Archive for the ‘Flooring’ Category

Keep Your Marble Floor Clean to Maintain Its Shine

Thursday, January 7th, 2010

Marble tiles are one of the best flooring materials that anyone can use to make their homes appealing and elegant. Marble tiles are elastic and beautiful, reasons why a lot of people prefer it as their flooring materials in their homes.

Marble tiles comes with different colors, with different designs and textures, so you have variety of arrays to choose from, which one that will best suit one’s home.

Wondering where marble comes from? Marble is formed from heated limestone which then crystallizes within the earth’s crust. So the marble become durable which makes its perfect flooring material for one’s home or even office.

But you have to know that marble tiles need much maintenance and attention. Yes, indeed, it can make one’s home appealing, beautiful, elegant and sparkling, but you also have to give attention to it in return. You also have to take good care of it in order to maintain the elegance, beauty, spark and appeal of the marble tiles. In order to keep its artistic value and shine, you have to keep it clean and shiny always. You also have to avoid your marble flooring from damage that can come from scratches or even from stains. So for you to make your marble flooring last for a long period of time, you have to give constant attention and care.

Marble can stain easily, and it can deteriorate when expose to acidic materials or foods. So you have to be alert and clean immediately if there is any spill to prevent it from staining and damage. Marble can easily be damage by acid, since it is softer than granite, and it is very permeable. So marble can be damage from acidic foods such as vinegar, orange juice and so on. Marble tiles can be ruined and damaged, if you let these acidic foods on the surface of the marble tiles, leaving it with stain which will look unpleasing and dirty.

Do not let your marble floor to have spills and water spots for long period of time, cause these will leave to be stains on the marble floor, since marble tiles are delicate. So if ever there are spills or water spots, you have to immediately wipe it with clean and dry cloth, so not to allow stains to your marble floor. You have to keep your marble flooring dry always.

When you clean your marble flooring, make sure to use lukewarm water and soap, do not try to use other cleaning materials or any pH neutral cleaning solution, for you to avoid any stain or damage to your marble floor. In maintaining the cleanliness of your marble floor, you have to use lukewarm water and soap. Never make your marble floor too wet. Use a barely wet sponge in cleaning it. You have to scrub the marble tiles gently and make sure to clean it dry until it is shiny again. You also have to sweep and vacuum the floor as often as possibly to remove the loose dirt on your marble tiles’ surface. You have to let you marble tiles be sealed and polished every several months to maintain its shine and to protect it from dirt and stain.

Eliza Maledevic Ayson

Marble Tile http://tilenet.net/

Eliza Maledevic writes for http://seo.xon.us – SEO Company

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The Pros And Cons Of Bamboo Flooring

Wednesday, January 6th, 2010

You have a chance to choose your wood flooring, and you don’t want to waste it with something ordinary. So why not give bamboo flooring a look?

Bamboo flooring is a grass, not a wood, flooring. The speed with which bamboo grows means harvested bamboo is replaced far more quickly than harvested trees, that the production of bamboo flooring has no adverse effects on the environment. And bamboo offers you the choice of either a flat or vertical grain.

Its single drawback is that it is most often available only light “honey” shade, or a darker amber shade achieved when it is pressure steamed and carbonization occurs. Carbonized bamboo flooring, however, is about 20% softer than natural bamboo flooring. Some manufacturers offer the option of factory-dyed or stained bamboo flooring as an alternative.

The Process

The process of turning bamboo into flooring entails cutting the harvested hollow bamboo canes into strips, boiling them in a mixture of water and preservative, pressing the softened strips flat, and using a urea-based resin to form them into laminated boards. Even with its light weight, bamboo is, surprisingly, almost as dent and shrink-proof as oak.

Bamboo flooring, in fact, is as hard as maple, and because it is not a true wood, can be used in areas where exposure to water makes wood flooring impossible. It is stain and scuff, as well as water, resistant, and ideal for heavily-trafficked areas.

Unfinished Vs. Finished

Bamboo flooring is available either unfinished or finished. When left unfinished, the planks of bamboo have squared edges which allow them to fit together almost perfectly; they can then be finished by the homeowner with a protective stain or sealant to improve their durability.

Beveled-edged finished bamboo flooring is sealed with polyurethane. Its beveling creates a floor with a planked look, and because of its polyurethane sealant, will not accept staining.

Most of the bamboo used in bamboo flooring comes from forests in China’s Hunan province; and the completed bamboo flooring sold in the US has been imported from a Pacific Rim manufacturer. But it is readily available all over the US.

Questions To Ask Before Purchasing Bamboo Flooring

Bamboo flooring, depending on whether or not it is finished and on its length and width, costs between $3.00 and $8.00 per square foot. If you are considering it, there are some questions you should ask your flooring retailer. In order to be dent resistant, bamboo flooring should b e harvested from mature stands of bamboo, at least six years old. It takes that long for the bamboo stalk to develop a woody texture.

