The reason for the rise in popularity of laminate floors in recent years for those remodeling their homes is simple; laminate floors cost less to purchase, are much easier to install than its solid wood cousin, and is easy to maintain. So if you have decided that you will be laying laminate flooring soon, then you will need some guidelines to follow.

Before purchasing anything, you will need to have an accurate square footage of the room where you will be laying this flooring in order to know the correct amount of material to buy. Measure the room from left to right and then from front to back. You will now have two different lengths. Multiply those numbers together for your square footage. Make sure to add approximately 10 percent to the total for mishaps.

After you remove your old floor, go over it well to remove old nails, nail strips, glue, etc. You will need to scrape the floor to make sure that it is completely smooth. Then vacuum it well. If there are stains on the subfloor, you may wish to use a product such as Killz on the sub-floor. This is especially true if you have stains from cats.

Next, you will need to remove the baseboards. If you are gentle, you may be able to salvage them and possibly reuse them.

It is entirely possible and probable that the doors opening onto this room will not do so once you are done laying the laminate flooring. This means you will need to cut off the bottoms of the door jambs, case openings, etc. You will need a coping saw or something similar in order to do this.

Then it is time to roll out the underlayment. This is a padding used to absorb the sound and force from walking and to cushion between the floor and the sub-floor. It is also to minimize any differences caused by any imperfections of the sub-floor. Without this padding, these differences would translate into an uneven appearance in your laminate.

Now, you are ready to lay the planks. Remember to stagger the joints and make sure they snap together fully and lock in place. This is the most crucial part of laying laminate flooring since it will be the exposed finished product that you will see. Make sure to leave a 1/4″ gap between the wall and flooring to allow for “floating”. Next, it is time to replace the baseboards. Be careful not to nail into the flooring.

WANT MORE TIPS ON LAMINATE FLOORS?

Learn more about laying laminate flooring and other aspects of laminate floors at bathroomlaminateflooring.com.

One of the most popular flooring today is wooden flooring; it is popular because it is beautiful, adds value to the home, is long lasting and requires minimal maintenance. However, if you were to inquire from some homeowners who have floors made from natural hardwood what the best Wood Floor Cleaner is, the response would differ widely because wood floor cleaners are not a one size fit all situation. This is because wood comes in various forms ranging from oak, teak, laminate as well as others.

Today, you will find that most wood floors have either shellac or polyurethane coating. These coatings are used to protect the wood from moisture as well as dirt. The drawback to using these types of coating they deteriorate over time. One of the ways you can tell that the protective coating has deteriorated is its dull appearance.

Take precautionary measures before you use any cleaners made specifically for hardwood floors to protect your floor. Always sweep, or vacuum your wood floor prior to adding any wood cleaner. Select a floor cleaner that is appropriate for the type of floor and one that will not harm your floor. Cleaners are available in liquid form as well as in a paste. Paste cleaners clean the floor and provide a shine as well. Although paste cleaners work well with most wood flooring, it does not provide shine on laminate flooring.

Any type of spills or dirt that has been grounded in may require solvent or even chemicals to remove the stains. However, only use these types of products for spot cleaning, their purpose is removal of the finish to facilitate cleaning of the wood. After using these products, it is necessary to add finishing to the affected section.

It is important to read your Wooden Floor Cleaner label carefully before you apply to your flooring. Using the wrong floor cleaner may damage your flooring, which might cause you to replace the wood.

Avoid using any Wood Floor Cleaner that list ammonia or bleach as its ingredient. Always spot test any new floor cleaning products in an inconspicuous place prior to using the cleaner. Consider using throw rugs or mats to protect your wooden floor. This reduces the amount of dirt and grime that is place on your wooden floor and will allow you to enjoy the use of your wooden floor for a long time to come.

Darryl writes about using the right Wood Floor Cleaner and runs http://www.cherrywoodflooring.net/.

