Kitchen floors

This article talks about the importance of flooring in the kitchen. It provides useful tips on the correct procedures to be followed while laying a new floor.

The flooring of the kitchen makes a huge difference in the overall look of the kitchen. Even if your kitchen counter is looking messy, if you have a beautiful floor, the visitor to your kitchen will not notice the mess on your kitchen counter. In other words, the flooring can significantly alter the look of the kitchen. So, it becomes important to have sophisticated flooring in your kitchen rather than old linoleum or hardwood flooring that has patches all over it.

Placing brand-new vinyl flooring above the old flooring is not a good solution because the old flooring will soon start showing through the vinyl flooring. What you can do is to have a sub-floor

that is new and place this on the old floor. This will give the impression that the old floor has been removed. However, the problem is that wood flooring can mould itself according to the flaws of the previous flooring.

It would be a good idea to empty the kitchen of all the items that are not fixed to the floor while changing the floor of the kitchen. Many a times, ovens are fixed to the kitchen floor to avoid tipping. When the kitchen floors are being renovated, an empty kitchen will speed up the process and make the task much easier.

If you have older vinyl flooring that needs to be removed, there is no need to worry as advanced machines are available to do the job for you. However, despite this you will still need to make sure that there are no spots on the floor. If there are any spots, you will have to take them off manually. This is necessary because for new flooring to be fixed properly, the base has to be completely smooth. After the floor has been cleared of old vinyl and glue, laying the sub-floor will be relatively easy. Another thing you need to keep in mind before you cut the wood around the walls and cabinets is to see to it that the size of the cutting fits properly.

Floating floors

Wooden floating floors can be a great addition to any home and with the right care they can continue to look great for a very long time.

Have you recently just fitted wooden floating floors into some or all of the rooms around your home? It could be that you are considering buying floating wooden floors and you are just wondering about the wood furniture care techniques that need to be applied in order to keep it looking good for as long as possible? Wood furniture care for floating floors is the same as anything really and if you do not look after it then obviously you risk compromising the look of it and you can risk causing un-repairable damage to it too.

So why do people choose to buy floating wooden floors in the first place? Well there are some great benefits to having floating wooden floors and one of them is the fact that they are easy to install. Also the lifespan of them is great, especially if looked after properly and they could even last up to a century with the right care.

With all of the great benefits probably the most appealing one has to be the look of the flooring and it truly is something great to look at. It is great flooring which is pleasing to the eye and it is not hard to see why it makes a good addition to any home.

Applying Wood Furniture Care for Your Wooden Floating Floors

Have you just been and bought some floating wooden floors for your rooms in the house and you would like to keep them looking good? It is quite easy to maintain the look of the floors and all it takes is a little time and effort on your part.

Solid wood flooring

Today wood flooring is making a great comeback for many years people have been replacing or covering there wood floors with carpet. Today’s choices in wood flooring have never been greater we will examine several differences between a solid wood flooring that was the staple for many years compared with the advantages and disadvantages of a laminate wood flooring.

Solid wood flooring has a few advantages over laminate. The first advantage is that it can be refinished over and over But has a floor becomes worn scratched or damage they can be sanded out stained and you have a new floor. A solid wood floor will truly last for a lifetime. A laminate floor which is constructed not of solid wood but has a fiberboard type base and a laminate

covering that mimics real wood. A laminate floor will resist scratching but cannot be refinished. Although laminate flooring will last many years if it is damaged it will need to be replaced.

As a rule solid wood flooring is much more expensive than laminate flooring it is also much more expensive to install because it requires much more labor. The solid wood flooring usually comes in strips approximately 2in. wide each strip has to be laid down individually and nailed in place with a special pneumatic flooring nailer. The whereas laminate flooring can be put down in larger sections the section simply snap together and can be put down rather quickly the typical homeowner can easily lay laminate flooring down in a weekend with only basic tools.