Processed bamboo, as long as it is not made from the tip or base of the bamboo stalk, really is harder than oak. Ask if the flooring you want is made from the heart of the bamboo stalk. And before installing your bamboo flooring, let it acclimatize to your house for about a week. Your bamboo flooring’s moisture content should be within two to four percent of that of your sub-flooring.

You can also find more info on Bamboo Flooring and Discount Hardwood Flooring. Homeflooringhelp.com is a comprehensive resource to know about Home Flooring.

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Tips For The Smooth Installation Of Hardwood Flooring

Tuesday, January 5th, 2010

There are many ways in which you can install hardwood flooring, and the method you choose will depend on the type of flooring you are installing. Solid hardwood typically comes in the form of parquet flooring, strips, or planks. Laminate wood flooring on the other hand typically requires other methods for installation.

Regardless of whether your choose laminate or hardwood for your flooring needs you should be able to easily locate directions and instructions on the package. Laminate floors are relatively easy to install according to the instructions. Solid hardwood floors, on the other hand, need the opportunity to become acclimated to the humidity before being installed so the flooring must be removed from the package before it is installed. Laminate flooring should remain in the packaging until you are ready to install.

Whether or not your installation is successful depends on careful planning. You must pay complete and total attention even to the smallest of details. The surfaces upon which you are installing the floors must be carefully swept and vacuumed in order to insure that there is no dust or debris in the foundation for your new floors.

You should also be certain that you have measured and correctly recorded the amount of flooring you will need. A good rule of thumb is to measure three times to be sure (it is always better to err on the side of caution). You can generally bring your measurements into the store and let the staff figure the exact flooring materials that will be required. This is particularly handy if you aren’t all that good with numbers.

Glueless laminate flooring is typically very easy to install, which makes it a popular choice. This type of flooring doesn’t require glue or nails and has a kind of tongue and groove design which allows the pieces to pop into place.

You should consider how the light flows into the room before beginning your installation and install the planks towards your hallway lighting. Always install laminate flooring lengthwise.

Laminate flooring instructions provide all the information you’ll need including how to lay the first plank against the wall and how spacers should be placed if they are required. For hardwood installation, always start in a corner using a full plank at the start of the first row. A spacer should also be used to keep a half inch gap between the plank and the wall.

The most important thing to remember when installing hardwood or laminate flooring is to follow the directions provided with the flooring materials. Each type of flooring can have slightly different requirements, and directions can vary from one manufacturer to another. By following these directions you give yourself the best odds of success.

Visit us for great tips and information on installing hardwood flooring, refinishing hardwood floors and hardwood flooring.

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Hardwood Floors – How Do You Keep Them Looking Good?

Wednesday, October 14th, 2009

With the upsurge over the last few years in the fitting of hardwood floors in the home, the question arises of how to care for them. Here are tips that will help keep your hardwood floor looking as good as the day it was laid down.

Hardwood floors have always been popular due to their durability – witness the number of school and church halls fitted with them – but only in the last five years or so have they become really popular in the home. Why should this be?

- Hardwood floors are easier to keep free of dust and dust mites than regular carpeting. For anyone with dust-related allergies, carpets can be a real no-no.

- Hardwood floors look terrific – no doubt of that; and with proper care should last virtually indefinitely.

- Hardwood floors add value to a property and increase it desirability over others not outfitted in the same way.

These three reasons alone are enough to have made thousands of homeowners throw out their carpeting and install hardwood flooring. There then comes the question – just how do I look after my hardwood floor and keep it looking like new?

Well, it does require a little effort but certainly no more than would be involved if carpets were fitted – vacuuming, shampooing and so forth. What should be realised is that hardwood flooring is a very durable material that, due to its organic nature, needs treating slightly differently to other flooring types.

For instance, a vinyl floor covering can be wet mopped to clean it without any problems at all. Try that with an untreated hardwood floor and you may well regret it: water can swell wooden planks and blocks, leaving you with a floor that suddenly looks as if it has a family of moles living beneath it!

So – don’t overwet the floor. If you have to mop it, use a barely damp mop and ensure the room is well ventilated. It’s a good idea to always vacuum first as well before mopping – grit particles under a mop will grind away at your beautifully finished wood surface, eventually dulling it and giving dirt an easier in.

If you aren’t going to wax your hardwood floor, then a sealant coat, followed by a polish coat, is usually the best method of protecting your floor. For those homeowners who don’t want a high-gloss floor there are satin and eggshell finish polishes available.

Maintenance of this type of floor finish is easily achieved using a small domestic polishing machine, available from most good janitorial supply companies. Although beyond the scope of this article, maintaining your hardwood floor with one of these polishers really is simplicity itself.

The trick to keeping the floor looking great is – clean it and polish it regularly and often. Don’t let it get really dirty then have a crazy afternoon of cleaning – do it once or twice a week, depending on your circumstances and your hardwood floor will go on looking great for years to come.

Another tip – if you have decided to use a wax on your floor, use it very sparingly! Too much wax applied can result in an ugly build-up that will eventually darken your floor to such an extent that it will look terrible – and then it’s a real uphill task to put it right, probably involving professional services. The best maxim for looking after hardwood flooring is ‘treat it with respect’ – look after it and it will keep your home looking its best!