If a pine tree was a Hollywood actor, it would be Clint Eastwood. It is the rough and tumble wood that grows best in the world’s harshest environments, the cold, the icy, the dry, the: you name it-pine grows well in environment. Take it; cut it down; cleave it into planks; sand it; sand it again and reveal what has been hidden inside all along. You will find a soft wood, pliable, tender and full of character. How does pine do it? Only pine will ever know.

For the countless thousands of homes built between the thirties and sixties, heartwood pine flooring was the material of choice. From a manufacturing standpoint the tree grows quickly. It is easy to cut and cheap to manufacture. Because it needs fewer resources than other woods such as oak and walnut, it can be produced ready for use at a bare minimum of cost. Therefore, it can be purchased inexpensively too. Unfortunately, some people have begun to criticize the wood as being overly-cheap and classless.

This is not true. Pine has character. While the wood is prone to knots and often strange graining patterns, those very blemishes make it a perfect story piece. Additionally, heart pine is the cleanest cut from the tree. It has characteristically fewer knots than other cuts but still expresses the oddly flowing grain that is distinctive of the wood.

If you have bought a vintage house and carpet covers every square foot of floor, take a peek below the surface. You may be excited to see that the original floor was heart pine. If that is the case, you can easily remove the carpet, sand down the flooring and finish it to a brilliant luster. If you are thinking about installing wood flooring in your home, consider heart pine. Of all the woods, it has the most character and can be installed at a minimum of impact to your wallet.

Joshua has been interested in wood flooring as a hobby for several years now. He is experienced in the flooring business and has just started his own plank hardwood flooring website. Today’s article talks about heart pine flooring. Please click on one of the above links to visit his site. Thanks for reading!

Interior designers and builders agree that the first element to consider when beginning to finish a room is flooring, because it sets the mood.

According to professionals, more and more people are bypassing tile and carpet and instead choosing wood. But what kind of wood should you go with? Solid hardwood? Engineered wood? Reclaimed antique wood? Despite all the options, making the right choice for your tastes and circumstances is easier than it appears. Here are some factors to consider, along with some useful advice from the experts.

Which Wood-Flooring Type Should You Choose?
Solid Hardwood: Although solid hardwood expands and contracts and sometimes creaks, its natural beauty will always add value to your home. Even better, it can be re-sanded and refinished, so it retains its value.

Engineered Wood Floors: These floors are constructed of thin sheets of wood glued together and finished at the factory. The resulting product resists buckling and warping, make it more staple than solid wood. Engineered wood floors were developed to be glued over concrete, but they can also be nailed or floated, whereas solid wood can only be nailed to a subfloor.

Reclaimed Antique Wood: This is a custom made flooring option tailor-made one plank at a time according to the customer’s specifications. This flooring type is especially stable, because it can cut from the center section of a beam.

Finished vs. Unfinished
One of the benefits of solid hardwood flooring is that it’s available finished or unfinished. If you’re trying to match an adjacent floor, you’re better off going with an unfinished option and staining it to blend. Finishing the floor on site will insure a more uniform color and finish. Remember, however, that an unfinished wood floor may take several days to install, stain, and finish.

Whether solid or engineered, finished wood is factory sanded, stained and finished, so it’s easier and faster to install, not to mention much less messy because there’s no on-site sanding or finishing. If you’re installing flooring in a high-traffic area, finished wood is the way to go because it’s so durable. Another plus is that it’s less expensive than unfinished wood.

Important Things to Consider
One feature that’s becoming more common is radiant heating, where the heat source is under the floor. When this is the case, then engineered wood is preferable over solid hardwood because of its durability. The National Wood Flooring Association also recommends using quarter-sawn or rift-sawn wood due to the durability factor. According to the NWFA, since narrow boards fare better than wide ones when there are changes in temperature and humidity, with this type of heating, strip flooring is preferable over plank flooring.

