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11/22/2010

Cleaning Hardwood Floors the Green Way

Posted by The Flooring Expert under DIY, Do it Yourself, Floor Maintenance, Flooring Choices, Green Flooring, Hardwood Flooring, Home Improvement, Laminate Flooring Maintenance, Pergo, Real Estate, wood flooring | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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By R. Levi

Hardwood flooring gives a home that warm welcoming look that makes you feel so, well warm and welcome. The good news is hardwood floors are also straightforward to clean and to take care of using eco-friendly cleaners.

Before you begin to clean your hardwood floors, you have to determine what condition your ground is in. You will need to perceive what sort of finish you’ve gotten in place and whether or not it’s stained or varnished. Many so called ‘wood floors’ are really just wood grain laminate, which might require a different kind of cleaning.

Before you start cleaning the hardwood floor do this test – sprinkle a little water on the floor. If the ground soaks up the water, it means the protecting finish has worn away and it’s time for you to think about redoing your floors.

When you have a wax finish on your flooring, then you only have to sweep the ground with a broom and mop it with a clean soft mop. You will need to sweep this type of hardwood floor each day to forestall dirt from building up, which can scratch and mar the wax surface. Liquid spills should be wiped up immediately to prevent the formation of ugly water rings.

A few times a year it’s best to consider using beeswax to scrub the ground if it has an oil or wax based finish. This kind of cleaner can help you to clean your floor and keep it vivid and beautiful. It’s best to apply the wax with a delicate cloth. Permit it to sit for a couple of minutes and then start to remove the excess wax. It is a lot like waxing your car. It’d sound extravagant to make use of this sort of wax however it may save you quite a lot of time when it comes time to day by day cleanup of the hardwood floors.

To really go green when cleaning hardwood flooring, you could have to remove the finish on your hardwood floor. This may need sanding the ground, which will be slightly difficult to accomplish on your own so that you would possibly have to get a professional to help you out. Once you have the floor stripped, reseal the ground with beeswax. Your newly polished hardwood flooring can now be kept clean by sweeping it every day with a brush and dusting with a gentle mop.

We trust that you find this content on cleaning hardwood floors worthwhile. For more information on cleaning hardwood floors, hardwood floor cleaning, hardwood floors cleaning, how to clean hardwood floors, clean hardwood floors, I suggest you visit this site http://www.cleaningcleaner.com.

About the author:
R. Levi is an expert in when comes to Eco Friendly Cleaning. He has devoted so much time in doing researches on the topic and has been proudly living Green for several years now. To learn more about cleaning hardwood floors, please drop by R. Levi’s favorite internet resource, http://www.cleaningcleaner.com.

 

11/09/2010

Carpet Cleaners and Rug Cleaning Tips

Posted by The Flooring Expert under area rugs, Carpet Cleaning, Carpet Maintenance, Carpeting, DIY, Do it Yourself, Home Improvement, Real Estate | Tags: , , , , , , , , , |
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Carpet and Rug Cleaning Tips By Chris Thomas

Like everything else today, rugs and carpets need special care to ensure long life. Regular cleaning, using proper treatments will help extend the life of your valuable investments like rug and carpets.

Before shampooing a carpet, vacuum it thoroughly to remove grit, dust and crumbs. Move the furniture out of the room or stack it at one end. Choose a day when you can open the windows to let the carpets dry naturally. Use a special carpet shampoo and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

Always check first that the color will not run by rubbing an unobtrusive area with shampoo solution. Start at the corner of the room furthest from the door and work back across the room to avoid treading on the damp area. Cover an area of approximately 1 square yd at a time, drawing the brush head of the cleaner towards you in strips across the area until no more water is drawn back into the head. Allow the carpet to dry thoroughly before replacing furniture.

