Floor Installations

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04/08/2011

Want a kitchen remodeling project this summer?

Posted by The Flooring Expert under Ceramic Tile Countertops, DIY, Do it Yourself, Floor Installations, Granite, Home Improvement, Kitchen Design, Limestone, Marble, Real Estate | Tags: , , , , , , , , |
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Want a kitchen remodeling project this summer?
by Sears Home Pro

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Bay Area Kitchen Remodeling
Bay Area Kitchen Remodeling

 

Kitchen remodeling is a fun and interesting experience, and the outcome should please you for years to come. When you get ready to do the job, consider carefully whether you have the skills and experience to complete it. Here are some remodeling tips to think about before you take on this huge challenge.
1. Expertise is helpful in designing any size kitchen.
A medium sized kitchen is probably the easiest to design. You have basic features to incorporate into the plan, and you have plenty of room for them. With help you can design a lovely new kitchen room. A large kitchen takes more thought because you have many more options. If you are not familiar with all the different types of cabinets, countertops, and appliances and how to fit them together, you might sell this large space short. A small kitchen is perhaps the most difficult of all for designing a remodel. To get the most out of every inch of the space, it is a good idea to use an experienced contractor who has worked with small kitchens before.
2. Initial choices affect overall cost.
One of the most basic choices is to what degree you are going to take the kitchen remodeling job. You will have to decide whether to get new custom cabinets, new pre-manufactured cabinets, or reface the old ones. The next decisions are materials for every part of your newly remodeled kitchen. Countertop materials include ceramic tile, granite, marble, laminate, solid surface, engineered stone and butchers block wood countertops. Cabinet choices range from hardwoods to melamine. Be sure you get the quality of materials you want. The best way to ensure this is to have a discussion with an expert.
3. Measure carefully.
When you are doing an entire kitchen remodeling project, you will have to measure every part of your kitchen. Make sure to consider the way the work will be done as you measure each area and board. Then, write down every measurement in a way that you will recognize when it comes time to order the parts and put them together. This can be a very confusing task if you are not accustomed to doing it.
4. Be careful in placing appliances.
If the stove and refrigerator are not separated when you begin your kitchen remodeling project, make plans to separate them at that point. There should be plenty of counter space between the two so that you will have places to put food when you take it out of either appliance. The sink, ideally, should be between the two. This may require special plumbing work as a part of the job. When you are getting ready for a kitchen remodeling job, there are many things to consider. Make sure you keep them in mind.

About the Author:

This article brought to you by Yil Acosta of Sears Home Improvements. To get more roofing information including Cost of A New Roof visit the Roofing Services section of our website or call us today at 877-292-7894

 

04/06/2011

Garage Floor Drains Provide Simple Way To Protect Your Belongings

Posted by The Flooring Expert under Concrete Flooring, custom floor designs, DIY, Do it Yourself, Floor Installations, Flooring Choices, Home Improvement, Real Estate | Tags: , , , , , , , , |
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Garage Floor Drains Provide Simple Way To Protect Your Belongings
by Alexander Sutton

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Garage Floor Drains

Garage Floor Drains

How important is the garage to you and your family? Is it a natural part of your house or was it an added feature similar to a second thought? No matter how you use the room, it needs a garage floor drain. You may only use it as a place where you park your car but many people use it as a storage area. The garage can be a catch all room for keeping things that you do not have a need for everyday or for storing items that you want to give away, sell, or throw away of later on at a rummage or tag sale. Sporting equipment and other outside toys are usually stored in the garage. Also, there may be many families that use the garage as a laundry area or a workshop or maybe even as a business or home office.

The growing importance of the garage has increased the number of remodeled garages through the past years. Garages are becoming an integral part of the house. Garage floor drains should be installed in the middle of the floor, close to a water heater, near a washing machine, or beside the utility sink. If you have a rest room in your garage, you will need a garage floor drain there as well.

Making the decision of what type of flooring to go with in your garage can be a challenge. You have many choices to choose from that means you are not limited to just concrete anymore. There are just about as many choices in flooring and styles as there are choices in women’s purses. Make sure you are keeping your floors clean and well maintained to keep from having to replace them often. Decide what is most important to you about your floor and then choose the material that best matches those requirements. In no time at all you will have the flooring for your garage.