Stoddard recommends engineered wood flooring for seaside homes, because it’s scratch-resistant—and less like to be damaged by tracked-in sand—and requires less maintenance. Engineered hardwood flooring is clearly the best option for any interior that’s not environmentally controlled, such as those in cottages, summer homes, or below-grade installations.

Some Simple Design Tips
When personalizing a room, understated detail is important. A great look is to use a lighter wood overall and then either add a dark border or drop in a maple medallion that looks like an area run.

It’s become more and more popular to mix woods from room to room. Dark woods, like walnut and cherry, work well in cozy rooms such as a den or bedroom, but it’s best to choose a lighter, brighter wood, such as maple or birch, for the kitchen.

If you are going for a formal, traditional, or historic look, then darker wood is the way to go. Country, casual, and contemporary homes are better suited to lighter woods. Design your floor to complement fabrics, furnishings, and accessories.

Current Trends in Wood Flooring
The latest options in the flooring market include hand-scraped wood and “exotics” from far-off lands. Woods such as Brazilian cherry, Santos mahogany, and Amendoim have delightful grains and colors. All are available both in solid hardwood or engineered wood.

The old look and simplicity of woods such as Old Groove Eastern White Pine is becoming increasingly popular among owners of historic homes on the Eastern seaboards. For owners of historic homes on the Eastern seaboard, woods such as Old Groove Eastern White Pine are prized for their old look and simplicity. Lately, dark woods have significantly increased in popularity, with walnut in the greatest demand.

DIY and Maintaining Your Wood Floor
Don’t be intimated by the prospect of installing your own wood floor. About 30 percent of people do it themselves. If you can operate a nail gun and a saw, then you can do it. Many resources are available to help you with this project, including instruction books and information online.

One of the great thing about wood flooring is that it’s low maintenance. Keep a step-off mat at any doorway, and then all you need is a regular schedule of sweeping and vacuuming. Clean up any standing water immediately; it should never be left on a wood floor. It’s advisable to keep an extra box of wood in case you need to replace a strip.

Fortunately, natural hardwoods survive many household mishaps much better than laminates and synthetics, since the grain and pattern of solid hardwoods go all the way through. Scuffs and burns that would be permanent in a synthetic surface can be repaired with relative ease.

For the past 25 years Avo Barsoumian has helped home owners with their home flooring and interior decorating needs. He owns and operates a flooring company in Los Angeles. They have a huge selection of elegant hardwood flooring, beautiful laminate flooring and plush carpeting. It doesn’t matter whether your searching for cheap laminate flooring for your new home or  cheap carpet to makeover your older home then Carpet Wagon has exactly what you’re looking for.

Contractors and building executives have a variety of options, when choosing commercial flooring materials. Manufactures produce floor materials for different uses, including retail stores, cafes, automotive repair shops and producing facilities. Before making an investment in a new floor, investing a bit of time and research is important.

The first step in choosing a floor is deciding what special conditions exist in the installation space. Floors installed in a mechanic shop will need to be more durable and chemical resistant than floors installed in retail outlet stores. In addition to human traffic, it is important to consider other elements that might come in contact with the floor, including chemicals, oil, water and organic materials.

Durability is a component in all floor coverings. While a floor installed in a commercial kitchen wants to resist the pounding of chefs and line cooks, a floor installed in the locker room of a golfing resort wishes to also be in a position to handle the workout a couple of golf shoes has to give. Floor sturdiness points to consider includes the amount of traffic the floor will receive, along with the type of traffic expected.

Commercial flooring comes in materials designed for indoor and outdoor use, and some floor types may be employed for outside or inside use. Outside locations need flooring that can withstand the elements. Indoor floors, while sheltered from the sun, rain, snow and snow, must be able to bear other elements,eg continual traffic and heating and air conditioning effects.

A Reactive resin floor can offer something for pretty much everyone looking for a commercial floor material. A reactive resin floor can resist the battering of the elements, along with the pounding of heavy traffic. The material offers a puncture resistant covering, which can also resist corrosive elements.