Regardless of whether your rug is a cut pile or loop rug, vacuuming is the basic and primary step for caring for your rug. Rugs are exposed to endless mistreatment, such as treading feet, dirt, dust, oil and spills of all sorts. By frequently vacuuming, you can prevent soils from building up. Vacuums with good suction are recommended to lift surface dirt. This especially applies to looped rugs where damaging the loops is possible. Cut pile rugs on the other hand, require rougher treatment. Besides removing surface dirt it is necessary to agitate the pile to loosen the dirt which may have sunk to the core. These rugs require a vacuum with a beater or brush bar to lift the residue embedded in the rug. While vacuuming remember to never allow the soil storage bag to become too full or dirt may escape the vacuum.

Even though vacuuming removes a lot of soil, oily substances deposited on the rug also pose a problem. If left to pile up, these oils cause matting due to the pile sticking together. Gradually the rug starts to form ridges and the colors dim. If not removed when first noticed, it becomes hard to clean. It is, thus, advised to clean your rug when dullness first starts to appear. There are many ways to clean your rug but almost all require clean clothes or paper towels, warm water and a cleaning substance.

Some professional companies like Los Angeles Carpet Cleaning and Rug Cleaning Manhattan are providing their services with the best offers and with special coupons.

About the author:
This article is all about cleaning your valuable carpets and rugs, the importance of cleaning through various methods etc. Carpet Cleaning Los Angeles and Rug Cleaning Manhattan are such professional carpet cleaners giving you all the aids in cleaning your carpets, rugs, mattresses and upholstered furniture.

 

10/21/2010

Determining your Wood Floor’s Hardness

Posted by The Flooring Expert under bamboo flooring, Cork Flooring, Flooring Choices, Green Flooring, Hardwood Flooring, Home Improvement, Real Estate, wood flooring | Tags: , , , , , , , , , |
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Customers always have questions concerning  the hardnesses of the many different hardwood flooring products on the market. Below are listed the relative wood hardnesses for many of the commonly used wood species in the flooring installations industry.

These ratings were done using the Janka Hardness Test, which measure the force needed to embed a .444 inch steel ball to half its diameter in a piece of wood.

The higher the number the harder the wood. Although this is one of the best methods to measure the ability of wood species to withstand indentations, it should be used as a general guide when comparing various species of wood flooring.

The construction and finish also play an important role in the durability and ease of maintenance of any wood floor. These are the basics regarding hardwood flooring types and their hardnesses. If additional questions pop up concerning hardwood flooring wood hardnesses please consult a local flooring installations expert.

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Wood Species Hardness Rating
Douglas Fir 660
Southern Yellow Pine (short leaf) 690
Southern Yellow Pine (Long leaf) 870
Black Cherry 950
Teak 1000
Black Walnut 1010
Heart Pine 1225
Yellow Birch 1260
Red Oak (Northern) 1290
American Beech 1300
Ash 1320
White Oak 1360
Australian Cypress 1375
Hard Maple 1450
Wenge 1620
African Pedauk 1725
Hickory 1820
Pecan 1820
Purpleheart 1860
Jarrah 1910
Merbau 1925
Santos Mahogany 2200
Mesquite 2345
Brazilian Cherry 2350
 

10/19/2010

Ideal Kitchen Design Tips

Posted by The Flooring Expert under Ceramic Tile Countertops, custom floor designs, DIY, Do it Yourself, Flooring Choices, Granite, Home Improvement, Kitchen Design, Limestone, Marble, Real Estate, Stone Flooring, Tile Floor Installations, Tile Flooring, Tile Installations, Tile Maintanence | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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By Richard McIntyre

Kitchen TilesDesigning your kitchen can be a real task if you do not have a good layout. This is the room where the family may spend the most time hanging out and having dinner or conversations. A kitchen should be designed in such a way that everyone can move around comfortably and have enough space. There is nothing like coming in a kitchen and feeling cramped and cluttered. With a kitchen being as functional as it is, everyone will want to be comfortable in its design. You not only have to make it work for you, but for your entire family.