Hard wood flooring

You may have a couple of woodworking projects in mind, such a building a hutch, perhaps laying flooring in your home. The first question that comes to mind is what is the right kind of wood for the particular job? This question becomes easier to answer once you understand a bit about the unique characteristics and qualities of each hardwood.

Hardwood is lumber that comes from hardwood trees, which are those that have a broad leaf, or produce nuts. In North American, the most popular hardwoods are cherry, maple, walnut, oak and hickory. The climate in North America is conducive for the production of these strong wood trees. The entire group of these trees, taken as a whole, are called "hardwood" trees.

Even though all hardwood is not the same, the lumber industry has taken steps to standardize wood by designating different strengths and grades so that the consumer can know which is the best hardwood for the woodworking project he is contemplating.

Depending upon the temperature and moisture content of its surroundings, hardwood expands and contracts as an adaptation to its environment. To keep this change in texture to a minimum, hardwoods are dried in a kiln oven to remove a great deal of its moisture content. This will stabilize the amount of expansion and contraction so that it retains its original shape as closely as possible.

Wood floor installation

Wood floor installation is not half as complex as it sounds. Provided you have the patience to read the directions and take the proper measurements, you will get your new floor installed faster than you thought possible. Install flooring can be compared to assembling an oversized jigsaw puzzle but much, much easier. When installing a wood floor, the key to to get started at one corner of the room in question and go on placing tiles as you work towards completing the whole puzzle.

Basic Flooring Installation

You should know about the tools that are essential for a floor install. First you will require a hammer, a wedge, a tape measure, a carpenter’s square and pencil, a utility knife and a circular saw. You will also need a vacuum, a fan, eye protection, ear protection, a pry bar and a block of wood.

Now, it's finally time for the flooring of your choice. If you have chosen a lock together type of flooring made of laminate, using glue is completely unnecessary. You should keep in mind a flooring that needs to be glued down requires more work.

Simple Tips for Installation of Wood Floors

Here are a few tips that are sure to make it uncomplicated for you to install floors:

1. Ensure you level the floor prior to commencing. A rough base will eventually become a shaky flooring. A slope that is gentle isn’t much of a problem, but the floor is likely to warp in case of too many ups and downs.

2. You will first need to cut the flooring at the ends of several rows. Cuts will also have to be made at door frames. Ensure that your saw blade is sharpened so as to prevent the flooring from chipping.

Hard wood floor

There are many reasons to choose hardwood floor as your floor covering.

· Wood doesn’t trap fumes or dust like carpet.

· Mold and staining are not problems for wood, like tile grout.

· You can easily and cost-efficiently change the entire look of a wood floor from time to time with stains, paints and inlays.

· There is no depreciation on a wood floor. In fact, it usually increases the resale value of a home.

· Wood flooring is the best choice for the environment. Production is cleaner than alternatives.

· Wood is more energy efficient. The cellular structure of wood traps air, giving it superior insulating properties. It takes 15 inches of concrete to equal the insulation qualities of just one inch of wood.

Once you’ve made the wise choice to add wood flooring to your home, you will want to care for it to keep it as beautiful as the day it was laid. Cleaning can be a daily chore because you’ll notice dirt and dust is more visible than it was with carpet or tile. Without an inch of fiber and grout depressions, soil has no place to go.

Cleaning hard wood floors requires very few tools or chemicals. Sweeping or vacuuming the entire surface every day is a great place to start. Dirt and dust act like sandpaper on your floor, creating scratches and nicks that can eventually require a professional to fix.

Wooden floors

Wooden floors look great in any room in the house, but to keep them looking good for many years, it’s important to know how to look after them properly.