Resin coated floor materials can be installed on any concrete or cement floor. Floors can be installed in numerous hours, with curing times as short as two hours. Unlike any other materials, a reactive resin floor can be installed in just about any condition, even temperatures as low as 25 degrees below zero Celsius. Flooring designs include solid colours, along with a variety of more stylish looks, with something to please everybody.

Reactive resin floors offer a good deal of resistance to elements they can come in touch with. They resist corrosive and damaging materials, including acid, salt, lye, grease and oil. They also resist tearing and offer slip resistance from standing liquids.

Resin coated flooring has been successfully installed in all types of commercial facilities. Catering businesses have used resin coated floors to provide the slip resistance and durability needed for commercial cooking. Chemical companies have installed reactive resin floors for their resistance to chemical spills and stadium contractors have installed them to resist food and drink spills during events.

Searching for a commercial flooring can offer a challenge for anyone in the marketplace. Reactive resin flooring offers something for almost everyone, providing resistance to outdoor elements, chemicals and corrosives, as well as the durability needed for pounding traffic. A reactive resin floor can withstand what man and nature can dish out.

Do you know what the numerous benefits of a resin floor are for your business? Get the inside scoop now on http://www.silikalamerica.com

You can protect them and pass it on to generations if you follow the steps which are discussed in following paragraphs, so continue reading.

Things you will need-

• Mop
• A neutral pH cleaner
• Pest control spray

Step 1

Place rugs and apply floor guards

One can prevent certain damages on the floor and also reduce the repair cost if they are little more careful. The wear and tear of this cherry hardwood floor begins with scratches created by furniture or by our shoes. The best that you can do is add floor guard to all your furniture, so next time your child pushes a table on your expensive floor it will not get scratched. Also you can rugs in areas which have maximum traffic, like the corridor or the porch area.

Step 2

Remove shoes

You might feel that it is impolite to ask your guest to remove their shoes at the entrance. But according to ancient cultures, it prevents outside impurities and negativity from entering your house. So if you maintain a shoe rack at the entrance of your house and leave your shoes there then it will not only help you to keep your house clean but also scratch free, as maximum scratch is formed by shoes.

Step 3

Correct Cleaning

The other preventive measures that you can use is operative measures that you can apply is by exercising a cleaning routine. Keep your authentic hard wood dirt free by broom and vacuuming regularly. Mop your floors with a neutral pH cleaner. Highly alkaline or acidic cleaners can cause serious damage to the floor. Wet floors can also damage your hardwood so don’t keep hardwood wet for very long.

Step 4

Decay with time

With time these floors decompose as they can get attacked by termites and borers, so it is important that we keep them clean and get regular pest control done. There a simple test to check the extent of damage on your hardwood. If you pour some water on your floor and that area becomes dark then it clearly shows signs of damage. You might need to hire a professional to do the damage control. Most of the natural surfaces have a poly urethane or wax finish, sometimes repairing can be simple. You can use a steel wool pad to clean a particular area and reapply the stains and wax polish.

Tips and suggestions- Brazilian cherry hardwood floor is extremely durable, and value for money. It has low maintenance cost, the only trick to increase the life span of your wood floors is regular cleaning and maintenance will surely keep termite and rodents at bay.

Aravind Rajendran owns and writes for http://www.hardwoodfloorsauthority.com/index.html. This site is a treasure trove of information in regards to hardwood floors installation especially for your do it yourself needs. You can find a wealth of information here – http://www.hardwoodfloorsauthority.com/about_wood_floors.html.

Floors can be a headache. And unfortunately 90% of the time when you want to find helpful information about which type of floor to choose, someone is just trying to sell you their product and not actually trying to help you. A garage floor can be one of the trickiest areas on ones property to maintain and care for. The first thing that should be done is to research affective products that are a good fit for your lifestyle.