One of the main things to keep in mind when coming up with your ideal kitchen design is the kitchen work triangle. The triangle is a popular design layout that shows you how your sink, refrigerator and stove should be properly set up in the kitchen. Using the work triangle will help maximize the use of your kitchen space better. Once you evaluate your work triangle, you can make the other kitchen space work for your other appliances such as the dishwasher or microwave. If you use these other items more than you use the oven or sink, you may not need to enforce the work triangle into your design. The shape of your kitchen will also have an effect on how you position your work triangle.

Your kitchen counter will be the most functional piece. Everything you do will rest on the counters. There are various styles and colors to choose from. Counter tops should be chosen carefully. Since most food will be prepare on them, you will want to make sure you do not get counter tops that can crack or stain easily. It should also be easy to keep clean and sanitary. Counter tops can crack, but depending on the material they are made up of, it is possible to sand out the cracks. You want counter tops that are within your budget, trendy an easy to install. Counter top designs and colors should be an attractive compliment to the other appliances and features.

The work triangle helps to make for an easy clean up; since you do not have far to carry food, there will be less chance of spills. If your flooring tiles have a minimal amount of gaps or seams, less dirt will collect in them. How much cleaning you do to the floors is contingent upon the type of tile or material you put down. Keep in mind that while ceramic flooring is elegant, you have to sweep it every day. Cabinets are easy to clean if they have a ‘baked on’ finish. Cabinets with a high gloss finish are easy to wipe down when you see the dirt on them. Cabinets should be easy to open using no more than 2 fingers. Inserts put in the cabinets and drawers will make for an easy cleanup. Having a sink that under mounts makes mess on the counter easier to clean.

About the author:
Want to find out more about kitchen design layout, then visit Richard McIntyre’s site on how to choose the best small kitchen design for your needs.

 

10/18/2010

Choosing Solid Hardwood Flooring For Your Home

Posted by The Flooring Expert under bamboo flooring, Cork Flooring, Do it Yourself, Floor Maintenance, Flooring Choices, Green Flooring, Hardwood Flooring, Home Improvement, wood flooring | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |
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By Paul Brown

Hardwood FlooringIf you are considering renovating your home and replacing your old floor with hardwood floors then you have taken right decision. There are many benefits of hardwood floors and you might want to take a look at the benefits it has to offer. They have always been beautiful addition that changes the whole atmosphere of your home. Hardwood floors not only reflect your personality and style, but also increase the value of your home especially, if you are considering selling it.

The best thing about hardwood floors are that though they are bit expensive compared to carpet, they are less costly than marble and ceramic tiles. Hardwood floors, if maintained properly can last for a hundred years or more because of its durability and solidarity. The benefits of this kind of floors are endless. Due to its nature, hardwood can withstand regular wear and tear even in heavy traffic areas on the floor. But it should be kept in mind that it can easily develop scratches if it comes in contact with any object with sharp edges.

People who have installed heaters underneath their hardwood floors to keep it warm and cozy during winter must know that hardwood acts as insulators and thereby traps heat from heating units. It is a great replacement for homes which has ceramic or marble floorings. So, don’t be surprised to see that your neighbors come to your place frequently than ever before.

Apart from these benefits it provides health benefits also. As solid hardwood floors do not retain moisture, they are sealed and prevent the growth of molds and fungi. You can easily maintain your hardwood floor by mopping and sweeping. In cases where hardwood floors lose its shine and wax, you can refinish the floor after stripping it. Once the floor is sealed, floor spills will have no effect from mop water.

Hardwood floor perfectly fits into any design layout and is perfect for homes which undergo constant redecoration. No matter which color or furniture you choose, hardwood floor will surely match and increase the beauty of the home. Hardwood floors can be painted easily unlike carpet or laminate flooring. Hardwoods are available in different colors and types. People prefer Oak wood because they are durable and add class to your home. So, if you are looking for an alternative to your old carpet, ceramic or laminate floor, then solid hardwood flooring is the perfect
solution to redefine your living.

About the author:
If you have not seen the LM or Mannington Flooring options with our every day low prices then talk with one of our flooring experts. MyFlooringDirect dot com specializes in delivering solid hardwood flooring and Brazilian Flooring discounts straight to the consumers.

 

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.

 

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