• Try to put very hardwood floors where children and pets are likely to be, as these are extremely durable and will be able to withstand wear and tear better

• Remove spills promptly using a soft cloth and recommended cleaning products

• Keep pets’ nails trimmed, and paws clean and free of dirt, gravel, grease, oil, and stains

• Sweep or vacuum regularly, since built-up grit can damage the surface of the wood. The vacuum head must be a brush or felt type and make sure that the wheels of the vacuum are clean and do not damage the finish

• Furniture can dent and mark wooden floors, so place protective pads beneath furniture legs and feet to reduce scratches

• Remove shoes with spiked or damaged heels before walking on the wood floor

• Exposure to the sun and its UV rays accelerates the oxidation and aging of wood and fabrics. This causes the wood to change colour. Therefore, it's a good idea to rearrange rugs and furniture periodically so that the floor ages evenly

• Use rugs in high traffic areas and pivot points, for example, stair landings and room entries, especially if you have a large family or indoor pets

Solid wood floors

A solid wood floor can add warm tones and a stunning finish to any room. Constructed with pieces of solid wood they have tongue and groove sides so they can be easily connected together. Each piece has a different grain which combines to form a unique look whenever it is used. There is a huge variety of solid wood floors available with many types of wood species, colours and widths available at hardwood flooring suppliers.

The most popular option is oak wood flooring. Europe and America are both the main consumer and producer of this type of hardwood flooring. Oak is available in various types including red, white and European oak, each with their own hardness, grain and colour characteristics.

A cherry wood floor is another popular choice due to its striking grain markings and solid composition. Like other wood floors it is highly resistant to damage. Over time cherry wood flooring darkens from a pale pink colour to warm dark red tone

Exotic hardwoods can give a room a unique look are now readily available at major hardwood flooring suppliers. They can be found for sale alongside other classic real wood flooring such as maple, oak and ash. Real wood flooring can be purchased in pre-finished or unfinished styles. When laying unfinished wood flooring the product can be recoated many times to increase its life and make it last considerably longer than other flooring options.

Wood floors

Many homeowners today are replacing their carpeted areas with wood flooring. Some of the advantages of wood flooring over carpet are ease of cleaning, wood floors do not hold allergens, wood floors will not mold or mildew, they can last the life of the home and they look great.

When looking to choose a wood floor there are several options to pick from the main choices are laminate flooring that is actually a cover that is applied to a thin piece of pressed wood product like plywood. The two biggest advantages of laminate floors is cost and ease of installation. Laminate floors in general can run from around $1.99 a square foot up to around $5.00 per square foot for some top end laminates. Installing laminate flooring is extremely easy, first it can

be installed over many existing floors as the finished laminate floor actually floats on the old surface this allows for some expansion and contraction of the floor. Most any handy home owner can easily install a laminate floor the only special tool needed is a chop saw which is fairly common tool today it can be borrowed from a friend or rented for a small charge. An average size room can easily be installed in one day.

The major disadvantages of a laminate floor are they can not tolerated getting wet the pressed wood backing on the laminate floor will soak up water and expand this will cause the floor to buckle and the affected area will need to be replaced. The other problem with lament flooring is if it is scratched or dented the affected area will also need to be replaced the laminate flooring is very tough and does not scratch or dent easily but care needs to be taken to prevent scratches and dents. In a solid wood floor scratches and dents can be sanded and refinished without replacing the floor.

Discount hardwood flooring

If you are in the market for discount hardwood flooring, you can take more than one approach to finding it. If you are installing hardwood flooring in more than one room, or in a single exceptionally large room, you may be able to negotiate a lower price because many flooring vendors offer discount hardwood flooring if the square footage involved is large enough.

If, on the other hand, you’re not going to have your flooring installed for a few months, you can ask to be placed on the mailing lists of the flooring suppliers in your area. You’ll then have information all their sales or closeouts mailed directly to you.

If having hardwood flooring is what’s important, and you are flexible as to the wood and finish you will get, you can simply call around to the local retailers and ask them for their rock-bottom discount hardwood flooring prices. If they have been sitting on a particular type of hardwood and need to shrink their inventory to make room for new flooring lines, you might be able to get a terrific deal.

But don’t commit yourself to anything unless you have actually seen the discount hardwood flooring for yourself. You may be flexible about appearance, but you should insist that your flooring is free of defects.

discount hardwood floors

If you are working on finishing up a home, or remodeling a room, you are going to be in the market for hardwood floors. As with anyone in the construction and interior design business, you are going to want to make sure that you stay within your budget.