If you have the financial ability to afford them, tile floors are another great option. Tile is not the cheapest option, so if you are on a budget you might want to think about other flooring. You will find installation fairly simple because of the size of the tiles. Installing them yourself will save you a bit of money. Most people who choose tile end up installing it in multiple areas of their homes.

About the Author:

Alexander Sutton enjoys providing a convenient experience for others by helping people learn about top features and industry-best trends. For more information, please visit Garage Floor Drains.

 

02/08/2011

How To Install Sheet Vinyl Flooring

Posted by The Flooring Expert under DIY, Do it Yourself, Floor Installations, Floor Maintenance, Flooring Choices, Home Improvement, Kitchen Design, Real Estate, Vinyl Flooring, Vinyl Flooring Installations, Vinyl Flooring Prices | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |
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Any competent home handyman can install sheet vinyl flooring. Vinyl flooring is an excellent choice for kitchens, bathrooms, entryways, and sunrooms. It resists water and provides much more comfort to the feet, calves, and ankles than ceramic, natural stone, hardwood or laminate flooring. You can easily update your entire room by installing new vinyl flooring. If the area is large, it is wise to have a helper to assist in moving and placing the sheet vinyl into position.

Required Tools:

  • Tape Measure

  • Trowel

  • Straight Edge

  • Utility Knife

  • Floor Roller (rent)

Step 1

Measure The Floor Area: Sheet vinyl is sold in standard widths of 6′, 12′ and 15′, with the most common being 12′. The most difficult part of any sheet vinyl installation is seaming – joining 2 pieces together. If possible, buy a large enough width to avoid having to seam pieces together.

Step 2

Prepare The Room:

  • Remove all furniture, appliances, floor ventilation grills and the toilet if applicable

  • Remove all doors

  • Remove any baseboard or other floor trim moldings. Check the wall for any nails that may have pulled through the molding during removal. Remove these nails from the wall.

  • Vacuum the area, paying special attention to areas that were previously covered by the baseboard

Step 3

Prepare The Sub-Floor:

  • Concrete — To install sheet vinyl over concrete you must insure that the surface is dry, smooth and clean. All holes and cracks must be repaired using concrete filler. Grinders can be used to shave high spots.

  • Vinyl Flooring — You can install new sheet vinyl over old sheet vinyl or linoleum providing that the existing material is in reasonably good condition. Embossing leveler can be applied with a straight edge trowel to smooth rough textures. Remove any damaged or loose vinyl flooring.

  • Floors Requiring Underlayment — In order to install vinyl sheet flooring over hardwood, embossed, cushioned, or an uneven floor you will first have to install an underlayment. It is important to note that any bumps or dips in the floor will, over time, show through the new floor. A ¼” BC plywood is a suitable underlayment for vinyl sheeting (check local codes). Always use a plywood that is of underlayment grade.

Step 4

Cutting The Vinyl: The new vinyl flooring must be allowed to acclimatize in the room where it will be installed for at least 24 hours prior to doing any cutting or installation of the product.

Sheet vinyl can be measured and cut to size using 2 different methods:

  • Measure the length and width of the floor to be covered. Proceed by cutting the sheet vinyl 3″ wider than the floor area on all sides. Lay the sheet vinyl on the floor to be covered and trim the excess material away. If your room has few angles and/or obstacles you will find that this method is the easiest to implement.

  • Create an exact pattern of the floor layout. Transfer the layout from the pattern to the vinyl and make the necessary cuts prior to laying it in place. This method works well with thicker vinyl flooring and/or in rooms that have a complex set of angles or recesses. Most retailers that sell sheet vinyl will have installation kits that contain paper, marking pen, tape, cutting blade, and a complete set of instructions to make an accurate template.

Step 5

Installing Your Vinyl Flooring:

Depending on the type of sheet vinyl you have purchased it will require either a full-bond or a perimeter-bond adhesive. There are different adhesives depending on the type of sheet vinyl that you are installing. Make sure that you have the correct adhesive for your product.