There are many different types of garage flooring that one can choose from when they are building or remodeling their garage. Before deciding which type of flooring is right for them, one should determine what they will be doing in the garage. For example, if someone plans to work on cars or have a wood shop, they will need different flooring than someone who just wants a place to park their car. If one is using tools or spill-able liquids, a shock resistant, easy to clean floor is necessary. If the garage is used for children’s play or perhaps exercise equipment, a floor that is soft and easy on the feet is a good choice.

The garage should be measured so that one knows how much flooring they will need. One may install the flooring themselves or have a professional do it. In either case, it is often a good idea to order a little extra flooring. If it is not used in the installation, these materials can be saved to fixed future damage or used for some other purpose.

It is important to follow the manufacturer’s instructions in regard to maintaining and cleaning the garage flooring. Doing so will help it last longer and keep it looking great. The flooring should be treated as an investment to keep it usable for years to come.

Research is important when buying a new garage floor. Floors-web.com and other fact based sites are a great way to conduct fact searches regarding all aspects of the floor.

Article by Max King

Berber carpet is one of the more popular types of carpeting today and can be found in beautiful homes throughout the country. Berber does not actually refer to the material the carpet is made from, but rather the carpet’s weave. In fact, Berber carpeting can be made from a number of materials, with wool, nylon, and olefin being the most common.

While Berber carpeting is typically more durable and stain-resistant than standard carpet, it still needs to be cleaned on a regular basis. The process for cleaning this type of carpeting is a little different than most carpet. Here are some tips to help keep your Berber carpet looking clean and attractive.

The simplest way to keep your carpet looking great is to simply prevent any dirt and dust from actually penetrating the carpet’s weave. The best way to ensure this does not happen is to vacuum on a regular basis. Vacuuming once or twice a week should be more than sufficient to get the job done. It would also help to have everyone remove their shoes before entering your home.

Using a steam cleaner is one of the best ways to clean Berber carpets. This method is highly effective in carpet cleaning and stain removal. However, since the carpet has such tight woven fabric, it makes any moisture from the steam cleaning more difficult to remove. What this essentially means is that you will need to allot more type for the carpet to dry after a steam cleaning than you would with most carpet.

Another important point to remember is to never scrub a stain on your Berber carpeting. Actually, you should never scrub a stain on any type of carpeting. The reason for this is that scrubbing actually causes the stain to penetrate deeper into the carpet and subsequently causing more damage than what you started with.

Simply use a clean, damp cloth to dilute and absorb the stain. The key to removing stains is to act quickly and immediately right after a spill takes place. If you follow the above cleaning steps, your Berber carpet will look great for many years to come.

Tracy is an avid interior designer with a new website where she reviews the most popular brown shag rug models available today. For the best deals, reviews, and design tips on brown area rugs, visit her website today.

Are your hard floors looking dirty even after they are mopped? Is there no shine left in your floors? Maybe your floors were recently stripped and waxed, but now a few months later, you cannot even tell it. Below are some basic steps to care for your VCT floors that will provide a consistent shine.

VCT is short for vinyl composite tile. This is the type of floor that you see in most hospital hallways and many other commercial buildings. Some people just call it “tile” floors, but I find this ambiguous since ceramic tile is becoming more frequent in commercial buildings.

VCT has been around for many years. The most common size is twelve inches by twelve inches. You may also find eight by eight inch tiles in older buildings, but this will commonly be ACT (asbestos composite tile). ACT has been phased out, but if your building has it, the tips we give below will work on either type of floor.

The steps in care for your VCT floor are pretty straight forward. You may have heard terms such as strip and wax, buffing, polishing, and scrubbing. We will also explain each of these.

Stripping and waxing is a term that refers to removing the existing wax on your floor and applying new wax. Wax is also referred to as “finish” and these two terms are interchangeable. Stripping is a labor intensive process where low speed buffers (floor machines that run 175 rpm) are brought in and remove the wax. First, a mop is used to apply stripper, which should be allowed to sit for ten to fifteen minutes. Then, the low speed buffer is run over the floor with an abrasive pad for stripping. The result is a combination of old wax and stripper that is then vacuumed or mopped up. This process is repeated until all of the wax is removed.