This need to find quality hardwood floors at a low price will lead you directly to Georgia discount hardwood floors. These floors offer multiple benefits, making them the perfect choice for your home. If you are going to look into Georgia discount hardwood floors, you should understand what you need to look for when purchasing them, and what you have to gain by using them.

What to Look for in Georgia Discount Hardwood Floors

If you are looking into Georgia discount hardwood floors, there are multiple things for you to look into. You are going to want to look for quality, style, color, cost, and installation.

You want to make sure that you find a quality hardwood floor product. While you are looking for a product that is going to save you money, you do not want to deal with a cheap product. Take the time to research the type of hardwood floor to know that it will stand up to your needs.

You also need to look for flooring types that offer various styles and colors. You need to be able to match your house and room completely; there should be no compromises with your hardwood floors.

Laying hardwood floors

In fact, this technique of laying hardwood floors is followed by only about one day to complete. At that time you can move all of your furniture in and proceed with life. With older techniques, you may be inconvenienced for more than a week.

Also, using this technique, will allow you to install solid wood floor panels rather than manufactured floor panels. These solid hardwoods are thicker and tolerate more abuse.

- Tools

In practice, using staples for laying hardwood floors is not all that much different than using nails. You can use mostly the same tools to perform either task. The obvious difference being that you'll need staples and a stapler instead of a nails and a nailer. Here is a list of the main tools you'll need for this technique:

Staples - You need some sturdy staples so that you can firmly attach your hardwood panels to the wall and foundation.

Stapler - You need to have a good, sturdy staple gun to make driving the staples as easy as possible.

Carpenter's Crayon - You need to mark guidelines for where you'll fit each of the hardwood panels together. You'll also need to mark the floor panels up so you will know where and how to cut them to fit the angles and objects of the room where the floor is being laid.

Install hardwood flooring

With the recent developments in the field of hardwood floor installation, you need not require professional help from carpenters for installing hardwood floors. The task of installing hardwood floors can be easily performed by anyone now. This has been possible with the availability of pre-finished flooring, where the wood is factory-finished and saves the labor of sanding and finishing it manually.

Other than the ever-popular red oak, there are many varieties of hardwood which are available in several colors and textures to add a touch of class to your home. Selection of the type of material you want to use in installing hardwood floors can become easier if you do a search on the Internet or make a preliminary visit to a hardware shop.

Pre-finished flooring can be bought online or from a merchant you trust. After you get the wood home, you should stack the wood in the room it will be installed in for a few day to let it adjust to the normal humidity level. This is important to do because moisture makes wood expand. Leave a half inch between the floor and the wall when installing your flooring. This space could be covered with a baseboard or molding strip later.

For the actual installation of the floors, follow the instructions given by the supplier. These are usually the things you have to do step-by-step to get a custom finish on the floor. The wood comes already micro-beveled to allow for expansion of wood during the summer.

Hardwood floor installation

Better than laminates; hook up with these hardwood floor installers or better yet does it yourself in your very own home.

Hardwood Floor installation is fast becoming an immense way to give your house an elegant look or even a rustic look and feel according to the type of hardwood flooring you wanted. Whether you pick to have only hardwood in one room or every room, you are confident to find the perfect fit your home and family.

Hardwood floors are easy to care for and easy to install. It last longer than carpet, provides less allergen in the home and it is beautiful and stylish.

Without the help of a professional you can install the flooring to get the perfect hardwood floor and also you can find some of the useful and detailed facts that will give you the capability, thus saving you money.

The first thing you must do when considering hard wood flooring is to find out all the consumer information you can find. You should gain knowledge of not just how to install but also the various types of hard wood flooring available, proper care of your flooring, and which is best for your house.

Every company should offer consumer information to help consumers learn how to calculate for hard wood flooring, the type of wood that is best for the method you desire, the various finishes obtainable, exact instructions for installation, companies that recommend installation, on how to put in on stair and in tight places, if cutting is essential, how to achieve this properly and how to care for your hard wood floor after installation.