For additional information on flooring products for your home or other home renovation, landscaping and gardening projects, visit Renovation Headquarters.

Bill Prudehome has more than 25 years experience in home improvement, remodel and landscaping. Through his website – Renovation-Headquarters.com he provides a wealth of information on all aspects of home improvement, remodel and landscaping.

 

10/15/2010

Deciding On Flooring: Cheap Laminate Flooring

Posted by The Flooring Expert under DIY, Do it Yourself, Floor Installations, Flooring Choices, Green Flooring, Home Improvement, Laminate Floor Installations, Laminate Flooring, Laminate Flooring Maintenance, Pergo, Real Estate | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |
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By Max Michael

California Flooring Store Locations

One of the most difficult decisions when it comes to the redecorating of any room is the flooring. With so many different flooring types available and the wide range between costs, it can be more than a little confusing making any final decisions. By learning more about the different flooring types available, everything from cheap laminate flooring to high quality walnut flooring, you can become more familiar with the different flooring types and make the right choice in flooring for your own home.

Obviously the main benefit of the cheaper flooring is it is less expensive than most other flooring types. Laminate floors can look nice and they are really easy to install. However, the problem with laminate is it can look cheap and it is not as durable as other flooring types. Laminate is not the best at standing up to wear and tear so you basically get a few good years with a laminate floor even with proper maintenance.

With other flooring types such as the walnut floors, they do look much nicer and also last longer. They are more expensive but it is more of an investment and you know you are not going to need to perform as much maintenance or redo the floor again a few years down the road. The walnut hardwood floors are gorgeous when installed properly. You may want to hire a professional flooring company to install the floors for you if you have not done it before, as it can be a tricky process.

It all depends on the amount of money you have to work with, what your personal preference is and what sort of look you are trying to achieve in a room. Compare the options you have available and come to a decision on which is right for you.

About the author:
I am an expert in everything floor related. I have worked in construction as well as interior design for more than a decade. If you have any questions feel free to leave a comment and I will get back to you ASAP.

 

10/10/2010

Choosing the Right Type of Tile – A Guide to Different Tiles and Their Uses

Posted by The Flooring Expert under Bathroom Design, Ceramic Tile Countertops, custom floor designs, DIY, Do it Yourself, Floor Installations, Floor Maintenance, Flooring Choices, Granite, Green Flooring, Home Improvement, Kitchen Design, Laminate Flooring, Limestone, Marble, Pergo, Real Estate, Stone Flooring, Tile Flooring, Vinyl Flooring, wood flooring | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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By Joe Wallis

California Flooring Store Locations

California Flooring Store Locations

These days, tiles are used in more than just kitchen and bathroom projects. There are many different types of tiles, some of which can be installed both indoors and outdoors. Some are extremely versatile, and can be used just about anywhere.

Before choosing tile, it’s important to learn about the different types and their uses. Whether you want to simply remodel one room in your home or renovate an entire building, here is an overview to 10 different tiles and their uses.

Ceramic Tile

Ceramic tiles are forged from rich clay gathered from deep within the earth. Ceramic has an elegant, yet natural appearance, and the tiles are typically glazed in a matte or satin finish. You can also choose unglazed, or “quarry” tiles, if you prefer a more natural look.

Ceramic tile is usually found in residential kitchens and bathrooms. It can be used for flooring, walls, and countertops. If you’re looking for an extremely durable material that can withstand scratches and stains, then you might want to consider buying ceramic tile.

Marble Tile

Marble is extremely elegant. It comes in a variety of colors, with the most common being white, pink, gray, and black. The finish can be either matte or polished. This tile is ideal for countertops and walls in kitchens and bathrooms. Many sinks and vanities are made out of marble as well. Polished marble is not ideal for bathroom floors, as it gets slippery when wet. If you
want to buy marble flooring, be sure to choose tiles with a honed (matte) finish.

Vinyl Tile

 Vinyl tile is both durable and low-cost. As such, it’s a popular flooring material in high-traffic rooms. Not only is it resilient to impact damage, it is also supple and comfortable to walk on. As long as they are installed properly, vinyl tiles don’t need a lot of maintenance. It’s ideal for residential flooring and commercial flooring both. If you’re going for an antique look, you can buy vinyl tile that is designed to resemble wood or stone.