Steve Dempster worked for over fifteen years for a floorcare specialist – if you would like more information on floorcare or other cleaning issues, pay his site a visit at http://www.howtocleanit.info

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How To Fix A Bad Ceramic Tile Floor

Tuesday, October 13th, 2009

Ceramic tile in a kitchen can really stand out and give an expensive and updated feel. This type of flooring is very durable and can last for many years, and is even rated to last as long as the structure. But, if the ceramic tile is not properly installed, it can actually take away from the beauty and elegance of the flooring. Easy problems to fix can include too much grout between the tiles, and then the grout not being sealed. These problems are do-it-yourself fixes, which can be done during a weekend.

Grout is the material between the tiles, which fills in the spaces after the tiles are installed. There are different colors of grout you can use, along with different types. Most people tend to use a white or off white grout, for their ceramic tile floors. Sometimes, you may end up with too much grout in between the tiles. This may be the case if you buy a house with ceramic floors, or if you have installed the ceramic tile yourself. If this happens, and the grout is now dry, there is a very easy way to remove this extra grout.

The hardware stores sell a tool known as a dremel tool. This is basically a cordless screwdriver, and comes with a bunch of different attachments. They also make special attachments directly for ceramic tile removal. You can actually repair the grout 2 ways: You can remove all of the grout and redo the grout, or just grind it down a bit so all of the grout is the same level or depth. This article looks at just grinding down the grout to the same level.

Now you have the grout looking the same. Most likely, it will still be dirty. Grout is very porous, which means it has many holes in it which allow for dirt to get into. You need to seal this, but before you seal it, you need to clean it. There are many grout cleaners out there, and all of these will work. But good old bleach will also do the trick. Mix a bucket of 50/50 with bleach and water, and scrub out the grout. This bleach mixture will help to clean and brighten the grout, and will also kill any mold or mildew which may be growing in the grout. Once you are done, mop the floor and see how the grout looks. Repeat this process until the grout is the color you are looking for. Now you need to seal it.

Before you seal it, ensure the grout is completely dry. You can buy the grout sealer at any of the hardware stores. Ensure to read the directions on this, but most of the sealers are all the same. Just apply the sealer to the grout, not the tile. This will take some time, as you will need a small paint brush and a steady hand. If you get any on the tiles, just wipe it off immediately. This sealer will seal all of the holes in the grout, and help to keep out any of the water or dirt. This will keep the grout the same color as the original color. Also, when you mop the floor, the mop water will not get into the grout. Sealers are very important. If you choose not to use it, your grout will get dirty again, and you will be scrubbing it again.

With a dremel, a ceramic tile grout remover, some bleach, and a sealer, you can get your ceramic tile looking like new again. Money has already been heavily invested into the flooring, so with a little sweat equity and some time, you can get your ceramic tile floor fixed and back to its original appearance.

For more free tips, visit our Home Improvement Center

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Should You Sand Your Hardwood Floor?

Monday, October 12th, 2009

The Fundamentals

To do any job well it is important that you know your fundamentals. It is easy to be scared and worried about sanding a hardwood floor by yourself and stay away from the entire thing. Similarly it is very easy to be too eager and keen and spoil the entire floor by wrongly handling the drum sander. You would have invested a handsome amount to install the hardwood flooring. So if possible cut your costs on sanding and do it yourself if that is possible. But, you also must not spoil the investment in doing something that is not meant to be done by you.

The Thickness

What decides whether you will be able to sand a floor is the thickness of the floor. To measure the thickness all you got to do is to remove a floor register and using a measuring tape measure the thickness of the wood. Remember ticker the floor the easier it would be for you to sand the floor by yourself. Thinner boards will require professional hands. So what measurement should you be looking for? If the thickness exceeds 3/4” then you can go ahead with sanding the floor yourself. However, for any wood less thick, you will need to call in professional help.

The Dust Sander

The tool that you will require to sand the hardwood floor is the dust sander and obviously you are not going to buy one for your house. What you will need to do is rent one. However, before renting you must be careful that you are getting everything for the money that you are paying. Never hire a dust sander without the manual. You never know when you get stuck. You should also be getting all the regular accessories that come with a dust sander like the dust bag, wrenches and attachments. It makes sense for you to get a demonstration at the store on how to use the sander. You will also need some sand papers – both coarse and fine ones – for your sanding. Pick up a dust mask on your way back and before trying the sander on the floor get some practice on a piece of plywood.

The Method

The sander should not be touching the floor when you switch it on. Only after it attains maximum speed you should lower it gradually to the floor. Sand in straight lines along the grain of the wood. You will be required to sand the floor twice, once with the coarse grit sheets and once with the finer grit sheets to achieve a perfect finish.

***You may use this article on your website as long as the two URLs are hyperlinked.

Tania Penwell provides information on hardwood flooring and other flooring topics for A1 Wood Flooring – your guide to caring for and finding beautiful wood floors.

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