Hardwood flooring installation

Hardwood flooring adds a nice look to any home. It is also quite durable and can last much longer then carpeting. Hardwood flooring can be pricey, so for the home owner looking to save a little on putting hardwood flooring in their home, a good option is installing it yourself.

Hardwood floors can be installed on almost any surface. It is important, though, to prepare the surface before installation to ensure the hardwood flooring lasts without damage from moisture or other factors.

Before installing a hardwood floor you should prepare the sub floor. This involves removing any old flooring or carpeting. You may also need to sand the floor, as well. If there are problems with the floor being uneven you should install something like an oriented strand board to give a smooth, flat surface for your hardwood flooring.

Prior to installation you may need to remove door jams and trim from the walls to avoid damaging it during the installation process.

To install your hardwood flooring you will need to gather a few tools. You will need a circular saw, a drill and basic carpentry tools. You will also need staples and caulking.

There are both pre-finished and unfinished choices in hardwood flooring. The pre-finished type of hardwood flooring helps to really cut down on installation time, but it is also more expensive. The choice will really depend on your budget and how much time you have to work on the floor installation.

Solid hardwood flooring

Solid hardwood floors have continued on in popularity for centuries because of the natural elegance they provide to a home. Solid hardwood flooring has become so popular that some technology based rivals have appeared, such as engineered wood floors and acrylic floors. Yet solid wood floors continue to be a popular option among those who value natural quality and natural elegance in the spaces in which they live and work.

Solid hardwood flooring is exactly what its name implies. It is solid hardwood flooring. The floor panels are made up of milled hardwood that fit together to form your floor.

Solid wood flooring is not a matter of one-type fits all. You can install floor panels in either a finished or unfinished form. The wood can range from 1/4 inch to 25/32 inch hardwood panels. The panels basically come in three different forms for installation. You can choose either strip, plank, or parquet hardwood floors.

Strip Hardwood Floors - A strip floor installation is very easy to accomplish. It is also relatively easy to remove the floor if you install them using the floating hardwood floor method. Strip floor panels hook together by having a tongue on one panel go into the groove on another panel. Each floor panel is around 2" wide.

Strip floors are very well suited for people who like to do the installation themselves, rather than hiring expensive professional floor installers. Anyone who has assembled a 100-piece puzzle and has ever used a circular saw ought to be able handle installing solid hardwood flooring using strip panels.

Additionally, being easy to install and coming in square strips makes this floor more tolerant to weather conditions, such as humidity and temperature that can cause your hardwood floor to expand and contract over time.

Staining hardwood floors

Between hardwood floors and furniture pieces, the latter tend to be changed much more often. If you've had hardwood floors for a while, you know firsthand the design or aesthetic problems that come up whenever you change your furniture pieces. At one time, your furniture and hardwood floor matched visually. However, when you put in new furniture without really thinking about the color of your hardwood floor, that's when compatibility issues arise.

There is really no need to take out the entire hardwood floor just so it would match new furniture. Doing so is time-consuming and can get rather expensive, particularly if you tend to change or add new furniture pieces often. Staining is the better option. It's less costly to staining hardwood floors than to install completely new hardwood flooring.

Staining is actually one aspect of the hardwood refinishing process. To effectively stain hardwood floors, it should be done between buffing the floor and applying the finish. Staining is usually done not with the intention of changing the color of floors, but with the intention of enforcing their color. In this regard, staining hardwood floors is useful for bringing back a floor's color, which tends to gradually faded over time.

How stains penetrate depends on the type of woods. For instance, staining is much more effective on floors made from open-grained woods like ash, oak, pecan or walnut because stain colors for hardwood flooring of these types tend to penetrate deeper. Hardwood floors made from closed-grain woods like birch or maple tend to not stain as well. Thus, before you start a hardwood floor staining project, make sure you know the wood type of your floor so you can choose the right stain to use.