In areas where there is much of wax, it will be necessary to repeat the stripping process. However, in areas where there is high foot traffic, the wax remaining is usually not heavy and easy to remove. Also, small pads or razors are used against walls or in corners to remove the wax that the buffer cannot reach.

During the strip, a second solution of floor rinse and water is used to clean the floor and prevent the old wax from drying back into the floor. If the old wax dries, then the stripping process must be redone to remove the wax again. Once the floor is stripped, the floors should be rinsed once more to remove any loose remaining wax or particulates, and ensure a clean floor to wax.

The floor must then be allowed to dry completely before any wax can be applied. Wax is applied in coats. The first coat is applied by a mop and allowed to dry. Then each additional coat is applied. Depending on the specifications and desired shine, the number of coats of wax is determined.

If a high, lustrous shine is desired, it will typically require six to eight coats. Four coats of wax will deliver a medium shine.

After the above steps are completed, your floor is now stripped and waxed. After the last coat of wax is dry, the floor is safe to walk on. It is advisable to allow the floor two to three days to completely “cure” before performing any high speed buffing.

Buffing or polishing refers to using a high speed buffer on the VCT floor to bring back a shine and make the wax harder. High speed buffing is done one of three ways: propane, battery operated, and electric. High speed buffers run between 1500 rpms and 2000 rpms depending on the manufacturer. We prefer the propane buffers out of the three we mentioned.

Scrub and recoat is a term that refers to using a light rinse on the waxed VCT floor with a low speed machine. The floor is not stripped, but just the first coat or two of wax is removed. Then, wax is applied to renew the shine of the VCT floor. A scrub and recoat is a good interim method to be used between stripping and waxing.

How often should a floor be stripped and waxed? There is no right answer to this question, because each floor is different. A good rule of thumb is to strip and wax at least once a year. Some floors may need to be stripped and waxed twice a year or more. High speed buffing should be done at least once a month. If a VCT floor has high foot traffic, it can be buffed once a week to maintain a good appearance. Scrub and recoats can be done at the half way mark between strip and waxes.

Even a brand new VCT floor should be stripped and waxed. New VCT comes from the manufacturer with a factory sealer, but usually cannot stand up to high traffic.

The most important step of any VCT floor is sweeping and mopping. VCT floors should be swept and mopped daily to prevent dirt from scratching and marring the appearance of the floor. Mopping should be done with cold water and a neutral cleaner. If hot water is used on a waxed VCT floor, it can cause the wax to come up with the mop and also gives the wax a cloudy appearance. Also, do not use harsh cleaners to mop a VCT floor. Bleach or ammonia based products will strip wax off of the VCT floor. If you cannot find or run out of neutral cleaner, just use plain cold water. Then, find a suitable neutral cleaner when you resume the maintenance the next day.

To recap the above steps:
1. Sweep and mop your VCT floors daily.
2. High speed buff your VCT floors at least once a month.
3. Strip and wax your VCT floors at least once a year.
4. Scrub and recoats may be done interim of stripping and waxing. (every 6 months)

By following the above steps, or making sure your janitorial provider does, will provide a VCT floor with a desirable shine and appearance. It will also increase the life of your VCT floors. If properly cared for, VCT floors can last for forty years or more.

If you would like a floor consultation, or get a no obligation floor bid, please contact us at 903-291-8169. Or, look us up on the web at http://www.allianceofeasttexas.com/. We would be happy to help you in the care and maintenance of your floors.

Steve W. Davis has been an owner of janitorial companies for 8 years. The Alliance Maintenance office he now directs services North East Texas and North West Louisiana.

We can be reached at the following site:
http://www.allianceofeasttexas.com