Granite Tile

Granite is a common building material. It has been used for centuries in both indoor and outdoor applications. It’s a very hard stone that is water and scratch-resistant. Since it doesn’t conduct heat, it can go anywhere in the kitchen. It can also be used for outdoor building projects, such as storage building construction and paving. Granite was even used to construct Mount Rushmore! You can choose granite tile in a variety of finishes, including sandblasted, flamed, honed, and polished.

Porcelain Tile

Porcelain is known for its beauty and durability. It’s easy to maintain and is available in different colors and textures. Porcelain tile is very frost-resistant, and therefore suitable for bathroom furniture, flooring, and walls. Some small
businesses also use porcelain tile since it holds up pretty well as light commercial traffic. Porcelain tile is available in high-polished, matte, and unglazed finishes.

Slate Tile

Slate has a rough texture and rustic appearance. However, it still scratches and stains easily, making it a bad choice for kitchen countertops. What it lacks in durability, slate makes up for in versatility. You can use it for interior and exterior projects. Some indoor uses for slate tile include bathroom and
kitchen flooring, walls, and indoor sunrooms. For the outdoors, you can use it as building material for a patio or porch.

Mosaic Tile

Mosaic tile is very translucent, beautiful, and versatile. It is produced in many different colors and textures. This makes it a perfect design for just about any renovation project. Mosaic looks great in bathrooms, kitchens, around pools, bathtubs, and even walls. Some manufacturers even create mosaic tiles for
artistic projects. A lot of artists use this material in their arts and crafts.

Travertine Tile

Travertine is a stone tile that is used in a variety of residential applications. It’s easy to cut for a stone; therefore, it can be cut to fit any type of area. In addition to flooring, travertine tile can be used on kitchen countertops sinks, in showers, and for fireplaces. For outdoor applications, it can be used as a garden path or patio. Travertine is rather porous and quickly absorbs liquids. For this reason, you need to wipe up spills as soon as they happen. Also, you need to be careful in regards to the cleaning products you use.

Laminate Tile

Laminate looks like hardwood, yet no wood is used in its construction. Laminate tiles are made up of a variety of materials which are bonded together under high pressure. They are topped with a photographic image of hardwood flooring, followed by a hard, clear coating. Laminate is an ideal choice if you want an inexpensive alternative to a wood floor. It can be installed in just about any room in your home, save for the bathroom and laundry room. This is because laminate tiles can swell when exposed to a lot of moisture.

Linoleum Tile

Linoleum is a great looking tile that looks attractive in both contemporary and traditional settings. Linoleum floors can last for a very long time, and don’t require a lot of maintenance. It’s extremely water-resistant, so you can put it in your bathroom, laundry room, patio, and just about any other indoor or outdoor setting. The downside to linoleum is that it doesn’t do well around heat, so avoid using it near a stove or fireplace.

About the author:
Joe Wallis is the editor of the Learn How to Lay Tile website, which provides information about how to choose tile and set it properly for a wide variety of home improvement projects.

 

09/22/2010

Procedure for Removing Tiles

Posted by The Flooring Expert under custom floor designs, DIY, Do it Yourself, Floor Installations, Floor Maintenance, Flooring Choices, Granite, Home Improvement, Kitchen Design, Real Estate, Stone Flooring, Stone Flooring Maintenance, Tile Floor Installations, Tile Flooring, Tile Installations, Tile Maintanence | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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By Joe Wallis

Tile Removal

Tile Removal

The first thing that you should do whenever you are going to install a new set of tiles on the floor of any room in the house is to take out the worn-out tiles prior to beginning with the installation. Another suggestion is for you to inquire from professionals and ask them for advice or to research about it before you begin working, similar to other kinds of renovation work. Even as a number of people will not find it difficult to remove tiles, you would not know what to do until you will be able to consult an expert. You will be able to do a satisfactory job in taking out the tiles provided that you stick to the procedures in this article on what you need to do when you are removing tiles.

