of flooring for the bathroom Read the rest of this entry »

You’re remodeling the bathroom and have dreams of adding some spa like comforts. A garden tub with pulsating jets, luxurious tile and comfortable fixtures come to mind. And maybe even a heated floor. Lots of people are considering radiant-heated floors because of that extra level of spa-like comfort. Before you make a decision about a heated floor, you should know some of the pros and cons of these types of heating systems. Here’s a brief run down on the main types of systems and the pros and cons for using this type of heating system. Of course, your local HVAC professional will have more detailed information.

Heating Floor Systems: Which to Choose?

There are two main types of radiant-heated floors. The first is electric, which provides heat through electrically heated coils. The second is hydronic, which provides heat through water-filled tubes. The tubes can be heated in a variety of ways using solar power, oil, gas or kerosene. Not sure which to choose? Ask your local HVAC professional for their advice. Read the rest of this entry »

Many people quite rightly seek out solid hardwood flooring as the best means to add certain warmth, class, and an atmosphere of homey comfort to an interior. But, as many find out, hardwood flooring can have limitations in areas that are prone to climatic changes; when it is humid or damp, an unfortunate effect in hardwood is often the swelling or cupping of the hardwood flooring boards. When looking to invest in long-lasting and attractive flooring therefore, one of the things to look out for is a flooring material that is likely to respond to these sorts of environmental changes without losing any of its structural stability, or its attractiveness. A solution that many have discovered for versatility, attractiveness, and with a robust design noted for structural stability is engineered hardwood flooring. But what is engineered hardwood, and what makes it so resistant to the climatic forces which usually spell doom for solid hardwood flooring?

Engineered Hardwood Flooring: Anatomy Lesson

Engineered hardwood flooring is made up of two main elements: the top layer and the core. The core is made up of stacked layers of medium or high-density fiberboard, or sometimes plywood, which most often range from 3 ply to 7 ply construction. This stacking design acts as a means to allow the flooring to counteract the effects of humidity on the natural wood, allowing each board to expand and contract without warping or cupping. Read the rest of this entry »

The following procedure is for re-targetting coats assign to already finished floor or a new floor surface. When a new floor always the manufacturer’s recommendations for the ground finish prepping noticed. You should always consult the flooring manufacturer on the types of finishes that are appropriate for your floor. If each floor finishing we recommend using a quality end of the ground, which is correctly adjusted to your flooring. Our online floor-finishing process are the General guidelines for floor finishing. Today floor finish the alternative to old fashioned has become is growing. Ground surface can be a great long lasting shine without the problems of the conventional waxes one floor.

Procedure:

Make sure that your floor for the equipment was prepared. Clean the floor as possible remove so much dirt and debris. If the soil is finish with more than 5 layers is recommended, the ground first stripping. Too many levels of finish can floor dull. In the course of time ground finish in the colour yellow can, if you see yellowing at the bottom recommended, that you first the bottom stripe.

Has been prepared according to the floor, mop, vacuum or dust the word to remove the dust. It is recommended that you your dust MOP spray dust MOP to remove as much dust treatment as possible. Make sure to remove everything on the ground is part of the ground surface when you are finished, and you need to strip off your floor and start again all firmly on the ground. Read the rest of this entry »

Laminate flooring is a smart and popular choice, a new lease existing floors in your home to life. The styles, textures, versatility, price, and additional advantages, the laminate today’s laminate floors have a wise choice for the floors in your home.

Some of the positive laminate flooring features are:

o reliable durability

o easy to clean surfaces

o superior staining and fade resistance

o installation of many types of on the ground

o great impact and indentation resistance

o fashionable, functional designs and textures at affordable prices Read the rest of this entry »

Everybody loves the beautiful, timeless look of hardwood floors. Elegant, yet simple, hardwood is breathtaking. But take a closer look. This hardwood is scratched and dented? Are the spots and pale markings that you see there? This hardwood flooring is perhaps not as nice as you originally intended.

If you like the look and the timeless appearance of hardwood floors but not the scratches, bumps and pale markings that will come with it is a good choice for you than laminate flooring. In addition to the fact that laminate is much more durable than traditional hardwood flooring, it is much cheaper as well.

What is laminate flooring arranged?

Laminate flooring is a composite product that looks like a wood product; However, you can ensure you as if you would your laminate countertop. Laminate flooring is high density core from one with an image at the top level placed and sealed with a laminate covering. Laminate flooring is a water repellent that placed and many good quality floors with water repellent in the core. Read the rest of this entry »

Hardwood is still the homeowner’s favorite choice of flooring and caring for it takes minimal effort. Unlike laminate or engineered wood, hardwood can be refinished many times, and will add years of beauty and warmth to your home, as well as increase its value and speed its resale. Ongoing floor care is needed to keep your hardwood looking its best, however, and there are four major aspects of hardwood floor care:

1. Hardwood floor cleaning

2. Hardwood floor repair

3. Hardwood floor refinishing

4. Hardwood floor protection

Clean your hardwood regularly

Knowing how to clean hardwood floors is important because the bane of hardwood is dirt and grit, which scratch and mark the floor if not removed promptly. As well, dust is seen more easily on wood floors than it is on linoleum or carpet on, especially in the sunlight and especially if the floor has a dark stain. Read the rest of this entry »

Hardwood floors can create a feeling of warmth and elegance in a home or business. But also a nightmare for your cleaning company too good looking to keep can be hardwood floors. Is to know what to do and when it to do helps you to keep hardwood floors in first class condition.

Before you begin a maintenance program on a hardwood floor is a good idea to ask questions about the background of the soil (finish used when it was last cut, etc..). If this information is not available, you must determine the word to the State of the soil to evaluate. Some basic observations of wood and the finish will be help to determine what type of cleaning or refinishing need.

Begin by evaluating the condition of the wood. The soil has considerable damage, distorted boards and much wear and tear, can entire floor must be replaced. But this is the worst case scenario. Check the entire floor, including the edges, and differences in the level of the soil. The following are the categories that you can apply on the ground: Read the rest of this entry »

Beautiful solid wood flooring can look wonderful, creating a real sense of style and individuality and a modern, contemporary feel within any home. There are many different types of real wood flooring, each with a look that is entirely its own. Aged or distressed flooring, the distinctive lines of parquet flooring, there’s engineered wood flooring and strip floors as well as mosaic panels and end grain wood block floors.

Aged & distressed flooring

Aged wood flooring or distressed flooring presents a stylish, lived in look. It looks, for all the world, as if your flooring has been laid for years and adds a certain authenticity to your home. Aged and distressed flooring is also a very practical choice for both homes and commercial properties because it keeps looking good for longer. The rugged, show the scratches will not worn, lived in appearance and marks caused by everyday usage. They are also a popular choice because they never require sanding unlike other types of wood floors. Read the rest of this entry »