Since a number of rooms inside the house are used more often compared to others, they are often worn out faster than the others especially with the way they are used. Among the rooms that often have badly worn out floors are the bathroom and the kitchen. You may have to install brand new and elegant tiles to replace the ones that already look old and worn out. Even though it may not sound easy to do and may take a long time to finish, you might as well work on it if you have a couple of weekends available to work on it since you will reap the rewards of your hard work later on. Even if the adhesive that was used in installing the tiles are heavy duty, the equipment that you will use in removing the tiles will be suitable enough for the job.

The image of yourself on the floor struggling to remove each and every tile on the floor may have crossed your mind. But the good news is that image in your mind is not accurate since the procedure in taking out the tile will not take forever to do. I also experienced the sense of relief after learning that it will not be necessary to stay on the floor for a number of hours just to remove worn out tiles. Safety will always be the foremost concern whenever you want to remove the tiles. Have your gloves and goggles ready due to the dust and dirt particles that might fly off when you know how to take out the worn-out tiles on the floor.

If you are fascinated by the demolition and wrecking of things, you will find the next step fun to do. Simply get a hammer and start smashing the tiles one at a time. Try to control yourself since things can easily go wrong, however be confident enough to enjoy yourself during the job, As soon as the tiles are destroyed and smashed into smaller pieces use a power scraper with a long handle to sweep the floor. You will be able to take out any of the extra bits wedged against the floorboard using the tool as a broom. Once this is done, take all the large and tiny pieces of tiles out of the room and vacuum it to remove the dust particles from of the room. With this you should already know how to properly remove worn-out tiles from the room.

About the author:
Joe Wallis edits www.learnhowtolaytile.com, which offers a free course that instructs people about how to remove old tile and other tile setting matters.

 

09/02/2010

What’s the Difference between Reclaimed & Recycled Wood

Posted by The Flooring Expert under custom floor designs, Floor Installations, Flooring Choices, Green Flooring, Hardwood Flooring, Home Improvement, Laminate Flooring, Real Estate, wood flooring | Tags: , , , , , , |
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By Noah Jordan

As you enter the world of Reclaimed and Recycled hardwood flooring, you have a lot of things consider. It is a must, that you have done your homework. What exactly is reclaimed wood? Reclaimed and Recycled wood is wood that has been recycled or been previously used in construction or salvaged from undamaged or decayed wood. Some examples are railroad ties, weathered barn siding, old factory beams, even sunken logs, trees that have fallen due to bad weather, or trees that have been cut to clear for a new build.

This material is extremely durable and has been air dried for decades. Think about this, rather than installing a floor from just recently cut timbers, why not install a floor with a history behind it? A floor that reveals the passing of time, history throughout the generations with character marks such as nail holes, saw kerfs, and cracks, offering you a wide variety of contrast, that make a remarkable rustic floor. This is actually a good “Green” way to go; otherwise they would be left to rot.

What a waste of so much talent! Reclaimed wood flooring offers a truly distinctive choice when it comes to wood floors. Reclaimed and Recycled wood reduces the demand for new wood and helps to conserve our forests and moderate the potential impacts of incremental logging upon the environment. Using recycled or salvaged wood is a socially and ecologically responsible decision. Other things to you need to know are the drawbacks of reclaimed and recycled wood. They are not often sold is most outlet stores, it can be very hard to find. If you choice to use reclaimed wood make sure you always allow yourself at least 10% waste or more to insure you have some on hand in case a need arises to replace part of your floor. Because, it will be hard to find an exact match.

Price can be a factor as well, depending on the species of wood you are looking for. It ranges from 4.00 a square foot to 30.00 a square foot. Price can be driven up by the amount of labor involved. It is pulled away from its original location, requiring it to be disassembled, de-nailed, getting rid of any metallic items that were imbedded in the wood. When you make a lifetime investment to your home, you want to gather as much information as you can, educate yourself, so you will feel confident in your decision you have made for your flooring needs. Your home will have an eye catching essence of “History”, that tells a storey for anyone who enters your home.

About the author:
Learn more about recycled wood flooring. Noah Jordan is a hardwood and eco-flooring expert.

 

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